One of my heroes

I recently read "John Gerard: The Autobiography of an Elizabethan". This is an amazing book detailing the life & work of a Jesuit Priest during the post-reformation persecution of Catholics in Britain. It is a an account of immense courage in the face of ever-present danger, of faithfulness among the Catholic community despite intense pressure to conform.

Gerard, who came from the village I grew up in, spent many years spreading the faith and ministering to the Catholic community in England. Such was his success that he became one of the most wanted men in Britain. He was betrayed and captured by the authorities. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London and endured torture, before escaping.

Despite the claims of the English state, Gerard always maintained that he had no political agenda and remained loyal to the Crown. In the aftermath of the Gunpowder Plot, Gerard was finally forced to leave the country, though he had no knowledge of the plot and had told people not to get involved in such activities.

Contrary to their reputation in this country, the Jesuits were not into plots and were never involved with the inquisition (apart from their founder St. Ignatius Loyola, who was actually hauled in front of them at one point). In fact the Jesuits were more interested in debating with those that disagreed with them and used persuasion and argument to convert people.

John Gerard has always been one of my heroes, ever since I first read about him, when I was a child. This was a truly inspiring book and a very readable translation of Gerard's Latin original. It is well worth a read.