Wednesday 27 June 2012

St Edmund Gennings, saint Edmund Jennings, English Martyr, Catholic Saint, priest, hanged, drawn and quartered


In 2007 Mary's Dowry Productions created a new form of film media in which to present the lives of the Saints on DVD. We invite you to watch our film prayerfully and quietly and to engage your spiritual senses. Watch with your spiritual eye, listen with your spiritual ear. Mary's Dowry Productions loves to recreate key moments, silently and with no dialogue, from a Saint's life, using historical costume and beautiful backdrops. Original contemplative music runs beneath a detailed narrative that seeks to engage the viewer with the Saint. Our films offer a window into the life of each Saint.
 
St. Edmund Gennings (also spelt Saint Edmund Jennings), English Martyr, Catholic priest, is
available on DVD through

Saint Edmund was a young Catholic priest who risked his life bringing the outlawed Catholic Mass to the Elizabethan Catholics. He was hunted and eventually imprisoned in the Tower of London.
A short film is sometimes easier to absorb than a
leaflet or book.
We have produced a variety of short detailed films
on lesser known Martyrs and Saints of the Church to help
make their stories and sacrifices more available.


St Cuthman, Saxon Saint, Steyning, West Sussex Saints, Early church, church building

In 2007 Mary's Dowry Productions created a new form of film media in which to present the lives of the Saints on DVD. We invite you to watch our film prayerfully and quietly and to engage your spiritual senses. Watch with your spiritual eye, listen with your spiritual ear. Mary's Dowry Productions loves to recreate key moments, silently and with no dialogue, from a Saint's life, using historical costume and beautiful backdrops. Original contemplative music runs beneath a detailed narrative that seeks to engage the viewer with the Saint. Our films offer a window into the life of each Saint.
 
Our film about Saint Cuthman,
a Saxon Saint who built a church in Steyning, West Sussex
which still stands today is available on DVD now.
 
Saint Cuthman is remembered in the propers
of Arundel and Brighton.

Saturday 23 June 2012

St Etheldreda, Abbess of Ely, English Saint, film, DVD of her life, Mary's Dowry Productions


Saint Etheldreda is one of our early Catholic Saints. She was one of the four saintly daughters of Anna of East Anglia, all of whom eventually retired from secular life and founded abbeys.
Saint Etheldreda made an early first marriage in around 652 to Tondberct, chief or prince of the South Gyrwe. She managed to persuade her husband to respect her vow of perpetual virginity that she had made prior to their marriage. Upon his death in 655, she retired to the Isle of Ely, which she had received from Tondberct as a morning gift.
Saint Etheldreda was subsequently remarried for political reasons in 660, this time to Ecgfrith of Northumbria. Shortly after his accession to the throne in 670, Saint Etheldreda became a nun. This step possibly led to Ecgfrith's long quarrel with Saint Wilfrid, the holy bishop of York. The king tried to take his queen from the cloister by force. Saint Etheldreda fled back to Ely with two nuns and managed to evade capture, thanks in part to the miraculous rising of the tide. She halted on the journey at 'Stow' and sheltered under a miraculously growing ash tree which came from her staff planted in the ground. Stow came to be known as 'St Etheldred's Stow', when a church was built to commemorate this event. King Ecgfrith was so stuck by the miracle of the sea protecting Saint Etheldreda from him that he released her from the arranged marriage which had never been consummated. Saint Etheldreda founded a double monastery at Ely in 673, which was later destroyed in the Danish invasion of 870.
All of these fascinating events are presented in our DVD, however, the narrative is told from Saint Etheldreda's point of view.

 
In 2007 Mary’s Dowry productions created a new form of film media to present the lives of the saints. Mary’s Dowry Productions recreates stunning silent visuals, informative, devotional narration, and original contemplative music that touches your spirit to draw you into a spiritual encounter with the saint. Watch with your spiritual eye, listen with your spiritual ear. Our films seek to offer a window into the lives of our saints. Using your spiritual senses we invite you to shut out the world, sit prayerfully and peacefully and go on a journey of faith, history and prayer with Saint Etheldreda.

