Mary's Dowry Productions

Monday, 12 June 2017

Queen Mary I, Mary Tudor, History of England, Catholic Heritage - a film

Queen Mary I of England

Mary Tudor, History of England, Catholic Heritage

Last year (2016) saw the release of our film 'Mary Tudor - The Catholic Queen' on DVD.

The film is a historical, biographical journey with Queen Mary I of England told in her own words.

Film Production

We had wanted to have a film about Queen Mary Tudor in our collection since we founded Mary's Dowry Productions. She was the last Catholic Queen of England and remains the most maligned. It was a heavy task to research and write the narrative. While we did not want to be too biased we wanted to provide a film that is Queen Mary friendly because there is a lot of Queen Mary unfriendly out there. Interestingly, the actual historical documents, facts and information are all Queen Mary friendly, it is pretty much the interpretation and presentation of Queen Mary since the Reformation that has always taken a specific tone. So the first step in our production was to work very carefully on the facts, details and information in history and write our narrative presentation.

Next step was to find locations for our visuals, as well as the image that we wanted Queen Mary to have on screen.

FIRE!

Obviously we were going to include Queen Mary's most famous association with 'burning heretics' and that is how we open our film. For the imagery we drew upon footage we had captured while on location in Gosport in 2009 at the Living History Village. We open up the film with the Revival of the Heresy Acts, a fascinating part of England's history that goes back to 1382 and places Tudor governmental sentencing within the correct and whole historical context. The narration opens over the sound of the crackling of fire and the visual of the official written text of the 'Revival of the Heresy Acts' document of November 1554 - this is a very fascinating look at history linked to Queen Mary I.

BEDHAM RUINS

We had to present our own visuals of Queen Mary I to run throughout the film, so we decided to film outside and chose two locations local to us. The first was in the ruins of a missionary church and school located in a forest in Bedham near Petworth. We liked the idea of having the form of Queen Mary Tudor walking through a ruined building. The structure is very atmospheric and seemed to capture history. We spent a couple of hours in the eerie silence acquiring footage of Queen Mary I for specific segments of her biography.

BEGINNINGS

After the opening of the film with the Revival of the Heresy Acts, we go back to the very beginning of Mary Tudor's life, to her birth. In the context of history this is very fascinating and often moving and tragic. We made good use of portraits and paintings of the Princess Mary, following her through her infant and childhood years to specific events and circumstances in the life of her father, King Henry VIII, that shaped history and Princess Mary's life and future reign.

Of particular interest to us in Mary's private life was Mary's love of music and reading and later, when she sent cucumbers from her own garden to the pregnant Jane Seymour, showing her human and personal qualities and interests.

RACTON RUINS

For additional visuals we travelled to Racton Ruins outside of Chichester. This was a very eerie place with some beautiful views. We wanted Queen Mary I to have a structure behind her and this worked very well in the background. The various images and locations are interspersed throughout the film and give an overall effective presentation of Queen Mary I as a person, a living form, that we were able to run beneath the narrative of her life and reign.

FINISHING TOUCHES

To complete a film by Mary's Dowry Productions, the final edit is given colour effects and any special effects required. It is then sent as an AVI file over to our composer, Bernadette. Bernadette has her own music blog where she often writes about her inspirations and experience writing each film score. It can be visited here:

BERN'S MUSIC CORNER

This is the most important finishing touch because the original music score flows alongside the narrative and visuals to complete our unique filmmaking style. In the music for our film about Queen Mary Tudor, Bernadette used a lot of Gregorian Monks in the segments about the Church in England, the dismantling of Catholic culture and the Mass. This is beautifully effective and spiritual.

