The memory of our holy English martyr, Bl. Margaret Clitherow – pressed to death by the agents of the Anglican schism – has been betrayed by Leo XIV and the other ecumaniacs. Here’s why.
By S.D. Wright
Two ‘Heads of the Church’ in Rome?
King Charles III and Queen Camilla participated in two ecumenical prayer services during their state visit to the Vatican – one of which was led by Leo XIV.
One of His Majesty’s titles is “Supreme Governor of the Church of England” – making him the head of the heretical and schismatic Anglican religion.
The first service took place in the Papal Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls. The King and Queen were were seated on thrones in the sanctuary, which bore the royal coat of arms and the words from the Gospel of St John, Ut unum sint (That they may be one.”
The second was led by Leo XIV and the Anglican ‘Archbishop’ of York, Stephen Cottrell.
The services focused on themes of “unity” and ecumenism, as well as the need to “care for creation.”
The idea that unity is something to be achieved is a tacit denial of Catholic teaching about the nature of the Church herself – namely that she is already united, and that Christ’s prayer (ut unum sint) has already been fulfilled. This teaching has been essentially forgotten in the post-conciliar epoch. We have addressed this previously, including in our pre-conclave report on Cardinal Prevost (Leo XIV).
Further, such ecumenical services would have been unthinkable prior to Vatican II. The teaching around permitted and forbidden forms of communicatio in sacris (communication in sacred things) was clear and established.
It is particularly striking that Stephen Cottrell played such a central role. In addition to his adherence to the Anglican sect, this invalidly ordained heretical minister has also spoken in support of same-sex blessings.
But this is not all.
The Intruder of York and the Pearl of York
Cottrell is the current intruder of the ancient diocesan see of York, in the north of England.
York was also the home of Blessed Margaret Clitherow – sometimes known as “The Pearl of York.” Bl. Margaret was executed by the Elizabethan Anglican regime for the “crime” of harbouring Catholic priests.
Just before she was crushed to death under a door, loaded with heavy stones, the heretical ministers present urged her to join them in prayer. Her reply, some of her last words before entering into glory, were as follows:
“I will not pray with you, and you shall not pray with me; neither will I say Amen to your prayers, nor shall you to mine.”
Thus, this ecumenical service with His Majesty and the intruder of York represents a flagrant betrayal of Bl. Margaret Clitherow’s memory, and that of all those other brave English Catholics who suffered under the Anglican persecution and for refusing to participate in its false religion and worship. To be specific, this betrayal is on the part of Leo XIV and his fellow “Catholic” proponents of this religious ecumenism, and not His Majesty King Charles.
In honour of Bl. Margaret, and in order to illustrate her nobility and her witness, we have summarised parts of the account written by Fr John Mush, her confessor:
In fact, it seems on several occasions as if Bl. Margaret was actually playing with her tormentors.
Because of her resolute refusal to enter a plea, they warned her of the means by which she would die:
They asked if her husband were not privy to her doings in keeping priests. The martyr said: “God knoweth I could never yet get my husband in that good case that he were worthy to know or come in place where they were to serve God.”
The judge said: “We must proceed by law against you, which will condemn you to a sharp death for want of trial.”
The martyr said cheerfully: “God’s will be done: I think I may suffer any death for this good cause.”
Some of them said, seeing her joy, that she was mad, and possessed with a smiling spirit. Mr. Rhodes also railed against her on the Catholic faith and priests; so did also the other Councillors, and Mr. Hurleston openly before them all said: “It is not for religion that thou harbourest priests, but for harlotry;” and furiously uttered such like slanders, sitting on the bench.
(You can read here the rest about her prosecution and trial. I am skipping to her execution being carried out:)
The martyrdom
Fr Mush gives us the following account:
About eight of the clock the Sheriffs came to her, and she being ready expecting them, having trimmed up her head with new inkle, and carrying on her arm the new habit of linen with inkle strings, which she had prepared to bind her hands, went cheerfully to her marriage, as she called it, dealing her alms in the street, which was so full of people that she could scarce pass by them. She went barefoot and barelegged, her gown loose about her.
Fawcet, the Sheriff, made haste and said, “Come away, Mrs. Clitheroe.” The martyr answered merrily, “Good Master Sheriff, let me deal my poor alms before I now go, for my time is but short.” They marvelled all to see her joyful countenance.