Our film on the life of St. Etheldreda is available through


English Martyr St. Edmund Arrowsmith on DVD, an account of his life in Northern England

 
Saint Edmund Arrowsmith was born at Haydock, Lancashire, England in 1585, the eldest child of Robert Arrowsmith, a yeoman farmer, and Margery Gerard, a member of an important Lancashire Catholic family. Among his mother's relations was Father John Gerard, who wrote The Diary of an Elizabethan Priest, as well as another martyr, the Blessed Miles Gerard. He was baptised Brian, but always used his confirmation name of Edmund. The family was constantly harassed for its adherence to Roman Catholicism. One of his grandfathers died a confessor in prison. His parents were taken to Lancaster jail and the four children, were cared for by neighbours.
In 1605, at the age of twenty, Edmund left England and went to the English College, Douai to study for the priesthood. He was soon forced to return to England due to ill health, but recovered and returned to Douai in 1607.
He was ordained in Arras on 9 December 1612, and sent on the English mission a year later. He ministered to the Catholics of Lancashire without incident until around 1622 when he was arrested and questioned by the Anglican Bishop of Chester. Edmund was released when King James I of England ordered all arrested priests be freed. He joined the Jesuits in 1624.
In the summer of 1628, Fr. Edmund was reportedly betrayed by a man named Holden, who denounced him to the authorities. He was convicted of being a Roman Catholic priest in England. He was sentenced to death, and hung, drawn and quartered at Lancaster on 28 August 1628. His final confession was heard by Saint John Southworth who was imprisoned along with Edmund.
Saint Edmund Arrowsmith ministered to Catholics of Lancashire at the still-standing Arrowsmith House, located in Hoghton before being arrested and questioned on Brindle Moss where his horse refused to jump a ditch.
 
In 2007 Mary’s Dowry productions created a new form of film media to present the lives of the saints. Mary’s Dowry Productions recreates stunning silent visuals, informative, devotional narration, and original contemplative music that touches your spirit to draw you into a spiritual encounter with the saint. Watch with your spiritual eye, listen with your spiritual ear. Our films seek to offer a window into the lives of our saints. Using your spiritual senses we invite you to shut out the world, sit prayerfully and peacefully and go on a journey of faith, history and prayer with Saint John Fisher.

Our film about Saint Edmund Arrowsmith runs for 45 minutes.
We ship worldwide, all region formats:


The English Martyrs, 1561-1600, sharing their lives and spreading devotions, including Sts Edmund Campion, Richard Gwyn, Margaret Clitherow


(A list of) English Catholic Martyrs executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I including some of the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales.  After Queen Elizabeth I's accession to the throne, the official religion of the England and Wales was changed again to make it Protestant. However, many people continued to remain loyal to the True Faith. The threat of a foreign invasion by a Catholic country assisted by English subjects led the Crown to try to stamp out Catholicism with repressive measures.  Elizabeth I's government had passed a number of anti-Catholic decrees in 1571, including the following: forbidding anyone from maintaining the jurisdiction of the pope by word, deed or act; compulsory use of the Book of Common Prayer in all cathedrals, churches and chapels, as well as the forbiddance of criticism of it; forbidding the publication of any bull, writing or instrument of the Holy See (the death penalty was assigned to this); the importing of Agnus Dei images, crosses, pictures, beads or other things from the Bishop of Rome was forbidden.  Later laws: to draw anyone away from the state religion was forbidden; non-attendance at a Church of England church was legally forbidden; raising children with teachers that were not licensed by an Anglican diocesan bishop was not allowed; the Catholic Mass was forbidden.

In 1585 a new decree was issued that made it a crime punishable by death to go overseas to receive the sacrament of Ordination to the Catholic priesthood or permanent diaconate. Nicholas Devereux (who went by the alias of Woodson) and Edward Barber (see below Edward Stransham) were both put to death in 1586 under this law. William Thompson and Richard Lea (see below Richard Sergeant) were hanged, bowelled and quartered, and all took arrows to knees, under the same law. In 1588, eight priests and six laymen at Newgate were condemned and executed under this law. 

