Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Saint Thomas More on 22 June. Here are some facts about the life of the English lawyer and writer who stood out for his defense of marriage in the Catholic Church.
Saint Thomas More worked all his life as a father and politician so that citizens are respectful of the Catholic faith, ethics, and morals. He used to say “man cannot be separated from God, nor politics from morality”.
Seven facts about his life and work:
1. He is the Patron Saint of Politicians
On October 31, 2000, Saint John Paul II declared Saint Thomas More as the patron saint of politicians and rulers.
“Saint Thomas More distinguished himself by his constant fidelity to the authorities and legitimate institutions, precisely because in them he wanted to serve not power, but the supreme ideal of justice. His life teaches us that government is, above all else, the exercise of virtues,” the Holy Father said.
2. He was an Exemplary Father and Husband
Saint Thomas More was married to Jane Colt. They had four children: one man and three women. After becoming a widower, the saint married a second time to Alice Middleton, who was a widow with a daughter.
Saint John Paul II said that the saint “daily attended Mass in the parish church” and that he “was throughout his life a loving and faithful husband and father, deeply involved in the religious, moral and intellectual education of the sons of him”.
“His house welcomed sons-in-law, daughters-in-law and grandchildren and was open to many young friends in search of the truth or their own vocation. Family life also allowed a long time for common prayer and ‘lectio divina’, as well as for healthy forms of home recreation”, he added.
3. He was a Strong Supporter of Marriage
Santo Tomás Moro stood out for defending with his life the indissolubility of marriage, since occupying the position of chancellor of Henry VIII, King of England, he faced the crown by refusing to sign the Act of Succession and Supremacy.
Those who signed this document accepted the monarch’s decision to separate from the Catholic Church to divorce his wife and remarry, and also recognized him as supreme head of the Anglican church, replacing the Pope.
As this decision went against the Catholic Church and the intrinsic nature of the sacrament of marriage, the saint tried to dissuade him, but since he was unsuccessful, he resigned from all his positions. Later, he was imprisoned and sentenced to death.
4. He Stood out in Universal Literature
Saint Thomas More, a friend of Erasmus of Rotterdam and Luis Vives, illustrious characters of Renaissance culture, published in 1516 the famous work of universal literature “Utopia a”, sharp criticism of the social evils of his time.
The work, considered fundamental in the history of Western thought due to its philosophical, political and theological richness, caught the attention of the English monarch, Henry VIII, who summoned him to be part of the public administration.
5. He Prayed to God for a Sense of Humor
Among the many of his writings, Saint Thomas More created a prayer with which he asked God to be of good cheer.
“Give me, Lord, a sense of humor. Grant me the grace to understand jokes, so that I know a little joy in life and can communicate it to others, ”he used to pray.
6. He Wrote Works in Prison
The saint made several writings that in short testify to “the fidelity of a human being to his conscience, to his truth and to his principles,” during his 14 months of imprisonment.
In addition to his letters, an “Instruction for Receiving the Body of Christ” and various prayers, the saint wrote two important works: “A Dialogue of Strength Against Tribulation” and the unfinished work “The Agony of Christ.”
7. He Died as a Martyr
After opposing the break with the Catholic Church, Saint Thomas More was beheaded and went to the Father’s House as a martyr on 6 July 1535.
On the scaffold, before being executed, the saint told the crowd: “I die as a good servant of the king, but first a servant of God.”
On May 19, 1935, Pope Pius XI canonized Saint Thomas More and Bishop Saint John Fisher, who supported him in his fight to defend the indissolubility of marriage and also died by beheading a few days before him. His liturgical feast is celebrated every June 22, along with Saint John Fisher.