Overall, the music score for 'Queen Mary I of England' draws the viewer and listener into the journey of the Queen, with special touches of instruments from the Tudor Era fused with several modern instruments. Some of the instruments used in our film score include:

STRINGS

EARLY RENAISSANCE HARP

LUTE

NYLON GUITAR

TRADITIONAL WOODEN FLUTE

SHEVANNAI

CANTUS

TENOR VIOLA DA GAMBA

ALTO RECORDER

SMALL PSALTRY

CONCLUSION

'Queen Mary I of England' by Mary's Dowry Productions was a journey through faith and history in England for ourselves too and one that we are now pleased to have available on DVD worldwide. Having wanted to present her life and reign for so many years, we are pleased to be able to offer another source for anyone interested in the life of the daughter of King Henry VIII and Queen Katherine of Aragon. It is a film that delves into the history of England and England's Catholic heritage.

Our film runs for 55 minutes and very carefully and thoroughly presents the life, reign and death of Queen Mary I of England with our trademark style and approach.

We are pleased to be able to offer this DVD worldwide in all region formats in our online shop which can be viewed by following the link below.

MARY TUDOR DVD

Coming soon from

Mary's Dowry Productions

to DVD

'Queen Katherine of Aragon'

www.marysdowryproductions.org

Sunday, 4 June 2017

Saint John Bosco and his dreams - Catholic Film News - a new DVD now available, 40 dreams, priest, teacher, friend.

'Saint John Bosco and his dreams'

CATHOLIC FILM NEWS - June 2017

NEW FILM RELEASE

NEW from Mary's Dowry Productions is our 50 minute film exploring the life and dreams of Italian priest, educator, writer and friend, Saint John Bosco, produced in 2017 and now available on DVD worldwide through:

AMAZON UK

and

Mary's Dowry Productions ORG

FILM PRODUCTION INFORMATION

Saint John Bosco is one of 80 original films on the lives of the Saints produced by Mary's Dowry Productions, and is one of our new releases in 2017, the 10th year of the founding of our film production apostolate. Saint John Bosco has a run length of 50 minutes and takes the viewer on an informative, prayerful and very atmospheric journey through the life and dreams of this Italian Saint.

A book called 'The 40 dreams of Saint John Bosco' first came into our hands about 20 years ago. It presents a selection of dream/visions that Saint John Bosco had, beginning as a small boy, as recorded by the Saint in his journals and diaries. The dreams made a great impression upon us and have often been the subject of our conversations.

In 2016 we had one of our conference/discussions about Saints and films and thought how amazing it would be to have not only a biographical film about Saint John Bosco's life and missions, but a presentation of some of his dreams. His dreams were given not only as lessons, warnings and instructions for his Oratory boys, but for all Christians, and they are especially relevant today.

Of course, recreating such vivid and descriptive dreams would be a challenge, especially for a film apostolate that functions on the tiniest of budgets. But when we feel that a subject is inspired, we simply go for it. So, at the end of 2016 we booked a couple of filming days in the 'barn' (our 'studio') next to our church and set about planning our film.

VISUALS

Saint John Bosco's Oratory Boys
© 2017 Mary's Dowry Productions

Casting was the first step in the production process. We like to have a variety of imagery in our films, sometimes they only show a Saint in an abstract way, distant shots out and about. Other times we call upon our eager and willing team of 'actors' to portray specific Saints and characters associated with them. This requires backdrops and a filming day especially set aside.

For the portrayal of Saint John Bosco we asked a parishioner friend who had portrayed Saint Maximilian Kolbe for us in 2015. For Don Bosco's story we needed a selection of visuals to run beneath our narrative that would include Saint John Bosco's Oratory boys. Among the boys would be Saint Dominic Savio. The boys would feature in the Oratory scenes as well as the dreams we chose to present in our film. As well as boys, we needed a few girls to work with Saint Mary Mazzarello, co-foundress with Saint Don Bosco of the Salesian Sisters. We also needed characters who would feature in Saint Don Bosco's dreams, such as the devil, Death's Messenger, the 'man in the cap' - Don Bosco's guide - and others. We called upon a cast of about 20 parishioners, local Catholic school children, teachers and friends to portray these various people.

