A Vatican cardinal has urged English Catholics to pray for the eventual canonisation of the martyrs of the Protestant Reformation.
Cardinal Arthur Roche called for prayers for the canonisation of Blessed Nicholas Postgate in a homily at the 50th annual Postgate Rally at Ugthorpe, near Whitby, Yorkshire.
Despite intermittent rain, more than 700 people gathered in a field for the Mass, with coaches coming from Hull, York, Middlesbrough and Redcar and many more travelling by car.
Blessed Nicholas ministered on the North York Moors for nearly half a century before he was hanged, drawn and quartered on the Knavesmire gallows, York, in 1679, when he was 82.
One of the last Catholics to be put to death for their faith, he was beatified – the final step on the path to sainthood in the Catholic Church – by Pope St John Paul II in 1987.
<a href="https://catholicherald.co.uk/why-saints-are-on-the-march-under-francis/?swcfpc=1"><em><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">The Catholic Church in England and Wales has hundreds of beatified martyrs whose causes have yet to proceed to canonisation.</mark></em></a>
Eighty-five martyrs were beatified by St John Paul in 1987, a group which included a substantial number of lay Catholics, people with ordinary occupations such as glovers, servants, joiners, tailors and booksellers.
There are also 50 martyrs beatified by Leo XIII and 108 beatified by Pius XI.
Cardinal Roche, prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, said Blessed Nicholas gave an example for all Catholics to follow.
He said: “He lived simply, humbly. The description of his hut on the moors would make anyone feel the cold, even on a day like this. He knew that one day the intolerance of the age would seek him out – and it did.
“Nicholas did not condemn any of them. Indeed, he died praying for them. A feature of his last days was that he greeted everyone with the open arms of charity and joked they had done him a great favour by giving him such a ‘short cut’ to heaven.
“Blessed Nicholas and our English and Welsh martyrs give us the courage not to lose our footing by taking the high road of indifference and superiority, but instead the track of life trodden by Christ that keeps us sane and close to reality.
“Blessed Nicholas, the great-grandfather of those of you in these parts who share the faith he lived and died for, whose legacy then is still with you today, remains with you. His faithfulness our model; his tenderness of soul our guide.
“Let us call upon his intercession in times of real need so that one day his memory may be celebrated at the altars in this land – someone not dismissed or forgotten but cherished by you as your very own saint! Keep his memory alive throughout the diocese.
“Keep asking God, through his intercession for the gift of that miraculous sign and do not rest until you get it!”
Cardinal Roche travelled from Rome especially for the rally, staying with Bishop Terry Drainey of Middlesbrough, who was the principal celebrant at the Mass.
Twenty-seven priests concelebrated Mass, including the Abbot of Ampleforth, Dom Robert Igo.
Postgate Society chair Monica Ventress said: “Our 50th anniversary Postgate Rally went very well, despite the poor weather.
“It was good to see so many of our priests and people from across the diocese who all came to share this special day.
“Our special guest, Cardinal Roche, had flown from Rome especially for the occasion.
“His homily reminded us that many of the virtues practised by Blessed Nicholas Postgate are still very relevant today. May we soon see the day when Blessed Nicholas is canonised.”
The Postgate Rally takes place in Ugthorpe and Egton Bridge, two villages closely linked to the life of Blessed Nicholas, on alternate years.
Numbers have been rising in recent years, with last year’s 500 in attendance doubling the 2022 figure.
The Postgate Society exists to spread knowledge of Blessed Nicholas and to promote interest in Catholic history during penal times. Find out more at postgatesociety.org.uk.
A Vatican cardinal has urged English Catholics to pray for the eventual canonisation of the martyrs of the Protestant Reformation.
Cardinal Arthur Roche called for prayers for the canonisation of Blessed Nicholas Postgate in a homily at the 50th annual Postgate Rally at Ugthorpe, near Whitby, Yorkshire.
Despite intermittent rain, more than 700 people gathered in a field for the Mass, with coaches coming from Hull, York, Middlesbrough and Redcar and many more travelling by car.
Blessed Nicholas ministered on the North York Moors for nearly half a century before he was hanged, drawn and quartered on the Knavesmire gallows, York, in 1679, when he was 82.
One of the last Catholics to be put to death for their faith, he was beatified – the final step on the path to sainthood in the Catholic Church – by Pope St John Paul II in 1987.
<a href="https://catholicherald.co.uk/why-saints-are-on-the-march-under-francis/?swcfpc=1"><em><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">The Catholic Church in England and Wales has hundreds of beatified martyrs whose causes have yet to proceed to canonisation.</mark></em></a>
Eighty-five martyrs were beatified by St John Paul in 1987, a group which included a substantial number of lay Catholics, people with ordinary occupations such as glovers, servants, joiners, tailors and booksellers.
There are also 50 martyrs beatified by Leo XIII and 108 beatified by Pius XI.
Cardinal Roche, prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, said Blessed Nicholas gave an example for all Catholics to follow.
He said: “He lived simply, humbly. The description of his hut on the moors would make anyone feel the cold, even on a day like this. He knew that one day the intolerance of the age would seek him out – and it did.
“Nicholas did not condemn any of them. Indeed, he died praying for them. A feature of his last days was that he greeted everyone with the open arms of charity and joked they had done him a great favour by giving him such a ‘short cut’ to heaven.
“Blessed Nicholas and our English and Welsh martyrs give us the courage not to lose our footing by taking the high road of indifference and superiority, but instead the track of life trodden by Christ that keeps us sane and close to reality.
“Blessed Nicholas, the great-grandfather of those of you in these parts who share the faith he lived and died for, whose legacy then is still with you today, remains with you. His faithfulness our model; his tenderness of soul our guide.
“Let us call upon his intercession in times of real need so that one day his memory may be celebrated at the altars in this land – someone not dismissed or forgotten but cherished by you as your very own saint! Keep his memory alive throughout the diocese.
“Keep asking God, through his intercession for the gift of that miraculous sign and do not rest until you get it!”
Cardinal Roche travelled from Rome especially for the rally, staying with Bishop Terry Drainey of Middlesbrough, who was the principal celebrant at the Mass.
Twenty-seven priests concelebrated Mass, including the Abbot of Ampleforth, Dom Robert Igo.
Postgate Society chair Monica Ventress said: “Our 50th anniversary Postgate Rally went very well, despite the poor weather.
“It was good to see so many of our priests and people from across the diocese who all came to share this special day.
“Our special guest, Cardinal Roche, had flown from Rome especially for the occasion.
“His homily reminded us that many of the virtues practised by Blessed Nicholas Postgate are still very relevant today. May we soon see the day when Blessed Nicholas is canonised.”
The Postgate Rally takes place in Ugthorpe and Egton Bridge, two villages closely linked to the life of Blessed Nicholas, on alternate years.
Numbers have been rising in recent years, with last year’s 500 in attendance doubling the 2022 figure.
The Postgate Society exists to spread knowledge of Blessed Nicholas and to promote interest in Catholic history during penal times. Find out more at postgatesociety.org.uk.
