Die for Christ and His Holy Catholic Church in Division against Heretics and Secularism – St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More

On June 22, we honor two martyred Saints of England:

St. John Fisher, a Cardinal and theologian and Chancellor of Cambridge University.

St. Thomas More, a lawyer and high chancellor of England

They lived during the reign of Henry VIII, 1530s, and Protestant Reformation.

Though the Protestant Reformation by Martin Luther, Huldrych Zwingli, and John Calvin, was sweeping across continental Europe, Britain was still relatively unaffected by the Protestantism. However, this king of England, of the House of Tudor, Henry VIII, was in trouble with Pope Clement VII, as Henry wanted to have his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, his first wife. Henry’s reason for this was that he lost his interest in Catherine for his new interest in young Anne Boleyn.

Of course, Pope Clement VII refused to have Henry VIII’s marriage with Catherine of Aragon annulled. As Bishop, John Fisher sided with Pope Clement VII and did not acknowledge the annulment of Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Then, Henry VIII demanded Bishop John Fisher, who was his tutor during his boyhood, to put his signature of ratification for the Oath of Supremacy, in which Henry VIII is recognized as the supreme governor of the Church of England.  Though all other Catholic bishops of England ratified the Oath of Supremacy, acknowledging Henry VIII as the head of the Church of England, Bishop John Fisher was the one bishop to refuse, Because refusal to acknowledge the monarch of England as the supreme governor of the Church of England was the crime of treason, Bishop John Fisher was imprisoned and sentenced to death. John Fisher was elevated to Cardinal before his death, and Cardinal John Fisher was beheaded on June 22, 1535, leaving these last words:

“I die for the Faith of the Holy Catholic Church".

There was another person who refused to sign to ratify the Oath of Supremacy. And it was a lay person and the Supreme Chancellor of England, Thomas More. Because Henry VIII valued Thomas More’s service as Lord Chancellor, it was difficult for him to punish Thomas More. Nevertheless, just as Cardinal John Fisher was executed for the crime of treason for his refusal to acknowledge Henry VIII, king of England, as the supreme governor of the Church of England, Chancellor More was imprisoned and sentenced to death. He was beheaded on July 6, 1535, leaving these last words:

“I die the King's good servant, and God's first”.  

The summer of 1535 in London was made bloody by the hands of king Henry VIII, cutting the head of his childhood tutor, Cardinal John Fisher, and his trusted servant, Lord Thomas More, because both of them refused to acknowledge him as the supreme figure of the Church of England.

What do the martyrdoms of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More mean to us today?

Look at the reality of the Church today. Examine how faithful we are as baptized and confirmed Catholic today. Look at how faithful deacons, priests, and bishops are to Christ and his teaching today.

What the Church faces can be juxtaposed to what St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More faced during the 1530s. The secularism and moral relativism have been pressuring the Church to adopt herself to their way as they try to convince the faithful in the Church to see the absolute truth in Christ teaching as contrary to a “new norm” that they push. And even some bishops seem to have bent the Church’s stance to, if not necessarily acquiesce to the secularism and moral relativism, to avoid conflict – not to fight – to value “tolerance”.

Does “aggiornamento” mean to compromise the doctrine of the Church, rooted in Christ’s teaching, to the secularism and moral relativism?

Some bishops and priests, who overemphasize “tolerance”, seem to mislead the Church in a wrong direction.

Tolerance is not a universally applicable virtue, as Aristotelian Catholic moral philosopher, Alasdair MacIntyre, argues. Though “aggiornamento” was a motto for the post-Vatican-II Church, it is always with “ad fontes”.  However, in response to increasing attacks of secularism and moral relativism on the Church and her doctrine, during this post-modernistic era, some bishops and priests, as well as, some of us, do not have the kind of conviction to fight but to make compromise to avoid conflict with the world. And their justification for such a lukewarm stance to defend the Church and her doctrine against secularism and moral relativism is attributed to “aggiornamento” and “tolerance”.

