Osbaldeston, Edward, Bl.

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OSBALDESTON, EDWARD, BL.

Priest, martyr; b. ca. 1560 at Osbaldeston, Lancashire, England; hanged, drawn, and quartered at York, Nov. 16, 1594. Edward studied at Douai, then at Rheims, where he was ordained (Sept. 21, 1585). He worked on the Continent until he was sent to Yorkshire in April 1589. Betrayed by an apostate priest, he was apprehended on Sept. 30, 1594. Following his trial at York, Osbaldeston was convicted of high treason for being a priest. Challoner prints a portion of a still extant letter from Osbaldeston to his fellow-prisoners in York Castle, which reveals the martyr's humility and the serene trust in God with which he anticipated his death. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on Nov. 22, 1987 with George Haydock and Companions.

Feast of the English Martyrs: May 4 (England).

See Also: england, scotland, and wales, martyrs of.

Bibliography: r. challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, ed. j. h. pollen (rev. ed. London 1924), I, no. 106. j. h. pollen, Acts of English Martyrs (London 1891).

[k. i. rabenstein]