Catholic Martyrs 1561–1600:
John Ackridge, priest, 1585
Thomas Ackridge, Franciscan, 1583
John Adams, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Thomas Alfield, priest, 1585
John Almond, Cistercian, 1585 (Features in ‘The Primary Series: Saints and Martyrs for children – Volume One’ by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

John Amias, priest, 1589
Robert Anderton, priest, 1586
William Andleby, priest, 1597
William Baldwin (Bawden), priest, 1588
Christopher Bales, priest, 1590
Thomas Bedal, priest, 1590
George Beesley, priest, 1591; beatified 1987
Thomas Belson, layman, 1589; beatified 1987
Robert Bickerdike, layman, 1586; beatified 1987
William Blackburne, priest, 1586
Alexander Blake, layman, 1590; beatified 1987
John Bodey, priest, 1583
John Boste, priest, 1594; canonised 1970
Marmaduke Bowes, layman, 1585; beatified 1987 (Mentioned in St. Margaret Clitherow film by Mary’s Dowry Productions)
Richard Bowes, priest, 1590
John Bretton, layman, 1598; beatified 1987
Alexander Briant, Jesuit priest, 1581; canonised 1970 (An account of his life in a film on DVD from Mary’s Dowry Productions)
James Brushford, priest, 1593
Edmund Burden, priest, 1588; beatified 1987
Christopher Buxton, priest, died Canterbury, 1588; beatified 1929[5]
Edmund Campion, Jesuit priest, 1581; beatified 1886, canonised 1970. (An account of his life in film by Mary’s Dowry Productions)
William Carter, layman, 1584; beatified 1987
James Claxton (Clarkson), priest, 1588
James Clayton, priest, 1588
Margaret Clitherow, laywoman, 1586; canonised 1970 (An account of her life in a film by Mary’s Dowry Productions)
Henry Cole, priest, 1580
Laurence Collier, Franciscan, 1590
John Collins, priest, 1584
Henry Comberford, priest, 1584
John Cornelius, Jesuit priest, 1594
Thomas Cotesmore, priest, 1584
Thomas Cottam, Jesuit priest, 1582
Richard Creagh, archbishop of Armagh, 1585
Ralph Crockett, priest, 1588
Alexander Crowe, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Thomas Crowther, priest, 1585
Robert Dalby, priest, York, 1589
William Davies, priest, 1593; beatified 1987
William Dean, priest, 1588
Robert Dibdale, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Francis Dicconson, priest, 1590
Roger Dicconson, priest, 1591
George Douglas, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
Anthony Draycott, priest, 1570
Edmund Duke, priest, 1590; beatified 1987
Gerard Edwards (alias Campion), priest, 1588; beatified 1929[5]
George Errington, layman, 1596; beatified 1987
John Feckenham, Benedictine, abbot of Westminster, 1585
Thomas Felton, Franciscan, 1588
James Fenn, priest, 1584
John Finch, 1584
John Finglow, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Richard Flower, layman, 1588; beatified 1987
William Freeman, priest, 1595; beatified 1929[6]
Thomas Gabyt, Cistercian, 1575
Nicholas Garlick, priest, 1588; beatified 1987
Edmund Gennings, priest, 1591; canonised 1970 (The account of his life in a DVD by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

Miles Gerard, priest, 1590
William Gibson, layman, 1596; beatified 1987
Nicholas Grene, priest, 1571
Ralph Grimston, layman, 1598; beatified 1987
John Griffith (alias Jones), Saint, Franciscan friar, 1598
William Gunter, priest, 1588
Richard Gwyn, layman, 1584; canonised 1970 (The account of his life in a DVD by Mary’s Dowry Productions)