Imagine if St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More, the former represents the clergies, and the latter represent the lay, were with us today. Do you think these Saints with extraordinary moral conviction to stand with and defend the Church and her doctrine, even at the expense of their heads, would “water down” the absoluteness of the Church’s doctrine to avoid a conflict with the secularism and moral relativism of the world? How many bishops, priests, and of us are willing to defend the Church and her doctrine, rooted in Christ’s teaching, sanctified with the Holy Spirit, against the forces of secularism and moral relativism of the world – even it means to have a fight with those who push such heretical teachings and even it offends those who blindly advocate “tolerance” – even if this fight with the secular and morally relative cost us significantly?

To the Catholic youth today, sticking to the teaching of the Church today has already cost them significantly as some of my students have been ridiculed not only by their peers but also by some teachers of public schools. This is particularly the case in regard to the Church’s teaching on chastity.

Public schools, which reflect the culture of secularism and moral relativism, aggressively teach the youth to familiarize themselves with contraceptives and to see nothing morally wrong with abortion as it is women’s civil rights. And challenging such views for the Church’s teaching of chastity and sanctity of life from conception to natural death sure faces “peer pressure” to “convert” to secular and morally relativistic teachings to justify the use of contraceptives and abortion as women’s civil rights, while ridiculing the Church’s teaching for chastity and against abortion as “obsolete” or “inappropriate”. Some of my students who go to public school were confused by their teachers, while others were ridiculed by their peers for speaking of the Church’s teaching of chastity, which I teach them.

The forces of secularism and moral relativism of the world may be compared to the Oath of Supremacy, issued by Henry VIII. All Catholic bishops of England compromised their faith and duty to defend the Church for Henry VIII so that their heads were saved – except for Bishop John Fisher. Lord Thomas More could have been promoted by king of England, if he had turned his back to the Catholic Church, as Henry VIII himself did. In England, during the 1530, whatever Henry VIII did and said, regardless of their stance with the Catholic Church, represented the powerful moral imperative. Anyone who stood against it were punished by death for treason.

Perhaps, standing against today’s secularism and moral relativism may not necessarily cost our lives. But, it could cost socially and emotionally. As a result of standing for the Church and her teaching, but standing against secularism and moral relativism of the world, we may turn some of our friends into enemies.

Is defending our faith, our Church, still worth all the costs? After all, it means to stand for Christ.

The First Reading to honor St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More on their memorial feast, 1 Peter 4:12-19, reminds us that these martyred Saints of England withstood trials of fire. And they did not consider their trials by fire as burden of faith but rather as joy to have shared the redemptive suffering of Christ.

Is our faith strong enough to go through a trial by fire (1 Peter 4:12)?

The Gospel Reading, Mark 10:34-39, reflects the fact that our faith in Christ to defend the Church and her doctrine, can result in division – in conflict with secularism and moral relativism of the world, as the defender of the Catholic Church, such as St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More, were in conflict with what Henry VIII did with the Oath of Supremacy in England against the Church. It is Christ’s sword that brings a division between those who are with him to defend his Church and those who stand against the Christ and his Church, as well as his teaching.

Which side are we?

Not to want to take side because you do not want to fight or to have enemies?

Christ despises such a lukewarm stance (Revelation 3:16).

Let us not misunderstand “aggiornamento” and “tolerance” so that we do not let these as our “excuse” to become “lukewarm” souls. 

Remember, rulers of the world, like Henry VIII, do not have supreme power – though it is what they may think.

The Oath of Supremacy was repealed by, ironically, by Henry VIII’s own daughter, Queen Mary I, the last Catholic queen of England. Henry VIII was excommunicated. And so was Elizabeth I, who brought back Henry VIII’s order, making her as the supreme governor of the Church of England.

The division of the Catholic Church and the Church of England was made by the sword of Jesus, who came to bring division between those who are with him and not with him. If I say this today, it sure offends the Anglican Church and the Episcopal Church. But, I still say the division was brought by Christ’s sword in reference to Mark 10:34-39, the Gospel text to honor the martyrdoms of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More. And, the truly faithful Catholics shall not be afraid of such divisions – though we remain open and willing to close the divisions through our practice of spiritual works of mercy on those who are on the other side of the division.