Venerable English College: a significant milestone
(Vatican Radio) Saturday 1st of December is the day the Venerable English College
here in Rome remembers the martyrs of England and Wales in a special way.
Throughout
2012 the Venerable English College has been celebrating a significant milestone
in the history of English and Welsh Catholicism: six centuries and a half since the
founding of an English and Welsh hospice on this site hidden away in the heart of
Rome.
Founded in 1362 it is the oldest English institution outside of England.
Although the English presence in Rome precedes this by some five centuries with the
establishment of the Schola Saxonum alongside the Vatican Hill in the 8th century.
However with the split between Rome and Elizabeth I, it no longer became possible
to train priests at home; and so the Hospice became a seminary to prepare young men
for the “Mission to England and Wales”.
So this 1st of December
some 120 people are expected for Mass on Martyr’s Day . Among them Archbishop Nichols
of Westminster who will be principal celebrant. Presiding in choir will be his predecessor,
the Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Rector of
the Venerabile from 1971-77. Other bishops are expected to concelebrate – coming
from England and Wales and from the Vatican.
On this same day the College
will be honoured by the presence of Their Royal Highnesses 'The Duke and Duchess of
Gloucester' representing 'Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II' at this celebration marking
the close of the anniversary year. A reminder of the significant contribution made
by the Hospice to the British heritage over several centuries; and in particular of
the Royal patronage enjoyed by this house in Tudor times.”
A more Vatican
related event will take place on Monday 3rd December when bishops, staff and students
of the College will cross the Tiber River and make their way to the Apostolic Palace
in the Vatican. There they will be received in Private Audience by His Holiness Pope
Benedict XVI. They will bring with them to the Audience a relic of their proto-martyr,
St Ralph Sherwin, for the Holy Father to venerate.
In an effort to find out
more about this special anniversary Veronica Scarisbrick spoke to the Rector of
the Venerable English College Monsignor Nicholas Hudson Monsignor Hudson highlights
in a special way the legacy of witness come 1570 : ..." when Queen Elizabeth I of
England was excommunicated, very quickly it became prohibited in England and Wales
to train men for the Catholic priesthood so the continuing Catholic community had
to look abroad ...".. This explains he remarks how while the foundation of a hospice
on this site in 1362 first brought here many pilgrims , among whom characters as famous
as John Milton or the priest hunter Thomas Cromwell, the split with Rome two centuries
later soon brought to this house many future martyrs. A spiritual legacy still very
much alive today : "...On the first day that students come to the College I take them
to see the Martyr's picture ...and the reason for that is that in the first century
of the College's existence between 1581 and 1678, forty four of the students from
this House were martyred by being hanged, drawn, quartered.." Whenever news of
this reached the house, Monsignor Hudson adds , the community would gather around
this picture and sing a 'Te Deum Laudamus' . A powerful moment repeated during anniversary
celebrations: "..our thoughts will be reunited ...with those students of the first
century who used to intone the very same prayer of praise to God before the very same
Martyr's picture..." Listen :