William Hambledon, priest, 1585
John Hambley, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
Everard Hanse, priest, 1581
Robert Hardesty, layman, 1589; beatified 1987
Nicholas Harpsfield, priest, 1575
William Harrington, priest, 1594
John Harrison, priest, 1586
William Harrison, priest, 1594
William Hart, priest, 1583
William Hartley, priest, 1588
Thomas Harwood, priest, 1586
Richard Hatton, priest, 1584
George Haydock, priest, 1584; beatified 1987
Thomas Hemerford, priest, 1584
John Hewitt, priest, 1588
Richard Hill, priest, 1590; beatified 1987
John Hogg, priest, 1590; beatified 1987
Thomas Holford, priest, 1588
Richard Holiday, priest, 1590; beatified 1987
Robert Holmes, priest, 1584
Richard Horner, priest, 1598
Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel, layman, 1595; canonised 1970 (His account in a DVD by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

Thomas Hunt, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
Francis Ingleby, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
John Ingram, priest, 1594
Edward James, priest, 1588
John Jetter, priest, 1585
Lawrence Johnson, priest, 1582
Robert Johnson, priest, 1582
Edward Jones, priest, 1590
John Jones, Franciscan priest, 1598; canonised 1970
Luke Kirby, priest, 1582; took arrow to knee sometime while he lived; canonized 1970 (Features in a DVD ‘The Primary Series: Volume One – English Martyrs for children’ by Mary’s Dowry Productions)
William Knight, layman, 1596; beatified 1987
Joseph Lambton, priest, 1592; beatified 1987
William Lampley, layman, 1588; beatified 1987
Richard Leigh, priest, 1588
James Lomax, priest, 1584
John Lowe, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Robert Ludlam, priest, 1588; beatified 1987
William Marsden, priest, 1586
Roger Martin, priest, 1592
Cuthbert Mayne, priest, 1577; canonised 1970
Thomas Metham, Jesuit, 1592
Anthony Middleton, priest, 1590
Robert Morton, priest, 1588
Thomas Mudde, Cistercian, 1583
John Munden, priest, 1584
John Nelson, priest, 1577
George Nichols, priest, 1589; beatified 1987
John Norton, layman, 1600; beatified 1987
John Nutter, priest, 1584
Robert Nutter, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
Edward Oldcorne, Jesuit priest, 1561 (Appears in ‘St. Nicholas Owen: the priest hole maker by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

Edward Osbaldeston, priest, 1594; beatified 1987
Antony Page, priest, 1593; beatified 1987
Thomas Palasor, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
William Patenson, priest, 1592
John Payne, priest, 1582; canonised 1970
Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland, layman, 1572; beatified 1895 (Features in a DVD ‘The Shining Pearl of York by Mary’s Dowry Productions)
William Pike, layman, 1591; beatified 1987
Thomas Pilchard, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
Polydore Plasden, priest, 1591; canonised 1970 (His account in a DVD from Mary’s Dowry Productions)

Thomas Plumtree, priest, 1570
Edward Pole, priest, 1585
Thomas Pormort, priest, 1592; beatified 1987
Humphrey Pritchard, layman, 1589; beatified 1987
Alexander Rawlins, priest, 1595
John Rigby, layman, 1600; canonised 1970
Christopher Robinson, priest, 1597; beatified 1987
John Robinson, priest, 1588
John Roche, priest, 1588
Stephen Rowsham, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
John Sandys, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Montford Scott, priest, 1591; beatified 1987
Thomas Sedgwick, priest, 1573
Richard Sergeant, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Martin Sherson, priest, 1587
John Shert, priest, 1582
Ralph Sherwin, priest, 1581; canonised 1970 (Features in God’s Champion, St. Edmund Campion: a Hero Returns and St. Alexander Briant DVDs by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

Thomas Sherwood, layman, 1579; beatified 1886
Richard Simpson, priest, 1588; beatified 1987
Peter Snow, priest, 1598; beatified 1987
Robert Southwell, Jesuit priest, 1595; canonised 1970

