Bl. Thomas Abel
FREE Catholic Classes
(Also ABLE, or ABELL.)
Priest and martyr, born about 1497; died 30 July, 1540. He was chaplain to Queen Catharine, and defender of the validity of her marriage with Henry VIII, for which reason he was eventually put to death. He was a graduate of Oxford, and appears to have taught the queen modern languages and music. After a journey to Spain in her behalf, he received the parochial benefice of Bradwell in Sussex. He soon published (May, 1532?) in defence of the queen's marriage a work entitled: "Invicta Veritas, an answer to the determination of the most famous Universities, that by no manner of law it may be lawful for King Henry to be divorced from the Queen's grace, his lawful and very wife". For this he was thrown (1532) into Beauchamp Tower, and after a year's liberation again imprisoned, in December, 1533, on the charges of disseminating the prophecies of the Maid of Kent, encouraging the queen "obstinately to persist in her wilful opinion against the same divorce and separation", and maintaining her right to the title of queen. He was kept in close confinement until his execution at Tyburn, two days after the execution of Cromwell himself. There is extant a very pious Latin letter written by him to a fellow-martyr, and another to Cromwell, begging for some slight mitigation of his "close prison " -- i.e. "license to go to church and say Mass here within the Tower and for to lie in some house upon the Green". It is signed "by your daily bedeman, Thomas Abell, priest ". His act of attainder states that he and three others "have most traitorously adhered themselves unto the bishop of Rome, being a common enemy unto your Majesty and this your Realm, refusing your Highness to be our and their Supreme Head of this your Realm of England ". There is in Beauchamp Tower a rebus of the Martyr, probably executed by himself; the figure of a bell carved on the wall, the letter A in front and the word "Thomas" above. He is one of the fifty-four English martyrs beatified by Leo XIII 29 Dec., 1886.

Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
-
Saint of the Day for Tuesday, June 28th, 2022
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
The Apostles' Creed
-
Unfailing Prayer to St. Anthony
-
St. Irenaeus
-
St. Peter
-
Bible
-
Evening Prayer
-
Prayer for the Forgiveness of Sins
Is there anything we can do to get you to support FREE Catholic education?
-
Pope Francis' World Meeting of Families' Message
-
On the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary: Mary and the Early Fathers
-
Roe Died Today. The Culture of Life Rises, and the Real Work Begins
-
LIFE HAS WON - SURPEME COURT OVERTURNS ROE v. WADE!
Daily Catholic
Daily Readings for Wednesday, June 29, 2022
St. Peter: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, June 29, 2022
St. Peter: Prayer of the Day for Wednesday, June 29, 2022
- Daily Readings for Tuesday, June 28, 2022
- St. Irenaeus: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, June 28, 2022
- Blessing of Food: Prayer of the Day for Tuesday, June 28, 2022
To all our readers,
Please don't scroll past this. We interrupt your reading to humbly ask you to defend Catholic Online School's independence. 98% of our readers don't give; they look the other way. If you are an exceptional reader who has already donated, we sincerely thank you. If you donate just $10.00, or whatever you can, Catholic Online School could keep thriving for years. Most people donate because Catholic Online School is useful. If Catholic Online School has given you $10.00 worth of knowledge this year, take a minute to donate. Show the world that access to Catholic education matters to you. Thank you.Help Now >
Copyright 2021 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2021 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.