Skip to main content

BL. ROBERT THORP, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 31 MAY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY

Saints celebrated on the 31st of May

WELCOME!

BLESSED ROBERT THORP, PRIEST AND MARTYR

Robert Thorp [Thorpe] was born in Yorkshire, and was an alumnus and priest of Douay college during its residence at Rheims; from whence he was sent upon the English mission, May 9, 1585. He employed his labours in Yorkshire, his native country. Dr Champney, who was acquainted with him, writes of him as follows: 

This holy priest, whom I knew in my younger days, and to whom, I have often confessed my sins, had laboured for a long time, and with very great fruit, in the vineyard of the Lord. He was a man of low stature, of infirm health, and but indifferent in point of learning, but of great devotion and piety; but though he was naturally timorous and weak, yet he suffered death for the catholic faith, with great constancy and fortitude.

The manner of his apprehension is thus related by Lady Babthorpe, who then lived in that country, but after her husband's decease, became a nun at Louvain:

To my remembrance, says she, it is twenty-nine years since we were committed to Sheriff-Hutton castle: the president (of the North,) was then the Earl of Huntington, and the archbishop's name was Piers, who had been a priest. And for the manner of Mr Thorp's taking and death, I can remember no more, but that on a Palm Sunday's evening, "rather on the eve of Palm Sunday," he was, by an evil neighbour, seen to go into Thomas Watkinson's house; or, as some said, that neighbour saw some of Thomas Watkinson's servants get palms, which was sufficient to assure them that he had a priest in his house: for they knew well that priests used much to come to his house; but they could not be sure of the time; so now thinking they were sure of one, they went with speed to one Mr. John Gates, a justice of the peace, living in Houldone, some three miles off, one who was always ready on such evil employments; who, with his company, came so early on Palm Sunday, in the morning, that, as I heard, they took them in their beds, and carried them away to York, where they were martyred. The manner of their deaths, I remember not, only this, that the good old man, Watkinson was offered his life if he would go to church, which he refusing, was martyred with the priest.

This Thomas Watkinson, who suffered with Mr Thorp, was a yeoman of Menthorpe, in Yorkshire, a good religious catholic, who lived a kind of a solitary life, and afforded what aid and assistance he could to the missioners. He suffered with great constancy, though naturally he was also timorous, and now advanced in years.

Mr Thorp was condemned merely upon account of his priesthood; and Mr Watkinson, merely for harbouring priests. The former was hanged, drawn and quartered; the latter only hanged.

They suffered at York, May 31, 1591.

From the Douay Diary and Catalogues, from Ribadaneira, chap. 7. Champney's manuscript, and the relation of Lady Babthorpe.

Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 1

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that we who know how courageously your holy martyr Robert confessed the faith, may experience his goodness as he intercedes for us with you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.







Comments

Popular posts from this blog

WELCOME

  Please pick your saints: January - Saints by date  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14    15    16    17   18    19    20    21    22    23    24    25    26    27    28    29    30    31   February - Saints by date  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14    15    16    17 18    19    20    21    22    23    24    25    26    27    28    29 ...

ST LAURA OF CORDOBA, WIDOW AND MARTYR - 19 OCTOBER

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN OCTOBER Saints celebrated on the 19th of October WELCOME! SAINT LAURA OF CORDOBA, WIDOW AND MARTYR   Laura, a widow and martyr of  Cordoba  in Spain, is mentioned in the Spanish martyrology of Tamajode Salazar, who refers to Luitprand, where it says the following: St Laura is said to have been of a noble family, and  according to the wishes of her parents she married an equally noble man and gave birth to two daughters.  After the death of her husband and her daughters, she went to the monastery of St Aurea, named St-Maria de Cuteclara, and after her martyrdom led the same for nine years as her successor.  After she had made wonderful progress in all virtues, she was finally summoned to renounce the faith before a Saracen judge. But since she remained steadfast, she was first beaten very cruelly and then thrown into a bath of boiling pitch, where she remained in praise of God for three hours and then flew to heaven on October...

ST JOHN BERCHMANS, RELIGIOUS - 13 AUGUST

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST Saints celebrated on the 13th of August WELCOME! SAINT JOHN BERCHMANS, RELIGIOUS   (Patron Saint of Altar Servers.) The eldest boy of a poor cordwainer, in a small Belgian town, John was ever a dutiful, prayerful, and studious child. Our Lord called him when but young to leave his father and his father’s house, to serve Him in the Society of Jesus.  And because he was so good a son, it cost his father much to give him up to God; but he was too good a Christian to refuse outright.  HE WAS SENT TO ROME John had hardly taken his religious vows when he was sent to the centre of Christendom, the holy city of Rome. His modesty, his purity, shone out as great virtue always does; and the young laymen who attended the lectures would come to gaze upon his beautiful and holy face, and go away the better for the sight. GREAT VIRTUE Three short years, and his last sickness found him sighing for heaven, and three days before the great feast of Mar...