William Spenser, priest, 1589; beatified 1987
Thomas Sprott, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
James Stonnes, priest, 1585
John Story, Chancellor to Bishop Bonner, 1571
Edward Stransham, priest, 1586
Robert Sutton, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
Edmund Sykes, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
John Talbot, layman, 1600; beatified 1987
Hugh Taylor, priest, 1585; beatified 1987
Gabriel Thimelby, priest, 1587
Richard Thirkeld, priest, 1583
James Thompson, priest, York, 1582
John Thompson, Jesuit
William Thomson, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Robert Thorpe, priest, 1591; beatified 1987
Edward Thwing, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
Lawrence Vaux, priest, 1585
Thomas Watkinson, layman, 1591; beatified 1987
Roger Wakeman, priest, 1584
Sir Edward Waldegrave, 1561
Henry Walpole, Jesuit priest, 1595; canonised 1970
Edward Waterson, priest, 1593
Margaret Ward, laywoman, 1588; canonised 1970 (Her account in a DVD film by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

William Way (alias May or Flower), priest, 1588
Henry Webley, layman, 1588; beatified 1987
Swithin Wells, layman, 1591, canonised 1970 (His account in a DVD film by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

Richard Weston, Jesuit
Christopher Wharton, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
Eustace White, priest, 1591; canonised 1970
Robert Wilcox, priest, 1588; beatified 1929[5]
Robert Widmerpool, layman, 1588; beatified 1929[5]
Richard Williams, priest, 1592
Thomas Wood, priest, 1588
John Woodcock, Franciscan, 1646
Nicholas Woodfen, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Richard Yaxley, priest, 1589; beatified 1987

The English Martyrs of this Era are remembered by the Catholic Church, especially in England, Wales and the USA.  

In 2007 Mary’s Dowry productions created a new form of film media to present the lives of the saints. Mary’s Dowry Productions recreates stunning silent visuals, informative, devotional narration, and original contemplative music that touches your spirit to draw you into a spiritual encounter with the saint. Watch with your spiritual eye, listen with your spiritual ear. Our films seek to offer a window into the lives of our saints. Using your spiritual senses we invite you to shut out the world, sit prayerfully and peacefully and go on a journey of faith, history and prayer with our English Saints. Closing the distance of time between Elizabethan England and the present day, encounter these inspiring martyrs. 


 Our films on specific Martyrs are available worldwide on DVD through
 
May the English Martyrs pray for us and for England and Wales.

Friday 22 June 2012

Recusant Catholics who were Martyred for the Catholic Faith in England, English Martyrs


In the history of England and Wales, recusancy was the state of those who refused to attend Anglican services. The individuals were known as "recusants". The term, which derives ultimately from the Latin recusare (to refuse or make an objection), was first used to refer to those who remained within the Roman Catholic Church and did not attend services of the Church of England, with a 1593 statute determining the penalties against "Popish recusants". 

Distribution of English Recusant Catholics, 1715-1720
This image is licensed under the
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License

The "Recusancy Acts", which began during the reign of Elizabeth I and which were repealed in 1650, imposed a number of punishments on those who did not participate in Anglican religious activity, including fines, property confiscation, and imprisonment. Despite their repeal, restrictions against Roman Catholics were still in place until full Catholic Emancipation in 1829. In some cases those adhering to Catholicism faced capital punishment, and a number of English and Welsh Catholics executed in the 16th and 17th centuries have been canonised by the Catholic Church as Christian Martyrs.

Elizabeth I's government had passed a number of anti-Catholic decrees in 1571, including the following: forbidding anyone from maintaining the jurisdiction of the pope by word, deed or act; compulsory use of the Book of Common Prayer in all cathedrals, churches and chapels, as well as the forbiddance of criticism of it; forbidding the publication of any bull, writing or instrument of the Holy See (the death penalty was assigned to this); the importing of Agnus Dei images, crosses, pictures, beads or other things from the Bishop of Rome was forbidden. Later laws: to draw anyone away from the state religion was forbidden; non-attendance at a Church of England church was legally forbidden; raising children with teachers that were not licensed by an Anglican diocesan bishop was not allowed; the Catholic Mass was forbidden.

Catholic lay women such as Saint Margaret Ward helped to keep the Catholic Faith alive in England by risking their lives to assist the hunted Catholic priests or provide secret Masses and devotions.  St. Margaret Ward was a young woman who planned the escape of a priest from Bridewell prison and when she was caught she was tortured for many days and eventually executed by order of Queen Elizabeth I for refusing to attend the Anglican services or deny the Catholic Faith.