Death's Messenger
© 2017 Mary's Dowry Productions

The Devil
© 2017 Mary's Dowry Productions

The dreams that we chose to portray also include 'To Hell and Back', one of Saint John Bosco's most vivid and sobering dream involving a long journey with his guide into hell. We kept things simple but this turned out to be visually very effective in the end result.

The filming day took place in January 2017 in the 'barn' and its courtyard and garden with simple sets to serve as backdrops. The visuals that we acquired were perfect. It was a difficult day, lots of things go wrong and there is always the sense of oppression whenever we film (always a good sign), but lots of things happen that make us stop and think 'wow that is so guided'. We acquired some wonderful images. The next step saw us finalising narrative, acquiring paintings, photographs and images over the next few months so that in May we were able to work on the editing process.

Editing process
© 2017 Mary's Dowry Productions

Editing Saint Don Bosco
© 2017 Mary's Dowry Productions

Finally, at the end of May, despite numerous obstacles (again, always a good sign) the film was complete with effects and credits and ready for the music. Music composition on our films is the most important part because it creates such a specific atmosphere for the film. Our films are prayerful encounters and journeys as well as informative tools. Bernadette wrote a beautiful and powerful score for Saint Don Bosco while Emily finalised the DVD cover. The film was ready for release on June 2nd and is now available in our online shops and through Amazon.

Our film 'Saint John Bosco and his dreams' takes a look at some serious topics such as the tragic consequence of sin and the reality of hell. Some of the imagery in Saint John Bosco's dreams is powerful and shows some of his Oratory boys fleeing the Justice of God into hell. Saint John Bosco's visit to hell, its chambers and viewing platform as well as the inscriptions shown to him by his guide, are also sobering.

We were pleased to be able to present these important messages and images through film and our own experience watching the final DVD left us truly feeling as though we had journeyed with Saint Don Bosco through the places God wished for him to see and share with us.

Our film is available NOW through our online shops and Amazon UK.

Coming soon:

Saint Dominic Savio

Saint Mary Mazzarello

as well as

Saint Faustina

Saint Margaret Mary

Blessed Bartolo Longo

Saint Claude de la Columbiere

and many more.

www.marysdowryproductions.org

Thursday, 4 May 2017

Why venerate the martyrs? "Our forefathers in the faith are indeed exceedingly honourable" - The Martyrs of England and Wales

The Faith of our Fathers in England and Wales

4th May 2017

The Martyrs

Mass in a forest - the life of an English Martyr

Our film production apostolate, Mary's Dowry Productions, was founded in 2007 because of an English Martyr. Saint Philip Howard, the Earl of Arundel.

Since then, we have managed to present the accounts of several English Martyrs in film biographies as a way of making their heroic witnesses, missions and love for the Catholic Faith in England, more well known. Many of these have been broadcast on EWTN, thus reaching people all over the globe. We have had many letters and emails from people, especially in the USA, who have been amazed to learn the history of the English Martyrs, and the history of the Catholic Faith in England especially during penal times.

As a daily remembrance of our forefathers in the faith, we recall the historical records of their lives and times as well as their own writings.

The claims of the martyrs on our devotion need hardly be expressed. If the apostle of every country is specially venerated as the means by which the faith was first received, what honour is due to this goodly company of our own race and speech which at so great a cost preserved the faith for us?

Its members are our patrons, then, by the double tie of nature and grace.

"Look," says the Prophet, "to the rock whence you are hewn, to the hole of the pit whence you were dug out." And our forefathers in the faith are indeed "exceedingly honourable." Fisher, the saintly cardinal; More, the illustrious chancellor; Campion, the "golden-mouthed"; Southwell, the priest poet; Margaret Pole, the last of the Plantagenets; Margaret Clitherow, in the "winepress alone", Ralph Milner, the sturdy yeoman; Philip Howard, the victim of Herodias; Swithun Wells, a "hunter before the Lord"; Horner the tailor, with his vestments of salvation; Mason, the serving-man; Plunketh, last in time, not least in dignity or holiness. All these, high or humble, with the sons of SS. Augustine, Benedict, Bridget, Bruno, Francis, Ignatius, and the crowd of secular priests, bear the same palm and shine with the same aureole, for they confessed una voce the same faith and sealed it with their blood, and for this land of ours.

