Blessed John Duckett and Blessed Ralph Corby

07/09/15

Today's Saint:
Blessed John Duckett and Blessed Ralph Corby

-Both were Catholic christian priests in England
-John studied to become priest
-Afterwards, he spend three years in Paris for further studies
-Spend much time in prayer and relationship with God
-Returned to England and done many ministries
-It was time of persecution against Catholics
-Caught by officials and put to jail
-There he met Jesuit priest Ralph
-He was ministering in England for years
-Both were sentenced to death

This is the second time the name Duckett appears as we go through the calendar of saints and blesseds. The story of James Duckett, an English martyr, we studied on April 22. He was related in some way to one of today’s martyrs, John Duckett. Both John Duckett and Ralph Corby were priests. They lived in the seventeenth century and died as martyrs for the faith in 1644. Father John studied at the English college of Douay and became a priest in 1639. He studied for three more years in Paris and spent several hours each day in prayer. Before being sent back to his persecuted England, he spent two months with the Cistercian monks, devoting that time to prayer and solitude. The young priest labored for a year in England. He was caught with holy oils and a book of rites. When his captors threatened harm to his family and friends if he did not confess his identity, he admitted that he was a priest. He was brought to a prison in London. There he met a fellow priest, Ralph Corby, a Jesuit. Father Corby had been laboring in England for twelve years before he was caught celebrating Mass. The Jesuit Order tried feverishly to save Father Corby. Finally, a reprieve came. Father Corby insisted that Father John Duckett, who was younger, use it. But Father John would not allow himself to walk away and leave his friend. Actually, neither priest would have been allowed to take advantage of the reprieve. The judges ignored it and condemned both priests to death. On September 7, 1644, at ten o’clock, the two men mounted the cart that would take them to Tyburn, the place of execution. Their heads were shaved and they wore their cassocks. Each made a short speech, then embraced the other before the two were executed. They would meet again in the presence of the Lord of glory.

Who can ever really understand why injustices take place? It’s hard to forgive when innocent people suffer. When we’re angered by injustice, we can pray to Blessed John Duckett and Blessed Ralph Corby. We can ask them to help us be forgiving as they were.