The Parishioner - Edition 23

Maidstone Man’s Skull
Flies to Spain!
By Fr Michael Woodgate
No. this not another miracle – much more down to earth (or up in
the air!) than that. But let’s start at the beginning. In 1550, the year
after Maidstone received its first charter of incorporation, a baby
to be named William Weston was born in the town. In or around
1564 he went up to Oxford for the next five years and then
continued his studies in Paris and Douai. He then went on foot to
Rome where, on 5th November, 1575 he entered the Society of
Jesus, founded, of course, some decades earlier by St. Ignatius
Loyola and the order to which our present Holy Father belongs. His
novitiate was made in Spain and he pursued his ministry there until
called to serve the English Mission. On 20th September, 1584, he
reached England where at this time not a
single Jesuit was at liberty, Catholic priests
being routinely hunted down and usually
martyred. Fr. Weston’s autobiography tells of
his missionary adventures in this country at
that time and they make for exciting, if
harrowing, reading.
Something which gave him great joy was
receiving into the Catholic Church Philip
Howard, Earl of Arundel, who eventually died
as a martyr in the Tower of London, refusing
to renounce his faith. His burial place and
shrine are in Arundel Cathedral.
One of Weston’s particular ministries was that
of exorcism and before long he was arrested
and imprisoned with other priests in August
1586. Two years later, they were removed to
the castle at Wisbech, itself fast becoming a
ruin. For four years conditions were severe.
But in 1592 the prisoners were allowed to live
on alms given by Catholic faithfull who were Fr. William Weston
able, in considerable numbers, to visit the
priests for their ministry, albeit without attracting to much
attention, especially for the sacrament of penance. In fact, the
priests lived together as a college, insofar as that was possible.
Clearly, at this time, persecution was less fierce.However, this was
not to last and in 1599 Fr. Weston was sent to the Tower of London
where his sufferings were so great he nearly lost his sight. Mercifully,
he avoided execution and in 1603 was exiled, going first to Rome
and then the following year was sent to the English College of St
Alban in Valladolid (Spain) as spiritual director and confessor to the
students, in addition to being a consultor to the Jesuit provincial.
Three years later he moved to the English College at Seville, but
returned to Valladolid as Rector in 1614, a post he was to hold for
less than a year, for he died a year later.
If you have been patient enough to read so far, you will want to
know what justifies the eye-catching title of this article. The English
College at Valladolid today is still up and running and offers a year
long preparatory course for seminarians. Increasingly, the bishops
of the Conference of England and Wales send men there whom they
feel would benefit from such a course before going on to one of
the seminaries in England or Rome. Fr. Peter Harris is the honorary
archivist of the College and one day when he was chatting at Farm
Street to his opposite number there (the archivist of the British
Province of the Society of Jesus), he noticed, as he was leaving, a
skull in a wooden box with a glass door. Upon being told it was the
head of Fr. William Weston, he showed some surprise for he knew
his body was buried in the College at Valladolid under the chapel
floor. It seemed only right that the head should be united with the
body and after due consultation the Provincial agreed, although
the skull should remain the property of the Society of Jesus, but on
permanent loan to the English College.
Next came the question: how was Fr. Harris, the College’s archivist,
10
to transport Fr. William’s head to Spain? British Airways had no
objection and so with the precious relic covered in bubble wrap and
placed in Fr. Harris’ hand luggage, he duly arrived at London City
Airport. Placed on the conveyor belt, Fr. Weston’s minder held his
breath. No problem arose and eventually the plane took off – at
least the second time Fr. Weston had crossed the Channel with only
his head. But the flight was to Madrid and that is a long way from
Valladolid. Fr. Harris then remembered that Charmartin airport also
boasted a scanner or two. Would they make it to the English
College? Would they both end up in prison – one for the first time,
the other an old lag from the Tower? Again, no problem. Perhaps
St. Ignatius and one or two Jesuit martyrs
had been praying hard the scanner would
not notice the evidence. Anyway, no one
was bothered but Fr. Weston’s head is still
not united with his body because it is now
on display in the side chapel of the well. He
was, reputedly, a man of wisdom and piety
and he seems to have been an excellent
Rector of the English College, despite such
a short tenure. His impression on the
students was outstanding and he taught
them to be holy priests. Clearly, like all
those missionary priests sent to England, he
was courageous and zealous for the Faith,
full of the Spirit. He has left us his
autobiography and a number of letters.
One question which someone reading this
might be able to answer is: where did he go
to school? Was he an ‘Old Maidstonian’, the
name for an old boy of the Maidstone
Grammar School, which was founded the
year before he was born and situated in
Corpus Christi Hall in Earl Street, after the Brotherhood there had
been dissolved? If so he wouldn’t have received a Catholic
education. Was he educated privately by someone faithful to the
Catholic Church? Was he reconciled to the Church after he left
Maidstone? Answers on a postcard – or email. Please!
(With acknowledgements to ‘The Vallisoletan’, journal of the English College.)
Francis meets Francis
Earlier this year, parishioner Godwin Bassey took his family to
Rome for a holiday. At a general audience in St. Peter’s Square one
of the attendants lifted little Francis Bassey up to Pope Francis for
a blessing. Not sure what little Francis thought of the encounter
but big Francis looks pleased. What a lovely memento of a happy
occasion!