(From the Preface of the Mementoes of the Martyrs and Confessors of England and Wales by Henry Sebastian Bowden)

Protomartyr Saint John Houghton, who was executed on 4th May 1535

Some of our films about the English Martyrs are available to watch on Youtube, thus reaching a different audience as well as being shown to classes.

All of our films are available on DVD worldwide in all region formats from:

www.marysdowryproductions.org

Wednesday, 3 May 2017

3rd May 1606 - an English Martyr - The execution of Father Henry Garnet, Jesuit

THE EXECUTION OF FATHER HENRY GARNET

3rd May 1606

On this day in England in 1606, Father Henry Garnet was executed at Tyburn, London.

For some centuries, a second feast, the Invention of the Cross, was celebrated on May 3 in the Roman and Gallican churches, following a tradition that marked that date as the day on which Saint Helena discovered the True Cross. In Jerusalem, however, the finding of the Cross was celebrated from the beginning on September 14. Pope Saint John XXIII removed this duplication in 1960, so that the General Roman Calendar now celebrates the Holy Cross only on September 14.

At the time of Father Henry Garnet's execution, he highlighted the date of the Feast of the Holy Cross and reaffirmed his innocence of the crimes of which he was charged.

Father Henry Garnet was an important figure in England during the time of the Martyrs, as the head of the Jesuits in England and a deeply holy priest.

We have included Father Henry Garnet in several of our film biographies of the English Martyrs, especially in our film SAINT NICHOLAS OWEN: THE PRIEST HOLE MAKER.

Here is an account of this day in 1606:

3rd May 1606 - Father Henry Garnet's execution

After about three months spent in the Tower, on Saturday 3 May 1606 Garnet was strapped to a wooden hurdle and taken by three horses to the churchyard of St Paul's. He wore a black cloak over his clothes and hat, and spent much of the journey with his hands together and eyes closed. Present in the churchyard were the Sheriff of London, Sir Henry Montague, George Abbot and John Overal. When asked if he had knowledge of any further treasons, Garnet replied that he had nothing to say. He rejected any entreatments to abandon his faith for Protestantism, and said that he had committed no offence against the king. The only thing he thought he might be condemned for was for abiding by the terms of the confessional, and if by that action he had offended the king or state, he asked for forgiveness. The recorder announced that this was an admission of guilt, but Garnet reiterated his not guilty plea and continued to argue the point.

3rd May, a second FEAST OF THE CROSS - SAINT HELEN

Garnet highlighted the date of his execution, 3 May, the Feast of the Cross, and reaffirmed his innocence. He defended Anne Vaux against claims that their relationship had been inappropriate. He then prayed at the base of the ladder, disrobed down to his long, sewn-up shirt, "that the wind might not blow it up", and mounted the ladder. He ignored a Protestant minister who came forward, replying to an objectionable member of the audience that he "ever meant to die a true but perfect Catholic". Bishop Overal protested that "we are all Catholics", although Garnet disagreed with this. He once again said his prayers, and was then thrown off the ladder. Before the executioner could cut him down alive, many in the crowd pulled on his legs, and as a result, Garnet did not suffer the remainder of his grim sentence.

Henry Garnet conceals St. Nicholas Owen in one of
St. Nicholas Owen's own priest holes before he and
his fellow Jesuits hide themselves
Screenshot © 2010 St. Nicholas Owen DVD

There was no applause when the executioner held Garnet's heart aloft and said the traditional words, "Behold the heart of a traitor". His head was set on a pole on London Bridge, but crowds of onlookers fascinated by its pallid appearance eventually forced the government to turn the head upwards, so its face was no longer visible.

