GETTING TO KNOW SAINT ALBAN ROE
The lives of the English Martyrs - Catholic history of England
Producing a film about one of the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales
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| Saint Alban Roe - English Martyr - Benedictine Priest © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
Insubordinate, pugnacious, gregarious and outspoken - not the dispositions one would expect of a Catholic Saint and English Martyr - but Saint Alban Roe is one of 40 men and women canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970 as a Saint and a Martyr for Christ and His Catholic Church, and Saint Alban's virtues shine out of history to blaze brightly as a torch of faith, Truth, inspiration and relevance today.
As Mary's Dowry Productions makes its way through the production of individual films about the English Martyrs, especially the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales, we are always struck by each Martyr's story and biography, especially from this latter group. We have been interested in making a film about Saint Alban Roe who gave his life at the triple Tyburn gallows in 1642 for many years and are now pleased to be in film production for this DVD.
On Saturday March 24th 2018, Mary's Dowry Productions recreated several key moments from the life of Saint Alban Roe for a DVD about this interesting and inspiring Martyr. In this blog post we share screenshots from our upcoming film which we will use to help people unfamiliar with his biography to get to know this great Saint and English Martyr better.
SETTING THE SCENE:
THREE ERAS IN ENGLAND'S HISTORY
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| Saint Alban Roe as a young man before his call to the Benedictine Vocation © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
Renowned for his strong character, explosive nature, deep devotion and heroic service to Christ and the persecuted Catholic Church in 16th and 17th Century England, Saint Alban Roe led a fascinating life caught up in the dramas of England during three changeable and dangerous eras:
Elizabethan England:
England was ruled by Queen Elizabethan I and her Protestant Government with its army of priest hunters, the triple Tyburn gallows, the banning of the Catholic Mass, Sacraments, priests and devotions as well as executions of men, women, priests and religious who remained faithful to the ancient Faith of England. Saint Alban was born in the early 1580's at the height of the Elizabethan persecutions of the Catholic Church and during the time of the executions of priests such as Saint Edmund Campion and Saint Alexander Briant;
Jacobean England:
Following Queen Elizabeth's death, James I of England succeeded the throne on 24th March 1603. Saint Albarn Roe was in his early twenties. Although Protestant, King James began talks with high ranking Catholics and made many promises to stop the vicious persecutions and offer toleration, yet he took advice from the fiercely anti-Catholic Parliament. Elizabethan penal laws were increased, fresh waves of persecutions began, the failed 'Gunpowder Plot' incited even stronger persecution of Catholics and under King James I Catholics became virtually non-persons and many priests and laymen were executed;
King Charles I and the Civil War:
With his unshakable belief in the divine rights of kings, the Protestant Charles I succeeded to the throne on March 1625 with a new Catholic wife - Saint Alban Roe was, at this time, a Benedictine monk in his 40's. A short time of peace and tolerance came for Catholics in England at this time but Parliament refused to retract the Penal laws. In 1628 parliament demanded King Charles (a high Anglican) rigorously enforce the penal laws and in this year many Catholics were put to death.
During King Charles I personal rule without parliament from 1629-1640 there was a period of toleration and although priests were condemned to death by court, King Charles and his wife ensured the executions were not exacted. Catholics continued to be subjected to enormous fines for refusing to attend Protestant services. Long Parliament, filled with anti-Catholic Puritans, fought among themselves and split the Houses of Lords and Commons and in 1641 Civil War broke out.
During the rule of Long Parliament, almost 30 priests were executed, including St Alban Roe.
Catholics supported the Monarchy in the Civil War because the Puritan alternative was too ghastly for them to contemplate. The King was accused of raising a Catholic army, Parliament passed a law in which Catholic Doctrine, especially the Mass, was ridiculed and condemned and the Pope described as the Antichrist. King Charles was beheaded in 1649 and Catholics were once more plunged into despair. (The lives and times of the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales - Malcolm Pullan)
A STAUNCH PROTESTANT
Saint Alban Roe was born as Bartholomew Roe in Suffolk in the early 1580's and was educated at Cambridge University (formerly a Catholic university). He was naturally argumentative, often hostile towards those who did not agree with him, opinionated, loud and full of zeal for his beliefs. He grew up to be a very aggressive Protestant and was anti-Catholic and anti-papacy in his views.
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| Visiting friends © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
The turning point in Bartholomew's life came when he was visiting friends in Saint Albans (a Divine link to his future religious name) and during their conversations they told him about a Catholic who was incarcerated in prison in the city. Determined to point out the errors of the Catholic prisoner's ways, Bartholomew marched over to the prison and set about persuading the prisoner of the error of his papist beliefs. However, the prisoner was sincere, devout and resolute in his Catholic Faith and argued so convincingly that Bartholomew had a crisis and began to doubt his Protestant beliefs.