The place of execution was the Tolbooth, six or seven yards distance from the prison. There were present at her martyrdom the two Sheriffs of York, Fawcet and Gibson, Frost, a minister, Fox, Mr. Cheeke’s kinsman, with another of his men, the four sergeants which had hired certain beggars to do the murther, three or four men, and four women.
The martyr coming to the place, kneeled her down, and prayed to herself.
Here we arrive at one of the most striking parts of the martyrdom, in which the simple words of this holy woman of York rebuke the powerful heretics of our own day.
The tormentors bade her pray with them, and they would pray with her. The martyr denied, and said, “I will not pray with you, and you shall not pray with me; neither will I say Amen to your prayers, nor shall you to mine.”
There are many learned treatments of the impossibility of communicatio in sacris with non-Catholics; perhaps none are as powerful as these dignified words.
From here, we will leave Fr Mush to recount Bl. Margaret’s martyrdom without interruption – echoing, with her, our love and obedience to our own King Charles III:
Then they all willed her to pray for the Queen’s Majesty. The martyr began in this order:
First, in the hearing of them all, she prayed for the Catholic Church, then for the Pope’s Holiness, Cardinals, and other Fathers which have charge of souls, and then for all Christian princes. At which words the tormentors interrupted her, and willed her not to put her Majesty among that company; yet the martyr proceeded in this order:
“And especially for Elizabeth, Queen of England, that God move her to the Catholic Faith, and that after this mortal life she may receive the blessed joys of heaven; for I wish as much good,’ quoth she, ‘to her Majesty’s soul as to mine own.”
Sheriff Gibson, abhorring the cruel fact, stood weeping at the door. Then said Fawcet, “Mrs. Clitheroe, you must remember and confess that you die for treason.’ The martyr answered, ‘No, no, Mr. Sheriff; I die for the love of my Lord Jesu;” which last words she spake with a loud voice. Then Fawcet commanded her to put off her apparel, “For you must die,’ said he, ‘naked, as judgment was given and pronounced against you.”
The martyr with the other women requested him on their knees that she might die in her smock, and that for the honour of womanhood they would not see her naked; but that would not be granted. Then she requested that women might unapparel her, and that they would turn their faces from her for that time.
The women took off her clothes and put upon her the long habit of linen. Then very quietly she laid her down upon the ground, her face covered with a handkerchief, the linen habit being placed over her as far as it could reach, all the rest of her body being naked. The door was laid upon her, her hands she joined towards her face.
Then the Sheriff said, “Nay, you must have your hands bound.” The martyr put forth her hands over the door still joined. Then two sergeants parted them, and with the inkle strings which she had prepared for that purpose bound them to two posts, so that her body and her arms made a perfect cross. They willed her again to ask the Queen’s Majesty’s forgiveness and to pray for her. The martyr said she had prayed for her. They also willed her to ask her husband’s forgiveness. The martyr said, “If ever I have offended him, but for my conscience, I ask him forgiveness.”
After this they laid weight upon her, which, when she first felt, she said, “Jesu! Jesu! Jesu! have mercy upon me!” which were the last words which she was heard to speak. She was in dying one quarter of an hour.
A sharp stone, as much as a man’s fist, was put under her back; upon her was laid a quantity of seven or eight hundredweight at the least, which breaking her ribs, caused them to burst forth of the skin.
Thus most gloriously this gracious martyr overcame all her enemies, passing [from] this mortal life with marvelous triumph into the peaceable city of God, there to receive a worthy crown of endless immortality and joy.
This was at nine of the clock, and she continued in the press until three at afternoon. Her hat before she died she sent to her husband, in sign of her loving duty to him as to her head. Her hose and shoes to her eldest daughter, Anne, about twelve years old, signifying that she should serve God and follow her steps of virtue.
Conclusion: Fr Mush’s rebuke and prayer
Fr Mush ends his account with a rebuke to those who murdered Bl. Margaret – a rebuke which applies, in its own way, to those agents of the “Conciliar/Synodal Church,” who choose to betray her memory by defecting from the Catholic faith, and for engaging in the ecumenical and interreligious frenzy of our time:
Behold how God hath wrought by His servant all things to her immortal honour, and your endless confusion and shame.