A bloodstained straw husk saved from the scene of the execution and said to bear Garnet's image became an object of curiosity. It was smuggled out of the country into the possession of the Society of Jesus, before being lost during the French Revolution (from Wikipedia)

Henry Garnet features in several of our films.

Visit us online for a full listing of films including

Saint Nicholas Owen and Saint Helen:

www.marysdowryproductions.org

A meditation on the English Martyrs, Mary's Dowry Productions, Feast Day May 4th

Here is a meditation on the

ENGLISH MARTYRS

for their feast day on May 4th

For films about individual English Martyrs visit:

www.marysdowryproductions.org

In this video you will see some new footage of 'St. Thomas Garnet' which we filmed for in March. A new film biography of his life and martyrdom will be available this year (2017).

Meanwhile, we have a variety of films of the English Martyrs in stock, shipped worldwide in all region formats, some of which have been broadcast on EWTN.

THE WITNESS OF TRADITION - St Richard Reynold, English Martyr, May 2017

THE WITNESS OF TRADITION

St. Richard Reynolds - Bridgettine monk

Martyred on May 4th 1535

St. Richard Reynolds was hanged, drawn and quartered with St. John Houghton.

Here is today's reading taken from:

Mementoes of the Martyrs and Confessors of England and Wales

by Henry Sebastian Bowden

The Witness of Tradition

INTERROGATED by Chancellor Audley as to why he persisted in an opinion against which so many lords and bishops in Parliament and the whole realm had decreed, Reynolds replied:

"I had intended to imitate our Lord Jesus Christ when He was questioned by Herod and not to answer. But since you compel me to clear both my conscience and that of the bystanders, I say that if we propose to maintain opinions by proofs, testimonies and reasons, mine will be far stronger than yours, because I have all the rest of Christendom in my favour.

I dare even say all this kingdom, although the small part holds with you, for I am sure the larger part is at heart of our opinion, although outwardly - partly from fear and partly from hope - they profess to be of yours."

On this he was commanded, under the heaviest penalties of the law, to declare who held with him. He replied,

"All good men of the kingdom hold with me," and added, "As to proofs of dead witnesses, I have in my favour all the general councils, all the historians, the holy doctors of the Church for the last fifteen hundred years, especially St Ambrose, St Jerome, St Augustine and St Gregory."

St. Richard Reybolds was dragged to Tyburn on a hurdle and gained the martyrs crown on 4th May 1535.

For film biographies of the English Martyrs visit:

www.marysdowryproductions.org

Friday, 14 April 2017

'Jacinta of Fatima', a new film biography about the youngest Fatima seer, now available from Mary's Dowry Productions

As the Church celebrates the 100th anniversary of Fatima this year, we are pleased and excited to release our NEW film – ‘Jacinta of Fatima’, now available on DVD worldwide through our online shops and Amazon. This NEW film biography of one of the three little seers of Fatima focuses upon the youngest of the Portuguese shepherd children, Jacinta Marto, who was seven years of age when Our Lady appeared with a message of hope for the world. Looking at the apparitions of the Angel of Peace, the visits and messages of Our Lady and the moving and inspiring response of this little girl, ‘Jacinta of Fatima’ is a wonderful way to celebrate the Year of Fatima and to share with friends, family or your parish, the life of Jacinta Marto and the message of Our Lady of Fatima.

www.marysdowryproductions.org

Film runs for 30 minutes

SHIPS WORLDWIDE

Saturday, 18 March 2017

Bartolo Longo, Thomas Garnet, Margaret Mary and Claude de la Columbiere - recreating imagery for new Catholic films

On Saturday 4th March 'Mary's Dowry Productions' spent a busy morning and afternoon 'on location' at our parish hall, recreating imagery for several new films we are currently making for our parish and which will be made available on DVD through our online shops.

Costumes

We filmed portrayals of the following:

BLESSED BARTOLO LONGO

THOMAS GARNET (AN ENGLISH MARTYR)

MARGARET MARY AND CLAUDE DE LA COLUMBIERE

Our first portrayals were for a film about The Sacred Heart in England, focusing on biographies of St. Claude de la Columbiere, who brought the devotion to England, and St. Margaret Mary. St. Claude was St. Margaret Mary's confessor. The film is set in the 17th century so we used the original 18th century flint walls as a backdrop.

