Alban Roe
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Alban Roe (20 July 1583 – 21 January 1642) was an English
Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...
priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in partic ...
, remembered as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.


Early life

Bartholomew Roe was born in 1583, in Suffolk. He was brought up a Protestant and with his brother James converted to Catholicism; both became Benedictine monks. Details of Roe's life are scant. He was not typically monastic, but of an explosive and unpredictable temperament. It has been said that the outstanding characteristics of his life were cheerfulness and tenacity, and that his sanctity was unquestionable. The disruption caused by the dissolution of the monasteries deprived Benedictine monks of a key aspect of their life: lifelong stability within a community. Large monasteries had disappeared and those houses which remained consisted of small fragmented groups or even isolated individuals. Inevitably for monks at this time, this type of community led some to focus on contemplation, becoming withdrawn mystics whilst others out of necessity were more practical and individual, and focussed on the missionary aspect.


Conversion

Roe's conversion experience was unusual: he tried to convert an imprisoned Catholic to Protestantism, but found himself defeated in argument. From this time, according to Challoner, "Mr. Roe was very uneasy in mind upon the score of religion; nor did this uneasiness cease till by reading and confessing with Catholic Priests he was thoroughly convinced of his errors and determined to embrace the ancient faith. Having found the treasure of God’s truth himself, he was very desirous to impart the same to the souls of his neighbours." Consequently, in 1607 he entered the English College at Douai to study for the priesthood. Roe was not only content to rub people up the wrong way, but to make sure that they noticed. When the Prior had some cupboards removed from near to his bed, Roe declared: "There is more trouble with a few fools than with all the wise; if you pull down, I will build up; if you destroy, I will rebuild." He was expelled from the college in 1610 due his temperament, records stating that "we consider the said Bartholomew Roe is not at all fitted for the purposes of this College on account of his contempt for the discipline and for his superiors and of his misleading certain youths living in the College and also of the great danger of his still leading others astray, and therefore we adjudge that he must be dismissed from the College." Roe did not leave quietly, but used his considerable skills to organise a campaign against the authorities. A significant body of monks seem to have seen him as some sort of hero and backed his appeal to the President. This allowed him later in 1613 to join the English Benedictine Community of St. Lawrence at
Dieulouard Dieulouard (; formerly Dieulwart) is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France. Dieulouard is located between Pont-à-Mousson and Nancy, on the left bank of the Moselle. It is the location of the Gallo-Roman city of ...
in Lorraine, being ordained in 1615. There is no record of him being at all troublesome at Dieulouard. He became a founder member of the new English Benedictine Community at St. Edmund, Paris, hence his religious name Alban of St. Edmund.


Ministry and arrest

Roe was professed in 1612 and after ordination in 1615 joined the missions and worked in London, being arrested and deported shortly after his arrival. He returned in 1618 and was imprisoned until 1623, whereby his release and re-exile was organised by the Spanish ambassador, Gondomar. He returned two years later and was incarcerated for 17 years in the Fleet prison. Conditions in the Fleet were relaxed and he was able to minister to souls during the day provided he was back in his cell at night. He was zealous for the conversion of souls and lacking a church could be found in ale houses playing cards with the customers. This was permitted under the Constitutions of the
English Benedictine Congregation The English Benedictine Congregation (EBC) unites autonomous Roman Catholic Benedictine communities of monks and nuns and is technically the oldest of the nineteen congregations that are affiliated in the Benedictine Confederation. History and ...
at the time; the stakes were not monetary, but short prayers. Of course, this behaviour scandalised the
Puritans The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become more Protestant. ...
, but as he was already a prisoner, there was little more they could do against him. He was also allowed to receive visitors in prison where in addition to strengthening his resolve through private
prayer Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. In the narrow sense, the term refers to an act of supplication or intercession directed towards a deity or a deified ...
he taught visitors prayers and made many converts.
Richard Challoner Richard Challoner (29 September 1691 – 12 January 1781) was an English Roman Catholic bishop, a leading figure of English Catholicism during the greater part of the 18th century. The titular Bishop of Doberus, he is perhaps most famous for h ...
notes him translating "several pious tracts into English, some of which he caused to be published in print, others he left behind him in manuscript."


