June 22nd - St. Thomas More By: Georgiana Issac

St. Thomas More was born in London on February 7th, 1478. In 1492, Thomas More entered Oxford, where he learned Latin, Greek, and much more. In 1494, he left Oxford to become a lawyer. Almost as soon as More became a lawyer, he found himself contemplating another path in life. For two years, between 1503 and 1504, Thomas More lived next to a Carthusian monastery and he found himself called to follow their lifestyle of simple piety. He often joined their spiritual exercises. Thomas had four children with his first wife. Once his wife died, he remarried almost less than a month after.  Thomas was considered a doting father, and he often wrote letters to his children when he was away on work. He also insisted that his daughters receive the same education as his son. In 1504, Thomas More was elected to Parliament to represent the region of Great Yarmouth, and in 1510 rose to represent London. During his service to the people of London, he earned a reputation as being honest and effective. He became a Privy Counselor in 1514. From 1517 on, Henry VIII took a liking to Thomas More, and gave him posts of ever increasing responsibility. In 1521, he was knighted and made Under-Treasurer of the Exchequer. More became Lord Chancellor in 1529. But soon, Thomas More didn’t enjoy working under the King anymore. After refusing to attend the coronation of Anne Boylen, the New Queen of England, Thomas More was charged with many different crimes, including bribery. Once convicted, he was decapitated. Right before he died, he made a final statement, saying that he was “the king’s good servant, but God’s first.” He is the patron saint of adopted children lawyers, civil servants, politicians, and difficult marriages.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER 
Holy martyr for the Church, you used your talents to bring God’s love and mercy to earth. Yet you realized that human fame and glory were momentary and fleeting. In your practice of law, you understood and were loyal first to God’s eternal law spoken through the successors of the Apostles. While a servant of the king, you were a servant to the Church first. Help us to see that loyalty to God’s laws must be the first part of our ties and responsibilities with others. Strengthen us to seek out what the church teaches. Give us the wisdom to make the right choice, and the fortitude to carry it out. This I ask through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen…
St. Thomas More, Pray for us…