St. Margaret Mary and her sisters

St. Margaret Mary

St. Margaret Mary and St. Claude de la Columbiere

St. Claude de la Columbiere in prison during the Titus Oates plot

St. Claude, a Jesuit priest, was sent to England after meeting St. Margaret Mary, and was arrested and imprisoned during the Titus Oates plot. St. Claude met several English Martyrs during his time in England. We are looking forward to presenting this film.

Our next filming sequence focused on Blessed Bartolo Longo. Bartolo, an Italian Lawyer, was drawn into spiritualism and a satanic cult during his university days. He was eventually reconciled to the Catholic Faith, renounced spiritualism and built the famous Shrine to Our Lady of Pompeii. He is known as the Apostle of the Rosary.

Bartolo at a séance

Bartolo rejecting spiritualism

Bartolo teaching some of his orphans about the rosary

Finally, we filmed for St. Thomas Garnet, one of our English Martyrs. St. Thomas was the nephew of St. Henry Garnet, head of the Jesuits in England. Saint Thomas came to England on the English Mission and eventually gave his life for the Catholic Faith in England at Tyburn.

St. Thomas worked as a page for the half-brother of St. Philip Howard, a fellow Martyr

St. Thomas and a priest hunter

St. Thomas as the Tyburn gallows

We are still working on several other films due for release soon.

Be sure to visit our website for any new DVD releases and other films now available on the lives of the Saints and English Martyrs.

www.marysdowryproductions.org

Friday, 16 December 2016

MORE AND HIS DAUGHTER - Saint Thomas More and Margaret Roper - English Martyr, December thoughts

MORE AND HIS DAUGHTER

SAINT THOMAS MORE AND MARGARET ROPER

DECEMBER THOUGHTS

'Saint Thomas More' film

THOMAS MORE'S son-in-law, William Roper, shares with us a meeting in the Tower of London between Saint Thomas More and Margaret, Thomas's beloved daughter. He wrote:

"Now, when he had remained in the Tower a little more than a month, my wife, longing to see her father, by her earnest suit at length got leave to go unto him. At whose coming, after the Seven Psalms and Litany said (which whensoever she came to him, ere he fell in talk of any worldly matters he used accustomably to say with her), among other communications he said to her, 'I believe, Meg, that they have put me here ween that they have done me a high displeasure; but I assure thee on my faith, my own good daughter, if it had not been for my wife and you that be my children, whom I account the chief part of my charge, I would not have failed long ere this to have closed myself in as strait a room, and straiter too.

'Saint Thomas More, his wife and daughter, praying in the Tower'

But since I am come hither without mine own desert, I trust that God of His goodness will discharge me of my care, and with his gracious help supply my lack among you. I find no cause, I thank God, Meg, to reckon myself in worse case here than in my own house, for methinks God maketh me a wanton, and setteth me on his lap and dandleth me.'

Saint Thomas More in the Tower

After his trial at Westminster, More's daughter awaited his return to the Tower on the entrance by the wharf. "As soon as she saw him, after his blessing upon her knees reverently received, she, hastening towards him without consideration or care of herself, pressing in among the throng and company of the guard, that with halberds and bills were round about him, hastily ran to him, and there openly in sight of them all, embraced him about the neck and kissed him.

Margaret runs to her father on the way to the Tower

Who, well liking her most natural and dear daughterly affection towards him, gave her his fatherly blessing and many good words of comfort besides. From whom after she was departed she, not satisfied with the former sight of him, and like one that had forgotten herself, being all ravished with the entire love of her dear father, having no respect neither to herself nor to the press of people, suddenly turned back, ran to him as before, and divers times kissed him most lovingly, till at last with a full heavy heart she was fain to depart from him: the beholding whereof was to many of them that were present so lamentable that it made them for very sorrow to mourn and weep."

