Blessed Adrian
Fortescue, a Third Order Dominican, courtier to King Henry VIII, was also first cousin of
Henry’s second wife, Anne Boleyn. Loyal to Rome, he was supportive of Pope
Clement VII’s refusal to annul Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon so he
could marry Anne. In 1539, Sir Adrian was arrested, convicted of
high treason without trial, one of 50 persons similarly convicted, and beheaded
the same year. As with St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher, he had refused to
take the 1534 Oath of Succession. The personal piety of Blessed Adrian was attested by his Book of Hours, which had been left to
decay over many centuries but was repaired and rebound in 1903. The book was recently
loaned it to the Order of Malta, and
which has since returned it to Bosworth Hall, where it is exhibited with other
artifacts. In it I came across a beautiful prayer written by Blessed Adrian. It’s written in old English, but I am
paraphrasing it here:
Above all things, love God with your heart. Desire His honor more than the health of your own soul. Be sure to cleanse your mind with frequent confession and stay away from lustful and earthly desires. Avoid any
grudges and control your tongue. Pray often. Create a peaceful atmosphere
around your home. Speak to God from time to time – He listens. Be a good
example of the virtues you treasure. Be
kind to the poor and help them any way you can, as this way you are pleasing
God. Pray
for perseverance and that the Holy
Spirit will inspire you constantly. Renew daily the resolve to always do good.
If you commit sin, don’t despair, because ultimately the Holy Spirit will
strengthen you. Doing this, you will be in Heaven with Jesus, to give Him
glory, praise and everlasting honor.
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