Saint of the Day - March 11 - Saint John Ogilvie
March 11
St. John Ogilvie
John
Ogilvie's noble Scottish family was partly Catholic and partly
Presbyterian. His father raised him as a Calvinist, sending him to the
continent to be educated. There John became interested in the popular
debates going on between Catholic and Calvinist scholars. Confused by
the arguments of Catholic scholars whom he sought out, he turned to
Scripture. Two texts particularly struck him: "God wills all men to be
saved and come to the knowledge of the truth," and "Come to me all you
who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you."
Slowly,
John came to see that the Catholic Church could embrace all kinds of
people. Among these, he noted, were many martyrs. He decided to become
Catholic and was received into the Church at Louvain, Belgium, in 1596
at the age of 17.
John continued his studies, first with the
Benedictines, then as a student at the Jesuit College at Olmutz. He
joined the Jesuits and for the next 10 years underwent their rigorous
intellectual and spiritual training. Ordained a priest in France in
1610, he met two Jesuits who had just returned from Scotland after
suffering arrest and imprisonment. They saw little hope for any
successful work there in view of the tightening of the penal laws. But
a fire had been lit within John. For the next two and a half years he
pleaded to be missioned there.
Sent by his superiors, he secretly
entered Scotland posing as a horse trader or a soldier returning from
the wars in Europe. Unable to do significant work among the relatively
few Catholics in Scotland, John made his way back to Paris to consult
his superiors. Rebuked for having left his assignment in Scotland, he
was sent back. He warmed to the task before him and had some success in
making converts and in secretly serving Scottish Catholics. But he was
soon betrayed, arrested and brought before the court. His trial dragged
on until he had been without food for 26 hours. He was imprisoned and
deprived of sleep. For eight days and nights he was dragged around,
prodded with sharp sticks, his hair pulled out. Still, he refused to
reveal the names of Catholics or to acknowledge the jurisdiction of the
king in spiritual affairs. He underwent a second and third trial but
held firm. At his final trial he assured his judges: "In all that
concerns the king, I will be slavishly obedient; if any attack his
temporal power, I will shed my last drop of blood for him. But in the
things of spiritual jurisdiction which a king unjustly seizes I cannot
and must not obey."
Condemned to death as a traitor, he was
faithful to the end, even when on the scaffold he was offered his
freedom and a fine living if he would deny his faith. His courage in
prison and in his martyrdom was reported throughout Scotland.
John Ogilvie was canonized in 1976, becoming the first Scottish saint since 1250.
Comment:
John
came of age when neither Catholics nor Protestants were willing to
tolerate one another. Turning to Scripture, he found words that
enlarged his vision. Although he became a Catholic and died for his
faith, he understood the meaning of “small-c catholic,” the wide range
of believers who embrace Christianity. Even now he undoubtedly rejoices
in the ecumenical spirit fostered by the Second Vatican Council and
joins us in our prayer for unity with all believers.
Prayer:
O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You my prayers,
works, joys and sufferings of this day, in union with the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the
intentions of Your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, reparation for
sin, the reunion of all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of
our Bishops and of all Apostles of Prayer, and in particular for those
recommended by our Holy Father this month. Amen.
Source: American Catholic Organization
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If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.
If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
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SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
Do you:
feel afraid of your partner much of the time?
avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?
feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?
believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?
wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?
feel emotionally numb or helpless?
Does your partner:
- humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
- treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
- ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
- blame you for his own abusive behavior?
- see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?
Does your partner:
have a bad and unpredictable temper?
hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?
threaten to take your children away or harm them?
threaten to commit suicide if you leave?
force you to have sex?
destroy your belongings?
Does your partner:
- act excessively jealous and possessive?
- control where you go or what you do?
- keep you from seeing your friends or family?
- limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
- constantly check up on you?