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| A recusant Catholic and St Alban Roe © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
A time of soul searching, discussions, reflection, reading and speaking with Catholic priests followed and finally, after a great deal of thought and research, Bartholomew converted to the Catholic Faith in 1607. This was not a light conversion. Bartholomew gave his whole heart to Christ and heard within his soul Christ calling him to the Sacred Catholic priesthood. He wished others to find the fullness of the treasure of God's Truth in the ancient Catholic Faith and so, filled with zeal and determination, Bartholomew set out illegally from England to train for the priesthood abroad at the English college in Douai. But his explosive manner and outspoken criticisms of his superiors saw him expelled from the college. He didn't leave quietly and campaigned against the authorities. He was then led to join the Benedictines in Lorraine and was professed under the name of Fr Alban of Saint Edmund in 1614 and ordained a priest in 1615.
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| Saint Alban - a Benedictine monk and priest © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
Keen to assist the persecuted Catholics of Jacobean England, Saint Alban entered illegally into his homeland and spend three years dodging the authorities. He worked zealously in London until he was captured, arrested and thrown into prison for five years. In 1623, Saint Alban was included in King James' general amnesty so was released and sent into permanent exile. He returned to England to resume his missionary work, celebrating outlawed secret Masses throughout England until he was arrested by a despicable and notorious priest hunter called Francis Newton.
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| Secret Masses in England © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
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| (left) The notorious professional priest hunter Francis Newton |
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| Arrested by Francis Newton © 2018 Mary's Dowry Production |
Saint Alban spent the next 15 years in Fleet Prison in London! The Keeper was corrupt and there was a great deal of laxity which Saint Alban took advantage of. Saint Alban became the life and soul of the prison, with his gaiety and holiness even winning the hearts of his jailers who were invited to join in his games of cards while he regaled them with amusing stories. He offered secret Masses in his cell, heard confessions and was even allowed out during the day (where he continued his illegal ministry) providing he was back in his cell each night.
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| A secret Mass in Fleet Prison © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
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| Recusant Catholics in Fleet Prison © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
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| Hearing confessions in prison © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
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| Cards with the jailer © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
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| A game of cards © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
Eventually, when King Charles I left London and during the Civil War, the Long Parliament put a stop to such tolerance of Catholic priests in prison. Saint Alban was moved to Newgate prison and tried at the Old Bailey, charged with treason and sentenced to be executed for being a priest under 'Elizabeth 27' - this meant that he was to be hanged, drawn and quartered.
When the barbaric sentenced was pronounced Saint Alban exclaimed: "How little this is in comparison to what Christ suffered for me!"
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| Translating the works of St John Fisher © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
After the sentence of death had been passed, Saint Alban had a couple of days to prepare for Martyrdom. He offered Mass in his cell with Fr Thomas Green, a condemned Catholic priest in his 80's, who was to die with St Alban at Tyburn. St Alban told the recusant Catholics gathered for Mass: "When you see our heads up on London Bridge, take it that they are there to preach to you, to proclaim that Faith for which we are about to die."
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| A final Mass in prison © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
Fr Thomas Green (also known as Fr Reynolds) was frightened about their impending execution so Saint Alban spent time reassuring and encouraging him.
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| Fr Thomas and Saint Alban in prison © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
The road to Tyburn was lined with Catholics and when the two priests arrived their hands were kissed and people begged for their blessings.
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| Waiting for the Martyrs at Tyburn Gallows © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
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| Kissing the hands of the Martyrs © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
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| Kissing the hands of the Martyrs © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
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| At the gallows © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
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| Ready to give their lives © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
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| Giving absolution © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
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| Saint Alban Roe © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
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| Giving absolution © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
After the priests had been executed, many recusant Catholics sought to gather blood soaked straw from beneath the infamous gallows as relics. A piece of the executioner's apron, soaked in the two priests blood, is preserved today at Downside Abbey.
Saint Alban Roe was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970 as one of the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales. He remains a powerful intercessor for the Catholic faithful today, a beloved Saint and English Martyr.
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| Collecting the relics of the Martyrs © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
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| Collecting relics and reverencing the Martyrs © 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions |
The films of Mary's Dowry Productions have been internationally praised for not only presenting facts, information and historical details but also a prayerful and spiritual, authentically Catholic film experience. Find our films on AMAZON and EBAY as well as through our online shop!
Special thanks to all involved in the making of our films.
Saint Alban Roe - coming soon from Mary's Dowry Productions
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