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29th Sunday in Ordinary Time A - St Philip Howard

Monday 19th Oct. is the Feast of Philip Howard, co-principal patron of our Diocese, a fitting day for the ordination & consecration of our new bishop, Stephen Wang. You can live stream the Mass of Ordination here: Ordination Live Stream

Philip was Earl of Arundel and like others, he and his wife Anne had been baptised Catholic, but had conformed to the Elizabethan Church. Anne was drawn back to the Catholic faith and aware of the persecution risk, she smuggled a priest into Arundel Castle. By refusing to attend the Protestant church services, she was placed under house arrest. At this time, she was pregnant and so Philip, to protect the child, had him baptized in the Elizabethan Church.

Philip was also interested in the truth of Catholicism having heard Edmund Campion debate with some protestant divines at the Tower of London. Philip, wrestling with his conscience, knew he needed to return to the Catholic faith and began communicating with Cardinal Allen at Douai. Inevitably his reconciliation with the Church became known and his letter to Cardinal Allen was intercepted by Sir Francis Walsingham, who sent a fake reply encouraging Philip to flee to France. Philip was intercepted, arrested and spent eleven years in Tower of London.

He was charged with leaving the realm without the Queen’s permission, for becoming Catholic and for plotting with foreign powers. He was later charged with praying for the safety of the Catholics in the Spanish Armada – he was condemned as a traitor for prayer. Many people were unhappy with this, and Elizabeth said to Philip that if he would go to one Protestant Service, she would restore his titles and honours, but he refused. He died in the tower on 19th October 1595. His famous inscription on the wall of his cell is still visible:
‘The more suffering for Christ in this world, the more glory with Christ in the world to come’.

Advance Warning:

On Saturday 14th November there is no 5pm Mass, as Fr. Simon is not available due to other pastoral commitments within the wider ‘Guildford Catholic Parish’ that week.

The 9.15am, 11.15am and 5pm Mass on Sunday 15th Nov. will be celebrated as normal.
Saturday Nov 14th Masses: NO MASS AT ST JOANS, 5.30pm at Holy Angels (Ash); 5.30pm at St Mary’s (Aldershot); 6pm at St Anselm’s (Hindhead); 6pm at St Edmund’s (Godalming); 6pm Sacred Heart (Bordon). Please check their websites for any alterations to their schedule.