St Oliver Plunkett, Bishop & Martyr; commemoration of Pope St Pius I, Martyr & Bl. Adrian Fortescue, Martyr: Missa “Statuit ei Dominus”
Saint Oliver Plunkett—Irish: Oilibhéar Pluincéid—was born at Loughcrew in County Meath on 1 November 1625, during an age in which the Catholic Church in Ireland had been devastated by persecution. Travelling to Rome in 1647, he entered the Irish College and was ordained priest on 1 January 1654. He subsequently served the poor and sick as a chaplain with the Oratorian Fathers, studied law at the Sapienza, and taught theology at the College of Propaganda Fide. Appointed Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland in 1669, he returned to a country whose churches and schools had been destroyed, whose clergy had been scattered or deprived of proper formation, and whose faithful had long been left without shepherds. With extraordinary apostolic zeal, he held synods, founded schools at Drogheda, ordained priests and administered Confirmation to more than 10,000 people during the first year of his episcopate.
When persecution intensified in 1673, Saint Oliver refused to abandon his flock. Driven into hiding and reduced at times to living upon barley bread beneath a leaking roof, he declared that he would rather die of hunger and cold than forsake the souls entrusted to him. In 1679 he was arrested amid the anti-Catholic hysteria generated by Titus Oates and the wholly fictitious “Popish Plot”. When even an exclusively Protestant jury in Ireland would not convict him upon the testimony of disreputable informers, he was removed to London, where he was denied sufficient time to bring witnesses from Ireland and condemned for high treason after a judicial travesty. The accusations that he had plotted a French invasion and intended to raise an Irish army were false; his real offence was that he was a Catholic bishop who had remained faithful to his office.
On 1 July 1681, Saint Oliver Plunkett became the last Catholic martyr to suffer at Tyburn. Before his execution, he publicly forgave all who had contributed to his condemnation, asked pardon for his own sins, made an Act of Contrition, recited the Miserere, and commended his soul to God with the words of the crucified Saviour: “Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Lord Jesus, receive my soul.” Hanged, drawn and quartered, he sealed in blood the ministry of truth, peace and reconciliation that had characterised his episcopate. His head, rescued after the execution, is now venerated in Saint Peter’s Church, Drogheda, while other relics repose at Downside Abbey. Beatified by Pope Benedict XV on 23 May 1920, he was canonised by Pope Paul VI on 12 October 1975—the first Irish saint to be canonised for more than seven centuries and an enduring witness that fidelity to the Catholic Faith is stronger than calumny, persecution and death.
Today is also the Feast of Pope Saint Pius I, Martyr and great Pope of the Second Century. According to the earliest list of the popes, given by Irenaeus (“Adv. haer.”, II, xxxi; cf. Eusebius, “Hist. eccl.”, V, vi), Pius was the ninth successor of St. Peter. The dates given in the Liberian Catalogue for his pontificate (146-61) rest on a false calculation of earlier chroniclers, and cannot be accepted. The only chronological datum we possess is supplied by the year of St. Polycarp of Smyrna’s death, which may be referred with great certainty to 155-6. On his visit to Rome in the year before his death Polycarp found Anicetus, the successor of Pius, bishop there; consequently, the death of Pius must have occurred about 154.
During the pontificate of Pius the Roman Church was visited by various heretics, who sought to propagate their false doctrine among the faithful of the capital. The Gnostic Valentinus, who had made his appearance under Pope Hyginus, continued to sow his heresy, apparently not without success. The Gnostic Cerdon was also active in Rome at this period, during which Marcion arrived in the capital. Excluded from communion by Pius, the latter founded his heretical body (Irenaeus, “Adv. haer.”, III, iii). But Catholic teachers also visited the Roman Church, the most important being St. Justin, who expounded the Christian teachings during the pontificate of Pius and that of his successor.
Blessed Adrian Fortescue Born to the English nobility, the son of Sir John Fortescue, and a cousin of Anne Boleyn. Made a Knight of the Bath in 1503, frequently serving in the royal court of King Henry VIII. Fought for England in France in 1513 and 1522. Married twice, and father of seven. Made a Knight of Saint John in 1532. He collected several lists of proverbs and folk sayings, often writing them in the margins of his Book of Hours. He lived as a tertiary Dominican. On 29 August 1534, for reasons never explained, he was arrested by the king‘s order, and imprisoned for several months. Arrested again on 3 February 1539, and sent to the Tower of London. Without trial, he was condemned to death in April for treason, though no specific act was alleged, only general “sedition and refusing allegiance”, a consequence of his loyalty to Rome.
