Saint of the Day – 16 June – Blessed Thomas Redyng (Died 1539) O.Cart. Monk of the Carthusian Charterhouse of London, Enland, Martyr. Born in England and died by being starved to death in Newgate Prison on 16 June 1539. Also known as – Thomas Reding. He was Beatified on29 December 1886 by Pope Leo XIII. Additional Memorial – 4 May as one of the Carthusian Martyrs.
In the great persecution against Catholics, decreed by Henry VIII, King of England, every Religious Order of the time, together with the Diocesan Clergy, left a tribute of blood and Martyrdom for the defence of the Catholic Church.
Even the Carthusians, although well-liked as Monks not involved in any political activity, contributed to this river of blood and field of the Palms of Martyrdom. The Monks of the Charterhouse of London, received a visit from the King’s Officials who, according to the decree issued, asked all adults, including Religious, for the approval of the repudiation by the King, by Queen Catherine of Aragon and, therefore, the acceptance of Anne Boleyn as Sovereign.
The Prior and the Procurator were arrested and confined in prison for having objected to the legitimacy of the repudiation but after a month, convinced that this oath did not affect the Faith, they did in fact alter their position to the Oath and were then released. Upon returned to the Charterhouse they convinced the other Monks of their arguments and so on 25 May 1534, they swore to the Officials, who had returned accompanied by soldiers.
The hoped-for peace did not last long, however, at the end of 1534 a new decree of the King and Parliament established that all subjects had to disown the authority of the Pope and instead, recognise the Henry VIII as the head of the English Church even in spiritual matters and, whoever did not consent, was guilty of High Treason. Having heard of this, the Prior John Houghton gathered all the Carthusians and communicated this and this time everyone said they were ready to die for the Roman Catholic Church. Two Priors from other Houses had also arrived at the Charterhouse, who, informed of the dangerous situation of the Monks, went in common agreement to the Vicar of the King, Thomas Cromwell, to ask him to convince King Henry VIII to exempt them from this Oath.
The two priors, after making their requests, were arrested by an indignant Cromwell and locked up in the Tower of London as rebels and traitors. After a week they were put on trial at Westminster where they reiterated their refusal and then sentenced to death and locked up again, where they were joined by two other Religiouswho had also been condemned for the same reason.
On 4 May 1535, the two Priors, Father Robert Laurence and Father Augustine Webster, together with Father Richard Reynolds of the Order of St Bridget and the Priest John Haile, Parish Priest of Isleworth, robed in their Religious Habits, were tied, stretched out on mats and dragged through the stony and muddy streets which led to Tyburn Tree, the infamous place of capital executions.
Father John Houghton, Prior of London Charterjhouse was then also arrested and condemned, was the first to ascend the scaffold and collaborated with the executioner in the hanging, uttering words of forgiveness and trust in God but he had not yet suffocated to death, when one of those present cut the rope and the Father fell to the ground, the executioner stripped him and took out his entrails while still alive so as to be able to show his heart to the King’s advisors. The execution of the other four followed and their bodies were cut to pieces and exposed to the people to strike terror into the ‘papists’.
Three other Carthusians – Humphrey Middlemore, vicar, William Exmew, a learned Latinist and Sebastian Newdigate, of noble origins, were arrested, tortured and Martyred on 19 June 1535. Two other,s who had moved from London to Hull Charterhouse were denounced, arrested and hanged on 11 May 1537.
Ten more Carthusians were imprisoned on 29 May 1537 in Newgate Prison, where they died of hardship and suffering in a short time – among them, on 16 June 1537, it was Thomas Reding ‘s turn . Only William Horn survived the prison and was hanged on 4 November 1540.
Eighteen other Monks remained in the Charterhouse, who, hoping to save the Monastery, had adhered to the Oath but after some time they were expelled and the Charterhouse was sold to private individuals.
The 18 Carthusians of London, together with 35 other Martyrs of that period, were Beatified by Pope Leo XIII on 9 December 1886. A common Feastday is celebrated on 4 May, while the individuals are remembered on their respective anniversaries of Martyrdom, today 16 June being the Feastday of Blessed Thomas Redyng.
AnaStpaul 