To read the texts click on the texts: Isa 53:3-11;Jn 17:11-17
Edmund Campion was born in London on January 25,
1540. He received his early education at Christ’s Hospital popularly known as
The Bluecoat School and St. John’s College Oxford. He received his degree in
1564. He was chosen to give the funeral oration on the occasion of the burial
of Sir Thomas White the founder of St. John’s College. When Queen Elizabeth I
(1533-1603) visited the College, Campion was chosen to lead a public debate in
front of her. He was because of his learning and oratory skills tipped to be a
future Archbishop of Canterbury.
He was referred to by William Cecil who was one of
the principal architects of the reformation as the “diamond of England.” It was
the hoped that Campion would become a defender of the new faith which, though
favoured by the temporal power, lacked learned apologists. Yet even as he was
ordained to the Anglican diaconate, he was being swayed toward Rome, influenced
in great part by older friends with Catholic sympathies.
In 1569 he journeyed to Dublin, where he composed
his “History of Ireland”. At this point Campion was at the summit of his
powers. He could have risen to the highest levels of fame had he stayed his
course. But this was not to be. By the time Campion left Ireland, he knew he
could not remain a Protestant. Campion's Catholic leanings were well-publicized,
and he found the atmosphere hostile upon his return to England in 1571. He went
abroad to Douay in France, where he was reconciled with the Church and decided
to enter the Society of Jesus.
He made a pilgrimage to Rome and journeyed to Prague,
where he lived and taught for six years and in 1578 was ordained a Jesuit
priest. In 1580 he was called by superiors to join fellow Jesuit Robert Parsons
in leading a mission to England. He accepted the assignment joyfully, but
everyone was aware of the dangers. The night before his departure from Prague,
one of the Jesuit fathers wrote over Campion's door, "P. Edmundus
Campianus, Martyr."
Campion crossed the English Channel as "Mr.
Edmunds," a jewel dealer. His mission was nearly a short one: At Dover a
search was under-way for Gabriel Allen, another English Catholic expatriate who
was rumoured to be returning to England to visit family. Apparently Allen's
description fit Campion also, and he was detained by the mayor of Dover, who
planned to send Campion to London. Inexplicably, while waiting for horses for
the journey, the mayor changed his mind, and sent "Mr. Edmunds" on
his way.
Upon reaching London, Campion composed his
"Challenge to the Privy Council," a statement of his mission and an
invitation to engage in theological debate. Copies spread quickly, and several
replies to the "Challenge" were published by Protestant writers, who
attached to it a derogatory title, "Campion's Brag," by which it is
best known today. Campion and his companions travelled stealthily through the
English countryside in the early summer of 1581, relying on old, landed
Catholic families as hosts. They celebrated Mass, heard confession, performed
baptisms and marriages, and preached words of encouragement to a people who
represented the last generation to confess the faith of a Catholic England.
There were close calls. Many homes had hiding
places for priests—some even had secret chapels and confessionals—and the
Jesuits had to rely on these more than once. Campion took extraordinary risks,
never able to turn down a request to preach or administer the sacraments, and
more than once he escaped detection while in a public setting.
His fortune changed while visiting the home of
Francis Yate in Lyford Grange, which was west of London. Yate was a Catholic
imprisoned for his faith who had repeatedly asked for one of the Jesuit fathers
to tend to the spiritual needs of his household. Though it was out of the way
and the queen's searchers were reportedly in hot pursuit, Campion was unable to
resist the request.
He travelled to Lyford, heard confessions,
preached well into the night, and departed without difficulty after celebrating
Mass at dawn. Some nuns visiting the home shortly thereafter were upset to hear
they had just missed Campion, and so riders were dispatched to persuade him to
return, which he did. Word of his return reached George Eliot, born and
regarded as Catholic but in fact a turncoat in the pay of the queen; he had a
general commission to hunt down and arrest priests. Eliot arrived at Lyford
with David Jenkins, another searcher, and attended a Mass. He was greatly
outnumbered by the Catholics, and, fearing resistance, made no move to arrest
Campion. He departed abruptly to fetch the local magistrate and a small militia
and returned to the Yate property during dinner. News of the approaching party
reached the house, and Campion and his two priestly companions were safely
escaped to a narrow cell prepared especially for that purpose, with food and
drink for three days.
Later Eliot and Jenkins both claimed to have
discovered the priests, offering the same story: A strip of light breaking
through a gap in the wall leading to the hiding place was the give-away—both
men took credit for noticing it, and each reported being the one to break
through the wall. No doubt each sought the credit for capturing the infamous
Campion, for no priest was more beloved by the Catholics or more despised by
the crown.
Campion was taken to the Tower and tortured.
Several times he was forced to engage in debates, without benefit of notes or
references and still weak and disoriented from his rackings and beatings. He
acquitted himself admirably, all things considered: a testament to his
unparalleled rhetorical skills.
His trial was a farce. Witnesses were bribed,
false evidence produced; in truth, the outcome had been determined since his
arrival. Campion was eloquent and persuasive to the last, dominating the entire
procedure with the force of his logic and his knowledge of the Scripture and law,
but in vain. He and his priestly and lay companions were convicted of treason
on November 14 and were sentenced to death. His address to the court upon
sentencing invoked the Catholic England for which he had fought, the Catholic
England which was about to die: "In condemning us, you condemn all your
own ancestors—all the ancient priests, bishops and kings—all that was once the
glory of England."
On December 1, 1581 the prophecy hanging over his
door in Prague was fulfilled: Campion was hanged, drawn, and quartered. The
poet Henry Walpole was there, and during the quartering some blood from
Campion's entrails splashed on his coat. Walpole was profoundly changed. He
went overseas, took orders, and 13 years later met his own martyrdom on English
soil. Campion was beatified by Leo XIII in 1886.
The first reading chosen for the feast is from the
fourth servant song in the Book of Isaiah and is apt for the feast. Like the
servant before him and his Lord Jesus Edmund Campion chose to be true to his
convictions even in the face of the most frightening consequences. Like in the
case of the servant and the Lord himself, it is not possible to comprehend fully
the extent of Campion’s courage and determination. Yet, even this conclusion
which at first glance seemed like defeat for Campion but was indeed victory
fitted in with God’s plan for the world. In the eyes of those around him at
that time, Campion was despised and humiliated. He was tortured and beaten. He
was bruised and degraded. However, the fact that he is remembered today more
than 400 years after his death is testimony to the fact that he was indeed
victorious.
This victory was spoken of by Jesus in his
priestly prayer which is the Gospel text for today and in which besides asking
his Father to protect his disciples from the evil one, he is also aware that
they will have trouble in the world and be hated by many because they will
stand like him for the truth. This Campion did to perfection.