after Hans Holbein the Younger (1497/1543) (link)

Feast Day · June 22

John Fisher

Patron ofDiocese of Rochester

SituationsConscience, Defense of the Faith, Persecution

ProfessionsBishops, Theologians, University Faculty

Why this patronage

Saint John Fisher is honored as patron of the Diocese of Rochester, the see he governed for over thirty years as a model bishop — learned, austere, and devoted to his poor flock — refusing wealthier appointments to stay with them. He is invoked for conscience and the defense of the faith because he stood utterly alone: the only one of England’s bishops to refuse Henry VIII’s claim to headship of the Church, he chose the scaffold over a lie. Pope Paul III named him cardinal as he sat imprisoned in the Tower; Henry, enraged, swore the hat would have no head to sit on, and had him beheaded on June 22, 1535. Bishops, theologians, and university teachers claim him as their own, for he was Chancellor of Cambridge and among the foremost scholars of his age.

Life

Saint John Fisher was the Bishop of Rochester and one of the foremost Catholic scholars of Tudor England. Born in 1469 in Beverley, Yorkshire, he served as Chancellor of the University of Cambridge and was renowned for his learning, piety, and pastoral care. He was the only English bishop to refuse King Henry VIII’s Act of Supremacy. Pope Paul III created him cardinal in recognition of his courage, but Henry had him beheaded on Tower Hill on June 22, 1535 — a fortnight before his friend Thomas More suffered the same fate.

Prayer

Into Thy Hands (In Manus Tuas)

In te, Dómine, sperávi;

In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped;

Auf dich, Herr, habe ich gehofft;

En ti, Señor, he esperado;

En toi, Seigneur, j'ai espéré ;

non confúndar in aetérnum:

let me never be confounded:

lass mich nimmermehr zuschanden werden:

no sea yo confundido jamás:

que je ne sois jamais confondu :

in iustítia tua líbera me.

in Thy justice deliver me.

in deiner Gerechtigkeit erlöse mich.

líbrame en tu justicia.

délivre-moi dans ta justice.

Inclína ad me aurem tuam,

Bow down Thine ear to me,

Neige dein Ohr zu mir,

Inclina a mí tu oído,

Incline vers moi ton oreille,

accélera ut éruas me.

make haste to deliver me.

eile, mich zu erretten.

apresúrate a librarme.

hâte-toi de me secourir.

Esto mihi in Deum protectórem,

Be Thou unto me a God, a protector,

Sei mir ein Gott, ein Beschützer,

Sé para mí un Dios protector

Sois pour moi un Dieu protecteur

et in domum refúgii, ut salvum me fácias.

and a house of refuge, to save me.

und ein Haus der Zuflucht, mich zu retten.

y una casa de refugio, para salvarme.

et une maison de refuge, pour me sauver.

Quóniam fortitúdo mea et refúgium meum es tu;

For Thou art my strength and my refuge;

Denn du bist meine Stärke und meine Zuflucht;

Porque tú eres mi fortaleza y mi refugio;

Car tu es ma force et mon refuge ;

et propter nomen tuum dedúces me et enútries me.

and for Thy name's sake Thou wilt lead me and nourish me.

und um deines Namens willen wirst du mich führen und nähren.

y por tu nombre me guiarás y me sustentarás.

et à cause de ton nom, tu me conduiras et me nourriras.

Edúces me de láqueo hoc

Thou wilt bring me out of this snare

Du wirst mich aus dieser Schlinge befreien,

Me sacarás de este lazo

Tu me tireras de ce piège

quem abscondérunt mihi,

which they have hidden for me,

die sie mir verborgen haben,

que me han tendido en secreto,

qu'ils m'ont caché,

quóniam tu es protéctor meus.

for Thou art my protector.

denn du bist mein Beschützer.

porque tú eres mi protector.

car tu es mon protecteur.

In manus tuas comméndo spíritum meum;

Into Thy hands I commend my spirit;

In deine Hände befehle ich meinen Geist;

En tus manos encomiendo mi espíritu;

Entre tes mains je remets mon esprit ;

redemísti me, Dómine, Deus veritátis.

Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth.

du hast mich erlöst, Herr, Gott der Wahrheit.

me has redimido, Señor, Dios de la verdad.

tu m'as racheté, Seigneur, Dieu de vérité.

— Psalm 30:2–6 (Vulgate), recited by Saint John Fisher at his martyrdom, 1535