All posts by 3 churches

Not one hair’s breadth – St David Lewis

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St David Lewis was born at Abergavenny in 1616, the youngest of nine children of an Anglican headmaster father and Catholic mother. At 16 years of age, while visiting Paris, he converted to Catholicism. He was ordained priest in 1642 and three years later, he joined the Jesuits. He came back to Wales for a year, but was appointed Spiritual Director at the English College Seminary in Rome, where he himself had studied. Finally he returned once more to Monmouthshire where he was to minister for 30 years. He paid particular attention to the poor and needy, gaining the nickname Tad y Tlodion (“Father of the Poor”).

He was arrested on 17 November 1678 at St Michael’s Church, Llantarnam, and condemned at Monmouth in March 1679 as a Catholic priest and for saying Catholic Masses. Betrayed by an apostate couple, he was accused of attempting to kill Charles II and trying to restore the Catholic faith in Wales. He pled not guilty to the charge of being an accessory to the so-called Popish Plot. He was found guilty, sentenced to death and taken to Newgate Prison in London with St John Kemble of Herefordshire and questioned about the “plot”. So-called witnesses were unable to prove anything against him. He was brought back to Usk where he was hanged and disemboweled on 27 August 1679. It was a tribute to the esteem in which he was held that the crowd, mainly Protestants, insisted that he receive a proper burial. The Sheriff, who knew and liked Lewis, refused to attend the execution, which he had postponed for as long as he could.

As one of the 40 Martyrs David Lewis was canonized in 1970. A plaque marks the spot where Lewis was arrested near Llantarnam Abbey, and his grave can be visited in the (Anglican) churchyard in Usk.
The Catholic church there is dedicated to him and St Francis Xavier. In his last words he said:

“My religion is Roman Catholic; in it I have loved above these forty years; in it now I die, and so fixedly die, that if all the good things in the world were offered to me to renounce it, all should not remove me one hair’s breadth from the Roman Catholic faith. A Roman Catholic I am; a Roman Catholic priest I am; a Roman Catholic priest of that order known as the Society of Jesus, I am.”

See details in our newsletter for Annual Pilgrimage in honour of Saint David Lewis S.J, next Sunday 28 August.

The Assumption, Warwick Street

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On this Feast of the Assumption we learn about one of the oldest Catholic churches in London, hidden behind Regent Street, from their website warwickstreet.org.uk.

“The church of Our Lady of the Assumption and St Gregory is located on Warwick Street in Soho. At a time in England when Catholic churches and chapels were not permitted, foreign embassies had the right to have their own chapels, and the Portuguese Ambassador had a chapel constructed at the back of his house. When the Portuguese moved out, the lease was taken over by the ambassador of the Bavarian sovereign. The embassy was occupied in Golden Square until 1788, so it was the Bavarian ambassador’s chapel that was destroyed during the Gordon Riots in 1780.

The current church was built in 1789 – 90 on the site of the Bavarian chapel. With the patronage of the Elector of Bavaria, the bishop appealed for funds for the erection of a new church. Building began in the spring of 1789 to a design by architect Joseph Bonomi, and the new church was opened the next year.

Catholic life in England developed steadily during the first half of the nineteenth century. Mrs Fitzherbert, morganatic wife of the Prince of Wales (later George IV), worshipped regularly at the church. Saint John Henry Newman, when a boy, was taken to the church by his father. He later wrote: “All that I bore away from it was the recollection of a pulpit and a preacher and a boy swinging a censer”. The church developed a strong musical tradition early on and became well-known for its musical excellence. In 1875, the sanctuary was remodelled according to a design by John Francis Bentley – later the architect of Westminster Cathedral. An apse was constructed and decorated with marble and mosaics.

Warwick Street’s location in the heart of London’s West End between Piccadilly Circus and Soho imparts a special character. Surrounded by both great wealth and extreme poverty, it is a destination for pleasure-seekers and revellers as well as an assembly place of the lonely, the addicted, and street-sleepers. The church remains open throughout the day and offers welcome and consolation to all.”

St Clare of Assisi feast, 11 August

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Saint Clare of Assisi (1194 – 1253) is venerated as patroness of many things including television!

But Clare is perhaps best remembered as the closest follower and dearest friend of Saint Francis of Assisi. More than eight centuries ago, she founded the Poor Ladies of San Damiano, now known in English as the Poor Clares. Perhaps more than any other Franciscan, Clare most faithfully lived the gospel life of prayer, fellowship, simplicity and service.

Although Saint Clare lived all of her post-conversion life within the confines of a cloister, she was a person of great courage, faith and perseverance. When mercenary soldiers attempted to breach the walls of her convent, she confronted them with the Blessed Sacrament and they retreated. When a bishop asked her to compromise her principles and accept gifts of property and riches, Clare declined and said: “I must be absolved from my sins, but not from my obligation to follow the Poor Christ.” And when a pope refused to approve her strict rule of life, she declined to die until the rule was approved. Just two days after it was given papal authorization, she quietly and contentedly passed away.

This prayer was written by an anonymous Poor Clare, and speaks of this remarkable soul who cast aside the spirit of the world in order to live the adventure of the gospel…

Saint Clare, ardent lover of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament
help us to grow in love for Christ Jesus, our Redeemer.

With your strong faith and unwavering hope, gather our wounded Church, our suffering world, and all people into your loving heart
and lift us up to Jesus with your absolute confidence in his merciful love. Saint Clare, help us to be like you: peaceful, kind, gentle,

strong patient, and persevering in the face of all difficulties.
Trusting in your powerful intercession, we confidently praise and thank God, our Father, for all of the blessings we have received.
Glory, praise, wisdom, and thanksgiving, honour, power, and might to our God
for ever and ever. 
Amen

(Edited from a publication of The Assisi Project, an association of people trying to follow Franciscan spirituality assisiproject.com)