From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

June 22nd - St. John Fisher of Rochester

It is a commonplace that church life was in decline before the
outbreak of the Protestant Reformation. Even though some bishops might
not have been worth their salt, there were exceptions. One was John
Fisher. The ambassador to England of Emperor Charles V called John
=E2=80=9Cthe paragon of Christian bishops for learning and holiness=E2=80=
=9D.

John Fisher was born in Beverly, northern England, the son of a
drygoods merchant. He was sent to Cambridge University at age 14, and
for the rest of his life was associated with that center of learning.
A brilliant student himself, he was ordained a priest at the early age
of 22, and soon became headmaster of Michaelhouse College and
vice-chancellor of the whole university.

In 1502, however, he resigned the mastership in order to become
chaplain to Lady Margaret Beaufort, the mother of King Henry VII. Lady
Margaret and her chaplain worked as a team for the betterment of the
University of Cambridge. She founded Christ's College and St. John=
's
College at Cambridge, and established both at Cambridge and at Oxford
a Lady Margaret professorship of theology.

Meanwhile, Dr. Fisher was trying to better educational standards. To
promote current scholarship, he invited the great humanist Erasmus to
join the staff of the university. In 1504, John was elected university chancellor, a post he held until death.

In the same year, King Henry VII named Fisher bishop of the small and
poor diocese of Rochester, England. He might well have =E2=80=9Cgraduated= =E2=80=9D
from this small diocese to a more important one, but he always
declined the suggestion. He said, =E2=80=9Che would not leave his poor old wife=E2=80=9D (the Rochester diocese) =E2=80=9Cfor the richest widow=E2=80=
=9D (other diocese)
=E2=80=9Cin England.=E2=80=9D

Lack of worldly ambition was typical of the man. His life was that of
a scholar (he began to learn Greek and Hebrew at middle age); an
ascetic (he prayed long, slept short, and ate little): and a pastor
(he was most diligent in his duties as a bishop).

When the Reformation broke out, he was selected to preach and write
against Lutheranism. Four volumes came from his pen in refutation of
Martin Luther's teachings, although he himself thought that polemic=
s
accomplished less than prayers. In the whole English episcopate, he
stood out against the political worldliness of his fellow bishops.

Only a man of independence could have withstood King Henry VIII when
the king denied the validity of his marriage to Queen Catherine of
Aragon.

Henry had previously admired Fisher. Now he found him a frustrating
obstacle in the way of his securing a declaration of nullity. Dr.
Fisher stood firm; so did the king. Imprisonments, attempted
poisoning, and warning gunshots did not budge the Bishop. Eventually,
when the rest of the bishops weakly took the oath of supremacy to the
king as head of the church in England, Fisher fell into the royal net
and was accused of treason.

As the bishop lingered in prison, Pope Paul III declared him a
cardinal. This honor only drove the king to quicker action. Cardinal
Fisher, condemned to death in a pseudo-trial on June 17, 1535, was
taken to the scaffold near the Tower of London five days later.

The frail, aged victim declared to the people that he was dying for
the faith of Christ's holy Catholic Church. He begged them to pray
that he not waver. Then he recited the =E2=80=9CTe Deum=E2=80=9D in thanksg= iving, and
the psalm =E2=80=9CIn te, Domine speravi=E2=80=9D (=E2=80=9CIn thee, Lord, = have I hoped.=E2=80=9D).
His head, once severed by the axe, was impaled on a spike atop London
Bridge, as a =E2=80=9Cwarning=E2=80=9D. But history has cherished the bisho=
p and
condemned the monarch who executed him.

Throughout the Church, a joint feast of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas
More is celebrated on June 22. However, in the American diocese of
Rochester, Fisher alone is commemorated on June 22, since he is the
diocesan patron.


Saint Quote
True obedience manifests itself in executing gladly and without any
repugnance, things which are objects of antipathy or contrary to one's interests.
=E2=80=94St. Alphonsus Rodriguez

Bible Quote:
10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brethren, this
ought not to be so James 3:10 RSVCE

<><><><>
Prayer to Invite the Blessed Virgin Mary
to be Present at our Death

Most Holy Virgin Mary, by the love and fidelity with which thy
Divine Son, when fastened to the Cross, confided thee to Saint John, I
confide to thee my soul, my body, my thoughts, words, actions and
life, especially the end thereof-that moment which will decide my fate
for eternity.
As thou didst invite thy Son to thy most holy death, so I also
invite thee to mine, entreating thee to be present there-at, in the
name of the love with which thou didst assist at the death of thy
Jesus. By the tears thou didst shed at seeing Him incline His head and
expire in such torments, vouchsafe in thy maternal bounty, to watch
beside me and the members of my family, and leave us not until thou
hast introduced us into paradise. Amen.
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)