Returning to the Tower of London

Readings from

Mementoes of the Martyrs and Confessors of England and Wales

by Henry Sebastien Bowden

"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy." - Ps. 125, 5.

Saint Thomas More and his daughter, Margaret

Our DVD 'Saint Thomas More' is available worldwide through our online shops:

www.marysdowryproductions.org

and

www.marysdowryproductions.co.uk

Tuesday, 6 December 2016

BLOOD FOR BLOOD, St. John Almond, Secular priest, Tyburn gallows, London, December 5th 1612

BLOOD FOR BLOOD

SAINT JOHN ALMOND - ENGLISH MARTYR

DECEMBER 5TH 1612

'Saint Edmund Campion - Jesuit Martyr'

ON the scaffold, Saint John Almond emptied his pockets of money and other things, which he threw among the crowd, except for a gold piece which he gave to the hangman, "not to spare him, but to treat him as he should". He had come hither, Saint John Almond said, to shed his blood for our Saviour's sake, Who had shed His Blood for his sins. In which respect he wished that every drop that he would shed might be a thousand; that he might have St Lawrence's gridiron to be broiled on, St Peter's cross to be hanged on, St Stephen's stones to be stoned with, to be ripped, ripped, ripped and ripped again! Then he kneeled down, and often repeating "Into Thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit", he waited till the hangman was ready without any sign of fear.

The hangman and the Martyr's heart

Ever smiling, Saint John Almond protested that he died CHASTE, not through his own ability or worthiness but by Christ's special GRACE - this for the benefit of a doctor of divinity who was present and had declared the thing impossible. At last the cart was drawn away, and with the words "Jesu, Jesus," Saint John Almond's soul went to Him for Whom he shed his blood, at Tyburn on 5th December 1612.

"Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people by His own Blood, suffered without the gate."

- Heb. 13, 12.

Reading from

The Mementoes of the Martyrs and Confessors of England and Wales

5th December

Our original films on the lives of the English Martyrs are available on DVD from our online shops:

www.marysdowryproductions.co.uk

and

www.marysdowryproductions.org

Sunday, 4 December 2016

KEEPER OF THE VINEYARD - Blessed John Beche, Abbot of Colchester, Tyburn Martyr 1st December

KEEPER OF THE VINEYARD

BLESSED JOHN BECHE - ABBOT OF COLCHESTER

EXECUTED AT TYBURN

1ST DECEMBER 1539

Reading for 4th December

Mementoes of the Martyrs and Confessors of England and Wales

Screenshot of St. John Houghton from our DVD 'Saint John Houghton'

Also Martyred at Tyburn

ABBOT BECHE was a friend of Saint John Fisher and Saint Thomas More and in repute as a devoted monk; but like his brethren of Glastonbury and Reading he took the oath of supremacy on it being tendered to him in 1534.

When called upon to surrender the abbey he refused, denied the king's right to take it, and asserted his loyalty to the Holy See: for this he was committed to the Tower. Later he endeavoured to explain away what he had said, asserted the king's supremacy against the pope's "usurped authority," and made a piteous appeal for mercy. But however lamentable this defection, he atoned for it by shedding his blood in the event. He was sent down to Colchester and tried there by a special commission, and he appears to have acknowledged the charges made against him.

He was hanged, drawn and quartered at Colchester on 1st December 1539.

Screenshot from 'Saint Robert Southwell' DVD

On his pectoral cross, still preserved, is inscribed:

"May the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ bring us out of sorrow and sadness. This sign of the Cross shall be in the heavens when our Lord shall come to judgement. Behold, O man, the Redeemer suffered for thee. He that will come after Me, let him take up his cross and follow Me."

Blessed John Beche was the last Abbot of Colchester Abbey.

For films about the Martyrs of Tyburn and other Catholic Saints:

www.marysdowryproductions.co.uk

and

www.marysdowryproductions.org