Irish to celebrate life and sacrifice of Oliver Plunkett

Cardinal Seán Brady, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland and Bishop Donal McKeown, Auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor will lead the 2010 Festival Day of St. Oliver Plunkett in Drogheda, County Louth on July 4. This year the procession and the celebration of Mass will commemorate the 90th anniversary of the beatification of St. Oliver Plunkett. The theme for this year's festival is 'The Young Church.'

On the afternoon of July 4, a procession of the relics of St Oliver Plunkett will leave Our Lady of Lourdes Church, to arrive later at St. Peter's Church, West Street. The procession by a color guard drawn from the local scouting troop and representative of local Catholic organizations as well as visiting pilgrim groups. The Knights of Columbanus and members of other orders traditionally carry the relics of St. Oliver Plunkett over the mile-long route between the two churches.

Cardinal Brady will be the chief celebrant of the Mass, while concelebrants include Bishop McKeown, who will preach the homily; Bishop Gerard Clifford, Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh; and Canon James Carroll, Parish Priest of St Peter's Parish, Drogheda. Music at the Mass will be led by St Peter's Male Voice Choir, directed by Edward Holly.

Speaking ahead of the Festival Day, Cardinal Brady said: "At the age of 22 years Oliver Plunkett left his native Meath to sail from Waterford for Flanders in February 1647 en route to Rome to study for the priesthood. It was a hazardous journey for many reasons and it was May 1647 when Oliver Plunkett reached the Eternal City. He spent the next 22 years in Rome studying and teaching until in 1669 he was appointed Archbishop of Armagh. As he left Rome a Polish friend said prophetically, "You are now going to shed your blood for the Catholic faith."

Following his arrest by British authorities in Ireland in 1681, Plunkett was removed to England because it was thought that no Irish jury would convict him. At a trial thought even at the time as a travesty of justice, the attending judge told Plunkett, " Look you Mr Plunkett,” “ Do not waste your time by talking about these things as it leaves less time for your defence,” adding “the bottom of your treason, which is treason of the highest order, was the setting up of your false religion and there is nothing more displeasing to God than it.” The jury returned within fifteen minutes with a guilty verdict and Archbishop Plunkett replied: “Deo Gratias”. He was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn on  July 1, 1681, and became the last Catholic martyr to die in England. Oliver Plunkett was beatified in 1920 and canonized in 1975, the first new Irish saint for almost seven hundred years. He was born in 1625.

"On Sunday next many pilgrims will gather at the National Shrine of St Oliver Plunkett in St Peter's, Drogheda, to recall and celebrate the fulfilment of that prophecy at Tyburn on 1 July 1681. Many of those pilgrims will be young people seeking inspiration for their own lives in the life of Oliver Plunkett. I think we can all find inspiration in his words at the gallows, minutes before his death, specifically about the false witnesses who testified against him, "I do heartily forgive them and also the judges, who by denying me sufficient time to bring my records and witnesses from Ireland, did expose my life to evident danger."

"I am pleased that so many young people are coming to Drogheda next Sunday. I believe the story of Oliver's faith, forgiveness and fortitude has much to offer to all of us, both young and old, in Ireland today."

A new website dedicated to the life and times of St Oliver Plunkett has been launched to coincide with this year's Festival Day by St Peter's Parish in conjunction with Drogheda Borough Council. See: http://www.saintoliverplunkett.com