She, a woman, with invincible courage, entered combat against you all, to defend that most ancient faith, wherein she and you were baptized, and gave your promise to God to keep the same to death; where you, men, cowardish in the quarrel, and faithless in your promise, laboured all at once against her, to make her partaker of your turpitude and dishonesty.
She in everything simple and innocent, you in everything deceitful and mischievous; she patient and joyful, you furious and fretting; she victorious, you conquered; she exalted, and you confounded.
Where is now the force of your tyranny and impious law? Hath not the fortitude of one woman showed the injustice of it?
Finally, Fr Mush addressed Bl. Margaret herself, addressing his spiritual daughter and penitent now as his mother and mistress:
But now, O sacred martyr, letting go thy enemies, I turn to thee.
Remember me, I beseech thy perfect charity, whom thou hast left miserable behind thee, in times past thine unworthy Father, and now thy most unworthy servant, made ever joyful by thy virtuous life, and comfortable by lamenting thy death, lamenting thy absence, and yet rejoicing in thy glory.
Behold me wrestling in the multitude of mine imperfections, and bestow, for God’s sake, that alms on me, in the exceeding fervour of thy charity, which in this toilsome life so many times, for God’s sake, thou humbly didst require of me at the holy altar. I was not so able to help thee as thou art now to procure mercy and grace for me; for thou art now all washed in thy sacred blood from all spots of frailty, securely possessing God Himself; whereas I am yet a woeful wretch, and clothed with impiety, as now thou seest, and not so able to break the loathsome bonds of my own sensuality as I shall be when, by thy gracious intercession, I receive more help.
Be not wanting, therefore, my glorious mother, in the perfection of thy charity, which was not little towards me in thy mortality, to obtain mercy and procure the plenties of such graces for me, thy miserable son, as thou knowest to be most needful for me, and acceptable in the sight of our Lord, which hath thus glorified thee; that I may honour Him by imitation of thy happy life, and by any death, which He will give me, to be partaker with thee and all holy saints of His kingdom, to whom be all glory and honour, now and for ever. Amen.
Bl. Margaret Clitherow, pray for us.
Thank you for this post. Really hits home how truly weak some of our Catholic leaders are today. And, since you and Ann recommended the “Four Witnesses”, a quote from the book is apt here:
“Clement’s own sickly generation, fatally addicted to luxury and excess, inherited an empire without external enemies, but was destined to watch helplessly as this legacy began to rot…”
Pretty much sums up these rotund, feckless and lazy leaders we have.
The Holy Office in the 1940s stated that Catholics and non-Catholics may join in prayers approved by the Church. Didn’t they just say Sext? So to point to the law on Catholics attending non-Catholic services isn’t really to the point in this instance.
The WM Review article linked itself points out the distinction between refusing to attend an Anglican service then vs praying Catholic prayers with an Anglican now. The factual predicates have changed. While this doesn’t mean anything goes, this must be accounted for in applying the principles accordingly.
Mark,
It needs to be noted here that Margaret Clitherow was canonized a saint by Pope Paul VI in 1970. His notoriousness as a “bad pope” notwithstanding, he was indeed a valid pope, and we are bound to suppose that his canonizations “took.” Especially in this case, since we’re dealing here with a clear martyr for the faith.
The article you are reposting here is from the WM Review. While it is my understanding that they have never self-identified as “sedevacantist” in any formal sense, it is widely supposed that they are. Their use of “Blessed” instead of “Saint” as Margaret Clitherow’s proper title certainly would seem to provide some evidence for that assumption to be made wrt their viewpoint on papal validity after Pius XII.
Having said all that, the article itself was splendid, and I thank you for finding it! Perhaps you can edit the Blessed references in favor of Saint, as they occur within the article?
She is an example that shames us all. As of yet, no one faces any punishment such as hers, yet we are still so cowardly…
Margaret was only 30 when she died on October 25th—(her feast day with other English martyrs). She may have been pregnant. )interesting discussion of that in online encyclopedia Britannica). She was born Protestant but converted as a teen. She married a Protestant widower twice her age. When he was told she was to be executed for harboring Jesuits ( when they were holy priests), blood gushed from his nose—likely he had high blood pressure).