MANILA (UCAN): Lawyers and parishioners gathered at St. Thomas More Academy in Cavite province, on June 22, to honour the lawyer, judge and one-time Lord Chancellor of England, who was beheaded by King Henry VIII.
St. Thomas More, patron saint of lawyers and politicians, campaigned against the Protestant Reformation, criticised the annulment of Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon so he could marry Anne Boleyn, and refused to recognise him as supreme head of the Church of England when he broke away from the universal Church. These acts of defiance led to his execution on 6 July 1535.
“Today, we gather to celebrate the feast of a great man who did not compromise his religious convictions and loyalty to the Catholic Church for selfish gain. St. Thomas More is the patron saint of lawyers and civil servants because he spoke and stood for what is true until his death,” Jason Laceda, a lawyer, said.
Laceda said there are “very few” Catholics in the Philippines who know the story of the English saint and the principles he died for, so his group has been encouraging devotion to him.
“We, Filipinos, have so many devotions and novenas to saints. But there are very few of us who pray to St. Thomas More, knowing that our country is facing so many political problems like graft and corruption. We need politicians like St. Thomas More who put God first in everything,” Laceda said.
“Our leaders should be like St. Thomas More. When he faced his executioner, he said ‘I die the king’s faithful servant, but God’s servant first.’ I hope we can hear the same words from our own leaders,” he said.
Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, likewise posted the saint’s letter to his daughter, Margaret, to honour the saint’s martyrdom.
“I am tempted to think that this letter of Sir Thomas More could have landed in the hands of King Henry VIII. It could have been the reason why the king had him beheaded,” Bishop David said.
