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Article: Thomas More, patron of politicians.(decision by Pope John Paul II)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Catholic Insight
- Article date:
- December 1, 2000
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2000 Catholic Insight. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Politicians have been given a new patron saint as a model to imitate. Pope John Paul made this decision in the context of the Jubilee of Parliamentarians held in Rome at the end of October. Over one thousand politicians, mostly from Europe, attended this meeting. Americans and Canadians were too busy with electioneering to go to Rome, even if they had wanted to do so.
The Pope's choice: Sir Thomas More, Chancellor of England, martyr for the unity of the Church, and for the integrity of the individual conscience. Henry VIII had him beheaded in 1535 for refusing to accept the king as head of the Catholic Church in England, a bizarre idea but one full of danger for ...