ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL
Saints celebrated on the 13th of April
WELCOME!
BLESSED EDMUND CATHERICK, PRIEST AND MARTYR
He was descended from the Cathericks of Carlton, an ancient family in the north riding of Yorkshire, not far from Richmond. He performed his studies in the English college of Douay, and being there made priest, was sent upon the English mission about the year 1635, being then 30 years old. He stands with a fair character in the college diary, and is particularly commended for his extraordinary meekness, and for his zeal and labours in the mission: R. D. Lockwood. eadem hora serutus est R. D. Edmundus Catherick, alias Huddlestone Eboracensis, in passione socius, eo quod Sacerdos esset. Vir mitissimus, & hujus colegii alumnus, annos habens 37, quorum 7 in vinea Anglicana operarius strenuus impenderat. Diar. MSS. R. D. Ireland, ad annum 1642.
After seven years labouring in the vineyard of his Lord, he was apprehended on the road, not far from Watlass, and was carried by the pursuivants before justice Dodsworth, who had married a near kinswoman of Mr Catherick; to whom, it seems, the good man some time before (having been invited as a kinsman to his house) had in private candidly owned that he was a priest; so that Mr Catherick being now brought before him, the justice without more ado committed him to York castle, and afterwards appeared as evidence against him, making oath that the prisoner had owned himself a priest in his hearing. And it is the opinion of the people of that neighbourhood even to this day, says Mr Knaresborough in his manuscript collections, that Mr Dodsworth and his family for some years after felt the guilt of Mr Catherick's blood very heavy upon them, in a long series of surprising and dire disasters.
He was condemned merely for being a priest. His behaviour at the place of execution was very religious and devout. He employed the whole time in prayer, while Mr Lockwood was upon the ladder, and by his looks and reverend posture, plainly shewed that his applications to God were full of affection and fervour. When Mr Lockwood was turned off, Mr Catherick was ordered up the ladder, and he cheerfully obeyed: his former fears were now quite dissipated, and a great calm and tranquility had succeeded in his soul. When he was upon the ladder, he again betook himself to prayer, earnestly desiring all catholics there present to pray with him, and for him. He spoke little, saying, there was no need of it, for that his trial being lately past, whereat many of the company were present, they could all bear him witness that he was tried and condemned for his priesthood and that for this only, and for no other treason, he was brought thither to suffer death: He prayed for the king, his royal consort and their issue, that God in his mercy would shower down his blessings upon them, and send a right understanding betwixt his majesty and his parliament. Then he prayed for his persecutors, especially the person who was chiefly concerned in his death that God would bring him to a sense of his crime, and a speedy repentance: adding, that for his own part he freely forgave him, as heartily as he expected and hoped for mercy and pardon of his own manifold sins at the hands of God.
And now recollecting himself again for a few minutes, with eyes and hands lifted up to heaven, he said, Lord, I obey; be near me, O Lord! my soul hath trusted in thee; let me not be confounded for ever. Then pulling a cap over his eyes he delivered himself to the executioner, who soon after turned him off the ladder, and he calmly expired, April 13, 1642. His head was placed upon Micklegate bar. His bowels, or rather the fragments of them, were buried on Toft Green.
From Mr Knaresborough's Collections.
Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 2
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