John Boste, priest to John Speed d. 1594

Jack and Thom,
Good morning, I love you
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St. John Boste b. 1544 d. 1594

His feast day is October 24th. Since he is tied to John Speed, Durham Martyr, feast on 2-4, and is also a John, what the hey, I picked him up for today too.

The encyclopedia notes that John Boste was born of a good Catholic Family. I wonder if that would be said of me? Of you? In your family? A good Catholic, personally?

But then the encyclopedia says that John Boste was received into the Church in 1576 – when he was 32! How much of his first 32 years was he an Augustine to his mother’s Monica? Or in the reverse for you – born a Catholic to a mother then and now not one. God works in mysterious ways. And, as the country song says, the secret of a Father’s Love is that it is Love without end, no matter what.

Before being received into the Church, John Boste studied at Queens College, Oxford, 1569-72, where he became a fellow. Imagine John Boste’s life in academia in England in mid 16th c. once he converted to Catholicism.

John Boste resigned his Fellowship in 1580. I bet resignation has multiple meanings for the man and the situation. How much of the change was his initiative or his acquiescing? How much of the resignation was forced on him: a simple choice, renounce the conversion of give up the job? How often have you already be put in a similar situation, by yourself, by your family, by your friends, by your colleagues/peers? And it will not ever stop, not in NC, not in GSO, not with half your family. John Boste models for you the right answer.

John Boste went to Reims, where he was ordained priest, 4 March, 1581, and in April was sent to England. You know this route. You know how this situation might mirror your own. Know that you are by far not the first one confronted with the challenges to your faith, your piety, your religion: and your duty to fulfill your purpose.

John Boste landed at Hartlepool and became a most zealous missioner, so that the persecutors made extraordinary efforts to capture him. And John Speed, Fr. Boste’s companion, knew all this, too. Be the point person, be the assistant, be the follower, but be the best Catholic man of your baptism.

At last, after many narrow escapes, he was taken to Waterhouses, the house of William Claxton, near Durham, betrayed by one Eglesfield, 5 July, 1593. John Boste zealously served the English Catholic of Hartlepool for a dozen years before he was outed. You could try to hide your faith from your family, friends, peers but you know, too, that you will ultimately be found out, be outed. You’re not likely to be taken to the Tower here in the 21st c. So, why hide it at all? Why reject it in compliance to the pressures of dis-believers? Is conformity that valuable to you? Is assuaging the feelings of people who are wrong so important? Especially when the option is to lead them to the one and True faith?

The place where John Boste was betrayed is still visited by Catholics. We have all kinds of shrines to remind us of the hand of God in our lives. It seems to be an odd choice, a place of betrayal. “Not my will be done, but Yours.” A lesson for all of us who will be betrayed one time or an other. A lesson for all of us who will be asked to betray ourselves, our faith. John Boste, at Claxon’s house is a lesson for all of us.

From Durham John Boste was conveyed to London, showing himself throughout "resolute, bold, joyful, and pleasant", although terribly racked in the Tower. To the extent that you are resolute in your faith, you are at risk to be terribly racked. Let John Boste be a strength for you.

Sent back to Durham for the July Assizes, 1594, John boste behaved with undaunted courage and resolution, and induced his fellow-martyr, Bl. George Swalwell , a convert minister, who had recanted through fear, to repent of his cowardice, absolving him publicly in court. From pillar to post, literally and figuratively, those who wish you to recant will persist in their persecution. You too should be undaunted, courageous, resolute. By your own faith you will be a source of strength to others similarly challenged. Or, in your persecution, you will find the John Boste in your life whom you need to strengthen yourself, to recant your recantation.

John Boste recited the Angelus while mounting the ladder. Know your prayers. Sear them into your soul. Imprint them into your DNA. Let them be the sinew of strength to call upon when it doesn’t look like it could be worse. Let prayer be available to you as autopilot in your closeness and dedication to God. John Boste knew he would be hung, drawn and quartered. But did not know how heinous that could become.

John Boste was executed with extraordinary brutality; for he was scarcely turned off the ladder when he was cut down, so that he stood on his feet, and in that posture was cruelly butchered alive. Sure it’s bad when you are ridiculed, ostracized, or more subtly rebuked for your faith, the faith of your father. Picture John Boste standing there, having been hung, standing on his feet, cruelly butchered alive. You can resist whatever is sent against your faith….

In 1970, John Boste was canonized by Pope Paul VI among the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, whose joint feast day is kept on 25 October.


I love you,
Dad
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