St Oswald

St Oswald – King of Northumbria and martyr. The son of Ethelfrith, King of Northumbria. Oswald fled to Scotland, when Edwin seized the kingdom in 616, and became a Christian at Iona. On Edwin’s death in 633 he and his family, like other royal exiles, returned to Northumbria. Cadwalla ruled Northumbria for a year before Oswald with a much smaller army defeated and killed him at Hevenfelt near Hexham. Before the battle Oswald had set up a wooden cross and assembled his army to pray for victory around it. Not more than a small proportion would have been Christian. Soon after the battle he sent for a bishop from Iona to preach the Gospel in Northumbria.

First a severe bishop was sent, who met with no success among people whom he considered barbarous and obstinate. He was soon replaced by the kindly Aidan whose sermons Oswald himself interpreted and to whom he gave the island of Lindisfarne for a monastery and Episcopal seat. Aidan met with great success.

Oswald united both parts of Northumbria. His reign did not last long After eight years he was killed by the pagan king Penda of Mercia at the Battle of Maserfeld at the age of 38 praying with his last breath for the souls of his bodyguard who died with him.

Some historians believe that Maserfeld was in Shropshire and others believe that it was in the Winwick area. In a field opposite Red Bank there is an area called St. Oswald’s Well. His feast day is 5th August.

St Edmund Arrowsmith

ST. EDMUND ARROWSMITH – Jesuit priest and martyr.

Feast Day: August 28th

Born: 1585

Martyred: 1628

Born at Haydock in 1585, the son of Robert Arrowsmith a yeoman farmer. He was educated first by an unknown elderly priest in the school at Sennely Green and then at the English College, Douai. He was ordained priest in 1612 and returned to Lancashire in 1613. He became renowned for his fearless and forthright ministry.In 1622 he was arrested. after examination by the Bishop of Chester he was released. Some years later he joined the Society of Jesus in their novitiate at Clerkenwell.

In 1628 he was denounced and was indicted at Lancaster Assizes for being a seminary priest. He was found guilty and sentenced to death.

Until the very last moment he was promised his life if he would renounce his faith. He was executed at Lancaster on 28th August 1628 and was hung, drawn and quartered. St Edmund was canonised by Pope Paul V1 in 1970 as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.

His hand is preserved and venerated in this church.

In 2021, Canon John researched and made a film of the life of St edmund arrowsmith which can be viewed here:

Litany to the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales

Lord have mercy on us, Christ have mercy on us. Lord have mercy on us. Christ hear us.

Christ graciously hear us.
God the Father, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.
Mary, Queen of Apostles, Pray for us.
Mary, Queen of Martyrs, Pray for us.
St John Houghton, Pray for us.
St Richard Reynolds, Pray for us.
St Augustine Webster, Pray for us.
St Robert Lawrence, Pray for us.
St John Stone, Pray for us.
St Cuthbert Mayne, Pray for us.
St Edmund Campion, Pray for us.
St Ralph Sherwin, Pray for us.
St Alexander Briant, Pray for us.
St John Payne, Pray for us.
St Luke Kirby, Pray for us.
St Richard Gwyn, Pray for us.
St Margaret Clitherow, Pray for us.
St Margaret Ward, Pray for us.
St Edmund Gennings, Pray for us.
St Swithun Wells, Pray for us.
St Polydore Plasden, Pray for us.
St Eustace White, Pray for us.
St John Boste, Pray for us.
St Robert Southwell, Pray for us.
St Henry Walpole, Pray for us.
St Philip Howard, Pray for us.
St John Jones, Pray for us.
St John Rigby, Pray for us.
St Anne Line, Pray for us.
St Nicholas Owen, Pray for us.
St Thomas Garnet, Pray for us.
St John Roberts, Pray for us.
St John Almond, Pray for us.
St Edmund Arrowsmith, Pray for us.
St Ambrose Barlow, Pray for us.
St Alban Roe, Pray for us.
St Henry Morse, Pray for us.
St John Southworth, Pray for us.
St John Plessington, Pray for us.
St Philip Evans, Pray for us.
St John Lloyd, Pray for us.
St John Wall, Pray for us.
St John Kemble, Pray for us.
St David Lewis, Pray for us.

Let us pray.
Oh God, in whom there is no change or shadow of alteration, you gave courage to the Holy Martyrs. Grant unto us, we beseech you, through their intercession, the grace to always value the Holy Mass. May we be strengthened to serve you in imitation of the courage of these Holy Martyrs. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

The Church houses the shrine of the Holy Hand of St Edmund Arrowsmith.St Edmund Arrowsmith was martyred at Lancaster in 1628 by being hung, drawn and quartered.

After his death, a hand was preserved and this is now venerated at St Oswald and St Arrowsmith’s Church, a precious relic from the time of the reformation.

On 25th October 1970, St Edmund Arrowsmith was canonised as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.