Trial

In 1641 he was transferred to close confinement within the strict Newgate prison. In his trial in 1642 he was found guilty of
treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...
under the statute 27 Eliz c.2 for being a priest. Challoner details his initial refusal to enter a plea. It then transpired that the chief witness against him was a fallen
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
who he had formerly helped. Thinking he could win him round again, he pleaded not guilty, but objected to being tried by "twelve ignorant jurymen", who were unconcerned about the shedding of his innocent blood. The judge was intimidated by Roe making a mockery of the proceedings, and took him aside for a private conversation. This went badly with, Roe declaring "My Saviour has suffered far more for me than all that; and I am willing to suffer the worst of torments for his sake." The judge sent him back to prison where he was advised by who Challoner describes as "some grave and learned priests" to follow the example of those before him and consent to being tried by the court. The jury took about a minute to find him guilty. He then, in mockery, bowed low to the judge and the whole bench for granting him this great favour which he greatly desired. The judge suspended the sentence and sent him back to prison for a few days. Roe's fame led to a constant stream of visitors, one of whom smuggled in the necessary items for him to say mass in his cell.


Execution

On the morning of 21 January 1642, Roe together with fellow priest Thomas Reynolds was drawn on hurdles from Newgate Prison to the place of execution. At
Tyburn Tyburn was a manor (estate) in the county of Middlesex, one of two which were served by the parish of Marylebone. The parish, probably therefore also the manor, was bounded by Roman roads to the west (modern Edgware Road) and south (modern O ...
, Roe preached in a jovial fashion to the crowd about the meaning of his death. He was still playing to the crowd, holding up the proceedings by asking the Sheriff whether he could save his life by turning Protestant. The Sheriff agreed. Roe then turned to the crowd declaring "see then what the crime is for which I am to die and whether religion be not my only treason?" His remark to one of his former gaolers was "My friend, I find that thou art a prophet; thou hast told me often I should be hanged." He created quite an impression by his death and when his remains were quartered there was a scramble to dip handkerchiefs into his blood and pick up straws covered in his blood as
relics In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tang ...
. The speech he made is said to have been sent to
Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...
and stored in their archives.Challoner, p134.


Canonisation

Roe was declared venerable in December 1929 by Pope Pius XI and beatified one week later on 15 December. Roe was canonized nearly 40 years later on 25 October 1970 by
Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his death in Augus ...
as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales with a common feast day of 25 October. His feast day is also celebrated on 21 January, the day of his martyrdom. The communities of St. Lawrence and St. Edmund returned to England at the end of the 18th century, during the upheavals of the French revolution. St. Lawrence settled in Yorkshire at what was to become
Ampleforth Abbey Ampleforth Abbey is a monastery of Benedictine monks a mile to the east of Ampleforth, North Yorkshire, England, part of the English Benedictine Congregation. It claims descent from the pre- Reformation community at Westminster Abbey throug ...
. St. Edmund settled at
Douai Abbey Douai Abbey is a Benedictine Abbey at Upper Woolhampton, near Thatcham, in the English county of Berkshire, situated within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth. Monks from the monastery of St. Edmund's, in Douai, France, came to Woolhampton ...
, Reading.


Namesake in the United States

St. Alban Roe Catholic Church was founded in 1980 in the city of
Wildwood, Missouri Wildwood is a city in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. It is located in the far western portion of the county. As of the 2020 census, the population was 35,417. Wildwood is the home of the Al Foster Trail, and numerous other trails, p ...
. It is located off of highway 109. It includes a small parochial school of the same name, which is supported by the Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis.


References


External links


Story of Saint Alban Roe
on Ampleforth's website *

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roe, Alban 1583 births 1642 deaths English College, Douai alumni Catholic saints who converted from Protestantism Converts to Roman Catholicism English Roman Catholic saints Forty Martyrs of England and Wales Martyred Roman Catholic priests Executed people from Suffolk People executed by Stuart England by hanging, drawing and quartering Clergy from Bury St Edmunds 17th-century Roman Catholic martyrs 17th-century Christian saints Canonizations by Pope Paul VI Executed Roman Catholic priests 17th-century English Roman Catholic priests