s ai nt the faith in their children and foster children, and provided them a fine classical education. The girls were as well-studied as his son too, which was unusual for the time. As his children grew, More’s legal and political career also rose in prominence. He was a renowned lawyer, member of Parliament and a judge known for fairness and efficiency. He eventually joined the court of King Henry VIII, and was later promoted to lord chancellor — the highest office next to the king. The work was stressful — Utopia, by and the spectacle of court disSaint Thomas More tasteful, but Thomas saw it as a call to follow Christ in the chaos and worked hard with peace and good humor. At the time, Henry VIII was a staunch defender of the Catholic Faith against Protestantism. He even received the title ‘Defender of the Faith’ from Pope Leo X for his book defending the sacramental nature of marriage and the supremacy of the pope (a note of tragic irony). As chancellor, it was one of More’s duties to enforce laws against heretics — he made every effort to have them recant before resorting to By Megan Marley more extreme measures. Having no male heirs to inherit the throne, SAINT THOMAS MORE is best known as the lord chancellor of England beheaded Henry VIII sought an annulment from his wife Catherine of Aragon, which the pope did not for his refusal to take an oath approving of King Henry VIII’s divorce, remarriage grant. In escalating measures, the king began and establishment of the Church of England. But who was this man, beyond how purging clergy who were against him and moved and why he died? more and more towards schism with Rome. Faced with being forced to actively support Thomas More was born in 1478, the second theological, literary and social scenes of the Henry's break from the Church, More resigned of six children born to a lawyer and judge, John day. Despite his successful secular career, at his post as chancellor and did not attend the More, and his wife, Agnes. The family was one time More seriously considered joining the coronation of Anne Boleyn. In 1534, he was well-connected, and intelligent young Thomas Carthusians or Franciscans. His discernment ordered to take the Oath of Supremacy and became a protégé of Archbishop John Morton, led to ascetic and spiritual practices such as swear allegiance to Henry VIII as head of the lord chancellor. As a teen, he attended college at fasting, physical mortifications and a daily Church of England. In good conscience, More Oxford for two years, becoming well-versed in schedule of prayer he continued throughout could not accept a secular man as head of the languages, mathematics, music and literature. his life as a layman. Church. He was arrested, tried for high treason, His studies fueled a lifelong love of the written Thomas More married Jane Colt at age 27, convicted and sentenced to death by beheading. word — More wrote poetry in both English and and the couple had a happy but brief marriage. His sentence was carried out July 6, 1535. Latin, scathing responses to Martin Luther’s Left with four young children upon Jane’s death, Pope Pius XI canonized Saint Thomas More criticisms of the Church, theological treatises, More quickly married widow Alice Middleton. in 1935, a great example of a layman standing an incomplete history of King Richard III and A wealthy silk merchant with a sharp tongue up for his faith and resisting tyranny for a world the socio-political commentary novel Utopia, and a daughter of her own, Alice kept a kind then facing the horrors of Hitler. Saint Thomas among other things. and efficient home, and Thomas loved her as More is the patron saint of lawyers, politicians, More followed in his father’s footsteps as well as, but differently than, his previous wife. public servants and adopted children. His feast a lawyer and was involved in the political, Thomas and Alice took special care to instill is June 22.
“You must not abandon the ship in a storm because you cannot control the winds ….What you cannot turn to good, you must at least make as little bad as you can.”
A man for our seasons
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Catholic Key • June/July 2022 • catholickey.org
