St. Edmund Campion – December 1st
Edmund was a very popular young English student. He was a great speaker and was chosen to deliver a welcoming speech to Queen Elizabeth herself when she visited his college. A group of his fellow students were so attracted by his happy nature and his many talents that they made him their leader. Even the Queen and her chief ministers were fond of this attractive young man.
But Edmund was troubled about his religion. Although he had agreed to become a minister, he kept thinking that the Catholic Church might be the only true Church. He did not hide his feelings, and so the government, which was persecuting Catholics, became very suspicious of him. Edmund knew that he would lose the Queen’s favor and all his chances for a great career if he chose to become a Catholic, but he became a convert anyway.
After he had escaped from England, Edmund studied to become a priest. He entered the Society of Jesus and taught in the college at Prague. When the Holy Father decided to send some Jesuits to England, Father Edmund was one of the first to go. The night before he left, one of his fellow priests felt urged to write over his doorway: “Father Edmund Campion, Martyr.”
Although he knew what danger faced him, the holy priest set out cheerfully. In fact, he had many a laugh because of his disguise as a jewel merchant.
In England, he preached with great success to the poor Catholics who had to meet in secret. Spies of the Queen’s men were everywhere trying to catch him, and he wrote: “I won’t escape their hands much longer. Sometimes I read letters that say ‘Campion has been caught’!”
It was a traitor who finally brought about the Jesuit’s capture. Edmund was visited in jail by the mighty Lords who had been so fond of him, and even perhaps by Queen Elizabeth. But none of their threats or promises could make him give up the Catholic Faith. Nor could tortures break him. And in spite of all his sufferings, he still defended himself and his fellow priests in such a marvelous manner that no one could answer him. Yet the enemies of the Church condemned him anyway.
Before he was put to death, St. Edmund forgave the man who had betrayed him and even helped to save his life.
Like this saint I will be sincere in living up to my faith. After all, I do not want to harm my soul just to please other people…
