Martyrs’ Day, 2019

“Rejoice to the extent that you share your sufferings with Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly.”

It was with these words from the first letter of St Peter that Cardinal Ouellet, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, started his homily for the feast of St Ralph Sherwin and companions, priests and martyrs of the College.

438 years (and one day) after Sherwin’s martyrdom, the Cardinal highlighted to the College community and invited guests the importance of the martyrs’ testimony; but he went beyond this and highlighted, with the help of the example of St John Henry Newman, how the acceptance of the suffering received by the martyrs of the College is paralleled with the acceptance of the suffering of the first Christian martyrs.

Unfortunately, according to the Cardinal, much of the modern world has lost this acceptance and, due to a lack of faith in Divine Love, looks to the things of the world to run away from suffering.

We must resist the temptations of this world and abandon our faith in the God who always wants our best, even if that includes bodily suffering.

After Communion, the Schola sang Auguste Chérion’s Anima Christi and then Mass was followed by drinks and a festive lunch for the gathered community including guests from the pontifical universities and from the various religious and ecumenical communities present in Rome.

In the evening, the life of St Polydore Plasden (1563-1591) was recounted before we invoked the College martyrs to pray for us.

As is traditional, veneration of the relic of St Ralph Sherwin was followed by a singing of the Te Deum in thanks to God for the witness of all the priests formed at the VEC.

We would like to wish all current and former students as well as our many supporters and friends a very happy Martyrs’ day and holy Advent.