ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY
Saints celebrated on the 18th of February
BLESSED WILLIAM HARRINGTON, PRIEST AND MARTYR
William Harrington was born of a gentleman's family, at a place called St John's Mount, in Yorkshire. He performed his studies abroad, in Douay college, during its residence at Rheims. Here he was made priest; and from hence, he was sent upon the English mission in 1592.
When, how, or where, he was apprehended, or any other particulars of his sufferings, or missionary labours, I have not been able to learn, only that he was condemned to die on account of his priestly character and functions; and for this, and no other treason, was put to a most cruel death.
The 18th of February, says Mr Stow, in his chronicle, one named Harrington, a seminary priest, was drawn from Newgate to Tyburn, and there hanged, cut down alive, struggled with the hangman; but was bowelled and quartered. So far Mr Stow where it is to be noted, that what the historian mentions of Mr Harrington's struggling with the hangman, after he was cut down, cannot be drawn to an argument of his not being resigned to die; but only shows the efforts which nature will be sure to make in a man, whose senses are stunned by having been half hanged; and therefore, by the motions of his hands and body, strives to resist that unnatural violence which is offered by the hands and knife of the executioner. Mr Harrington suffered at Tyburn, February 18, 1594.
(From the Douay diary and catalogues, and from Stow's chronicle)
PRAYER:
Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that we who know how courageously your holy martyr William 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.
Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 1
Comments
Post a Comment