Elizabethan layman St. Swithun Wells provided a secret room at the top of his house in Gray's Inn Lane, London where he organised for the illegal Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to be offered by missionary priests.  He sheltered priest Martyrs such as St. Eustace White, St. Polydore Plasden and St. Edmund Gennings, the latter of whom was hanged with him outside his home by the infamous priest-hunter Richard Topcliffe.

Saint Richard Gwyn, a Welsh schoolmaster with a love for folklore, the Welsh Bards, history and his family converted to the Catholic Faith during the Elizabethan persecutions in Wales  He was hunted for over a year and finally arrested and tried for Treason.  His arguments, defence and his Catholic devotions are recognised as important to Catholic history especially in Great Britain.
The Martyrs of England and Wales are especially loved by British Catholics and American Catholics.  An easy way to learn about the accounts of their lives, their historical settings, words, prayers and heroic witnesses is through film on DVD as well as the few writings/pamphlets available on them.
Films of recusant Catholic Martyrs such as
St. Anne Line
St. Margaret Ward
St. Richard Gwyn
St. Margaret Ward
St. Philip Howard
and other English Martyrs and Saints are available on DVD through www.marysdowryproductions.org/shop/

Among the recusants were some high profile aristocratic supporters, such as the Howards and for a time the Plantagenet descended Beauforts, amongst others. 

St. John Fisher, English Martyr, Feast day, his life in film in a Catholic DVD

Photograph of St. John Fisher preaching at Rochester taken by
Fr. Lawrence Lew OP and used with his permission in a
film of the life of St. John Fisher by Mary's Dowry Productions.
Saint John Fisher, an English Martyr, shares a feast day with St. Thomas More.
Almost everyone has seen "A Man For All Seasons" which focuses upon St. Thomas More, but the only other leading figure in Catholic Tudor England who placed God before the King was St. John Fisher, the Bishop of Rochester who was made Cardinal of England in the Tower of London.  Beginning with his early life as a young boy, we follow St. John Fisher through the Tudor Courts, his assassination attempts on his life and his writings and holy family life.

In 2007 Mary’s Dowry productions created a new form of film media to present the lives of the saints. Mary’s Dowry Productions recreates stunning silent visuals, informative, devotional narration, and original contemplative music that touches your spirit to draw you into a spiritual encounter with the saint. Watch with your spiritual eye, listen with your spiritual ear. Our films seek to offer a window into the lives of our saints. Using your spiritual senses we invite you to shut out the world, sit prayerfully and peacefully and go on a journey of faith, history and prayer with Saint John Fisher.
Available worldwide on DVD.  Produced in England.
 


St. Thomas More, three films, English Martyr, biographical information and devotions

In 2007 Mary's Dowry Productions created a new form of film media in which to present the lives of the Saints on DVD. We invite you to watch our film prayerfully and quietly and to engage your spiritual senses. Watch with your spiritual eye, listen with your spiritual ear. Mary's Dowry Productions loves to recreate key moments, silently and with no dialogue, from a Saint's life, using historical costume and beautiful backdrops. Original contemplative music runs beneath a detailed narrative that seeks to engage the viewer with the Saint. Our films offer a window into the life of each Saint.

 

A thorough detailed account with lots of information and covering all aspects of St. Thomas More's life.
Runs for 1 hour and 6 minutes.

Well Known Saints: Volume Three.
A short detailed biography of St. Thomas More on this volume from a series of DVDs.  Runs for five minutes and includes six other biographies of well known and popular Catholic Saints.
The Martyrs Walk. 
A 35 minute documentary tracing the route that many English Martyrs took from Tower Hill to the Tyburn Gallows.  Beginning at Tower Hill, the site of St. Thomas More's Martyrdom, with a short biography of the Saint included.
 


