Anne Bolyen’s Apparent Demise. But ’tis Really So?
Anne Boleyn lost her head on this fine spring day in May, 1536, put to death by the decree of her own quasi-husband, Henry VIII – I say, ‘quasi’, since Henry’s legitimate wife, Catherine of Aragon, was still very much alive when Henry married Anne in a secret ceremony of November 1532. Henry was at first besotted by the lady-in-court Anne – he later claimed he was ‘bewitched’, but the two are not contradictory. Henry put away Catherine, declared himself Supreme Head of the Church of England, separating himself and his kingdom for the one holy Church, rending the seamless garment, and eventually put to death two of the noblest and best men of the realm, Bishop John Fisher, and his own former chancellor and counsellor, Thomas More.
Anne seems to have had her own hand all of this nefarious business of the King, and for a while she lived lavishly. Yet, after the disappointing birth of a daughter whomever everyone expected to be a son – the future Elizabeth I – Anne miscarried a male child, perhaps brought on by the shock of walking in to the sight of Henry with one of the ladies-at-court (as Anne had been) dangling on his knee, his next and sometime wife (and mother of Edward VI), Jane Seymour.
Ah, yes, as is the way of things, the King had tired of his paramour. On trumped-up charges, including sorcery, treason, adultery and even incest – they tortured a young musician into confessing an affair with the new queen – Anne was quickly condemned to death.
One must resist some degree of schadenfreude in her getting her comeuppance. Rather, the story ends better than it might, for we should rejoice that, before her unexpected death, Anne heard Mass, and received the Holy Eucharist, we may presume also saying her last Confession. Eyewitnesses say she went to her execution spot calmly and bravely, making an emotional speech which moved all hearers, then knelt upright in the French fashion to receive the swift blow of the sword that severed her head, and brought her soul to eternity.
We pray that she made her peace with God, and with His Church. After all, the Almighty brings good out of all things – all we must do is accept that good when offered, regardless of how much evil we may have – or think we have – done. There is nothing God cannot forgive, and cast into the depths of the sea. If that’s where our sins go, we just have to make sure we don’t go down there with them.
Carney’s Amoral Majority
After five defections – euphemistically described as ‘crossing the floor’ – and three by-elections, Mark Carney and his Liberals how have their coveted majority. One wonders what bowls of pottage were offered in back-room deals. In the archaic monarchical system that is the Dominion of Canada, this majority allows the newly-minted Prime Minister to rule[…]Continue reading→
Saint Kateri , Canada’s Protectress
This was the title given to Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, by Pope Benedict XVI, when he canonized her on October 28th, 2012, along with six others, in Saint Peter’ Square (she had been beatified by Pope John Paul II back in 1980). With Saint Joseph as our protector, along with the Canadian martyrs, we seem to[…]Continue reading→
A Closed, Unsustainable, Descending Loop
As a follow-up to my thoughts on Payette’s payout, here be a stark image of where are here in Canada. As the graph shows in, well, graphic terms, since 2025, the public sector has contributed to 95.5% of economic growth. The private sector – which funds the public sector, or is supposed to – has[…]Continue reading→
Remembering Father Alphonse de Valk
(Today marks the sixth anniversary of the death of Father Alphonse de Valk, C.S.B., a faithful, courageous and indefatigable Basilian priest, pro-life-and-family apostle, and the founder of Catholic Insight magazine. Here is what we wrote those on his entering into eternity five years ago, as we continue to remember him in our prayers and thoughts)[…]Continue reading→
A Tale of Two Benedicts
A grace-filled Holy Week to all our readers! As we await and prepare for the Resurrection about to dawn upon us, we might keep in mind two Benedicts: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, requiescat in pace, elected on this day in 2005; and today’s commemoration of the mystic pilgrim, Benedict Joseph Labre, who died on this[…]Continue reading→
My Name is Bernadette
April 16th is a propitious day, for besides the anniversary of Father de Valk’s death, who founded Catholic Insight in its print form decades ago, and the commemoration of the ‘two Benedicts’, mentioned in accompanying posts, today we also recall Saint Bernadette Soubirous, the young visionary to whom the Virgin Mary appeared numerous times at[…]Continue reading→
Presidential Pardon of Weronika Krawczyk
As a good news, follow-up to our story from Poland, of the persecution of Weronika Krawczyk for her pro-life views, we heard that she has been granted a presidential pardon. One might still wonder why one needs a presidential pardon for simply holding the long-held belief that the child within the womb is a child,[…]Continue reading→
Saint Lydwina of Schiedam and Suffering Joyfully
Saint Lydwina of Schiedam (1380 – 1433) was one of the countless and glorious ‘victim souls’ in the history of the Church, those whose lives are filled with suffering, often of an unimaginable intensity, but who suffer joyfully. She was a fifteen-year old Dutch girl, out skating one day, when she fell and broke one[…]Continue reading→
The Glorious Martyrdoms of Martin and Maximus
As we enter into Eastertide, we recall on this 13th of April Pope Saint Martin I (+655), one of the noblest, if most tragic, of the successors of Saint Peter. Born in Umbria, Italy, he was of noble lineage, with great intelligence combined with charity and love of the poor and the Church. While still[…]Continue reading→
Divine Mercy Sunday – An Echo of Every Mass
Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe’… ‘My Lord and my God!’ (Jn. 20:18)). Today is Divine Mercy Sunday, and as we celebrate the end of the Easter Octave, we contemplate the wounded side of our Saviour, the Church’s source of life. On Good Friday in the[…]Continue reading→