a year of prayer: 365 Rosaries

Today, July 7, we celebrate the feast day of three English Martyrs: Blessed Roger Dicconson, Blessed Ralph Milner, and Blessed Lawrence Humphrey (died 1591). Each of these holy men faced persecution and death without fear, confident in the Lord, ready to die for our faith. Their lives and deaths remind us of the importance of our beliefs, and their sacrifice inspires us to live more confidently in the Lord.


The Catholic Church was persecuted in England for quite some time, particularly under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. I have previously written about Blessed Edward Jones and Anthony Middleton, Saint Margaret Clitherow, Saint Nicholas Owen, and Saints Thomas More and John Fisher. Earlier this week, we also celebrated the feast day of eight English Martyrs.  The three holy men we remember today join the ranks of over 40 martyrs who gave their lives for the faith in England.

Roger Dicconson was an “undercover priest,” preaching throughout England, celebrating the Eucharist, and delivering the sacraments—all in secret. Having been born and raised in Lincoln, Farther Dicconson had studied and been ordained in Rheims, France, and then returned to minister to the faithful in his homeland. Despite the threat of persecution, imprisonment, and even death, Father Dicconson continued his work, strengthening the faithful and avoiding capture for some time.

Ralph Milner met Father Dicconson after he was imprisoned for being Catholic. Ralph had grown up in Flacstead, Hampshire, and tended a family farm there. He was married, and he and his wife had raised eight children in the Protestant faith. Ralph’s neighbors, who were Catholic, inspired him to convert through their goodness and charity, and along with his entire family, he received instruction and welcome into the Church. The very day that he received his first Holy Eucharist, he was arrested and imprisoned. By all accounts a cheerful and well behaved man, the guards of the prison took to Ralph instantly. Rather than leave him locked up, they offered him frequent passes out of prison to buy supplies, food, and perform simple tasks. One of his tasks—unbeknownst to the guards—was to tend to the spiritual needs of the other Catholic prisoners by bringing them undercover priests, such as Father Dicconson.

On one such “parole,” Ralph and Father Dicconson were arrested (again!) during their rounds through local villages preaching and delivering the Eucharist. They were immediately tried and thrown into the Winchester jail, where they met Blessed Lawrence Humphrey—a young man of 21 years, who was a converted Catholic. The judge, hoping to save Ralph so that he may attend to his wife and eight children, offered him a simple way out: "All you have to do," the judge declared, "is pay a to a Protestant church, just for a few minutes, to say you have been there. I'll let you go free to be with your family." Without hesitation, Ralph quietly and firmly refused, proclaiming he would rather die for his faith, and refusing "to embrace a counsel so disagreeable to the maxims of the Gospel." Despite every effort by the judge and the guards who had come to like him, Ralph was unshaken in his resolution. After giving his children his last blessing, he declared that "he could wish them no greater happiness than to die for the like cause.” Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened: Ralph Milner, Lawrence Humphrey, and Father Dicconson were hung, drawn, and quartered on July 7, 1591.

The lives of martyrs are examples of deep faith and confidence in our Lord. Their brave lives and courageous deaths remind us of where our faith is flawed and lacking the conviction that Our Lord so justly deserves. In remembering the three pious men we celebrate today, we might be inspired to examine our own beliefs and priorities- how strong is our personal faith? How easily would we recant? What worldly enticement or threat would be required for us to deny Our Lord? We pray today for the strength and courage of conviction to remain true to our faith and our Creed.