St. Thomas More, English Martyr, Catholic Saint, account of his life in film, Catholic DVD


Saint Thomas More (7 February 1478 – 6 July 1535), was an English Martyr, lawyer, social philosopher, author, statesman, and noted Renaissance humanist. He was an important councillor to Henry VIII of England and was Lord Chancellor from October 1529 to 16 May 1532.  He was an opponent of the Protestant Reformation and in particular of Martin Luther and William Tyndale. 
A detailed and thorough account of his whole life and Martyrdom available in a new film through AMAZON UK and AMAZON COM and
An easy but clear way to study a simple but detailed, accurate and devotional account of St. Thomas More: St. Thomas More - the King's Good Servant and God's First.
St. Thomas More coined the word "utopia" – a name he gave to the ideal and imaginary island nation, the political system of which he described in Utopia published in 1516. He opposed the King's separation from the Catholic Church and refused to accept the King as Supreme Head of the Church of England, a title which had been given by parliament through the Act of Supremacy of 1534. He was imprisoned in 1534 for his refusal to take the oath required by the First Succession Act, because the act disparaged papal power and Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon. In 1535, he was tried for treason, convicted on perjured testimony and beheaded.  Intellectuals and statesmen across Europe were stunned by St. Thomas More's execution. Erasmus saluted him as one "whose soul was more pure than any snow, whose genius was such that England never had and never again will have its like". Two centuries later Jonathan Swift said he was "the person of the greatest virtue this kingdom ever produced" (Prose Works of Jonathan Swift, v. 13, Oxford UP, 1959, p. 123), a sentiment with which Samuel Johnson agreed. Historian Hugh Trevor-Roper said in 1977 that More was "the first great Englishman whom we feel that we know, the most saintly of humanists, the most human of saints, the universal man of our cool northern renaissance."

St. Edmund Arrowsmith, English Martyr from the North of England, film of his life, executed Catholic priest

St. Edmund Arrowsmith was the son of Margery Gerard, a member of an important Lancashire Catholic family. Among his mother's relations was Father John Gerard, who wrote The Diary of an Elizabethan Priest, as well as another martyr, the Blessed Miles Gerard.
Edmund was born at Haydock, England in 1585, the eldest child. He was baptized Brian, but always used his confirmation name of Edmund. The family was constantly harassed for its adherence to Roman Catholicism and after an intense life of heroic sacrifice, danger and devotion for the Catholic Faith in England St. Edmund Arrowsmith earned a Martyrs crown.
A new and detailed account of the life of this English Martyr, St. Edmund Arrowsmith in a DVD available through AMAZON UK and AMAZON COM and
Saint Edmund Arrowsmith's life contains many important details of his mission for 15 years among the people of Lancashire, his betrayal, arrest, imprisonment, his link to fellow Martyr St. John Southworth, his final words, his bravery, his Catholic Faith and devotions, his witness and beliefs and his understanding of the Catholic Faith in England and English history, all covered clearly in this new 45 minute account of his whole life, mission and Martyrdom.
He is one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.


St. Padre Pio, new short film, DVD Well Known Saints Volume Two, Catholic movies on DVD

Saint Pio (Pius) of Pietrelcina, O.F.M. Cap. (25 May 1887 – 23 September 1968) was a Capuchin Catholic priest from Italy who is a Saint in the Catholic Church. He was born Francesco Forgione, and given the name Pius (Italian: Pio) when he joined the Capuchins, thus he was popularly known as Padre Pio. He became famous for his bearing the stigmata, his suffering for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of souls and his spiritual letters. On 16 June 2002, he was canonized by Pope John Paul II. 
A new short film on Saint Padre Pio makes up part of this Well Known Saints DVD series in Volume Two available through AMAZON UK and AMAZON COM
and
A detailed and accurate account of Saint Padre Pio's life is presented in this short film with historical images and photographs giving a simple, easy, informative and devotional Catholic biography.
Other Saints on the DVD include:
St. Clare of Assisi
St. Ignatius of Loyola
St. Augustine
St. Maximilian Kolbe
St. Luke
and
St. Elizabeth.
This series is useful for Confirmation classes, schools, libraries and families and is available worldwide on DVD.  A great way to get to know the lives of the Saints through film.