St. Oliver Plunkett (1629-1681)
Image: Liturgia Diaria
(Franciscan Media) Oliver was born in Ireland at Meath Loughenew County into a Noble family which supported King Charles I according to SQPN and the fight for national freedom. — Oliver was educated by the Jesuits at the newly established Irish College in Rome where he studied for the Priesthood and was Ordained in 1654
After teaching Theology from 1654 to 1669 and serving the poor of Rome, Fr. Oliver Plunkett was appointed Archbishop of Ireland Armagh.
Four years later in 1673 a new wave of anti-Catholic persecution began, forcing Archbishop Plunkett to perform his pastoral duties in hiding while in secrecy and disguise. Meanwhile, many of the dioceses Parish Priests were sent into exile, school were closed, Mass was celebrated in secret, Convents and Seminaries were suppressed. — As Archbishop of Ireland Armagh, he was viewed by the government figures of his day, as ultimately responsible for any rebellion or political activity among the Parishioners of his diocese.
Six years later in 1679 Archbishop Plunkett was arrested on trumped up allegations that he had conspired against the state. Imprisoned in ‘Dublin Castle’ his trial was moved to London as Lord Shaftesbury knew that the Archbishop could never be convicted in Ireland. — At his first trial even though he was not convicted, Archbishop Plunkett remained imprisoned and put on trial a second time where he was promptly convicted of ‘high treason’ for promoting Catholicism and condemned to a gruesome death.
Archbishop Plunkett was hanged, drawn and quartered in July 1681 in England Tyburn, in the County of Middlesex — In 1920 he was Beatified by Pope Benedict XV and Canonized in 1975 by Pope Paul VI
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