INTROIT Ecclesiasticus 45: 30
The Lord made to him a covenant of peace, and made him a prince: that the dignity of priesthood should be to him for ever. (Ps. 131: 1) O Lord, remember David: and all his meekness. v. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Repeat, The Lord made to him a covenant of peace…
COLLECT
O God, Who was pleased to imbue Thy blessed martyr bishop, Oliver with admirable courage for the defence of the Catholic faith; grant that thanks to his intercession and example we may imitate his steadfastness in faith, and feel the might of his protection in time of peril; Sanctify, O Lord, the offerings dedicated to Thee, and, by the intercession of blessed Pius, Thy martyr and bishop, and grant that we may find in them a never-failing source of help. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son. Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever. R.Amen.
Pope St Pius I of Rome
O Lord, we beseech You, graciously hear the prayers of You people, that we may be helped by the merits of blessed Pius, Your Pope and Martyr, whose sufferings we celebrate.
Blessed Adrian Fortescue
Pour forth upon us, O Lord, we beseech Thee, the spirit of constancy and fortitude wherewith Thou didst strengthen Thy blessed martyr Adrian for the defence of the Catholic faith; that we, being filled therewith, may be worthy to attain to the fellowship of his glory in heaven; in whose triumphal passion we rejoice on earth. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, Forever and ever.
EPISTLE James 1:12-18
Lesson from the Epistle of blessed James. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.
GRADUAL/ALLELUIA Psalm 88:21-23
The man I have found is my servant David, on him my consecrating oil has been poured my hand shall strengthen him, my arm shall give him courage. V. No enemy shall have his way with him, no emissary of wickedness shall have power to injure him. Alleluia, allelluia. v. Ps 109:4 Thou art a priest forever in the line of Melchisedech. Alleluia.
GOSPEL Luke 14:26-33
At this time, Jesus said to the multitude: If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Psalm 88:25
My faithfulness and mercy shall go with him: as my champion he shall rise to greatness.
SECRET
All merciful God, pour forth Thy blessing on these gifts of ours, and strengthen us in that faith which Thy blessed martyr bishop, Oliver upheld in the face of barbarous torments; Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.
Pope St Pius I of Rome
Sanctify, O Lord, the offerings dedicated to Thee, and, by the intercession of blessed Pius, Thy martyr and bishop, and grant that we may find in them a never-failing source of help.
Blessed Adrian Fortescue
May the Holy Ghost, O Lord, pour His blessing upon our gifts: and make us steadfast in that faith, whereto blessed Adrian Thy martyr bare witness both by the word of his mouth and the shedding of his blood. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son. Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever. R.Amen.
PREFACE of the Common
It is truly meet and just, and profitable unto salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks to Thee, O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, eternal God, through Christ, our Lord. Through whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominions adore it, the Powers are in awe. Which the heavens and the hosts of heaven together with the blessed Seraphim joyfully do magnify. And do Thou command that it be permitted us to join with them in confessing Thee, while we say with lowly praise: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth!
COMMUNION ANTIPHON PSalm 88:36-38
Once for all I have pledged my inviolable word, his posterity shall continue forever; his royalty too, shall last on in my presence like the sun, like the moon’s eternal orb; the witness of heaven is unalterable.
POSTCOMMUNION
Lord, may spiritual strength be imparted to us by the heavenly food which constantly sustained Thy blessed martyr bishop, Oliver to conquer self and give up his life for the Church’s cause: Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.
Pope St Pius I of Rome
Our strength renewed by partaking of Thy sacred gift, we pray, Thee, Lord our God, that through the prayer of Thy blessed martyr bishop, Pius, we who perform this rite may feel its power.
Blessed Adrian Fortescue
Grant, us, O Lord, through these Thy holy mysteries which we have received, to imitate the zeal and constancy of blessed Adrian: who by the example of his courage and by his martyrdom hath kindled us to desire the things eternal. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.
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