St. Oliver Plunkett
On the 12th October 1975, St. Paul VI canonized our parish patron St. Oliver Plunkett, addressing about 12,000 Irish pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square, Rome ‘’as gaeilge’ saying:
“Dia’s Muire Dhíbh, a chlann Phádraig! Céad mile fáilte rómhaibh! Tá Naomh nua againn inniu: Comharba Phádraig… Naomh Oilibhéar Pluincéid”.
St. Oliver’s story
Oliver Plunkett was born in Loughcrew, Oldcastle, Co. Meath on the 1st of November in the 1620s. His Father John, was Baron of Loughcrew and the family had excellent connections. As Oliver grew older, he felt the calling to the religious life. In a providential way, in 1643, a Fr. Luke Wadding, an agent in Rome for the Irish Confederates, made a request to Urban VIII, to send an envoy to Ireland. Fr. Scarampi was sent by the Pope to assist at the Supreme Council of the Confederation, whose aims were to unshackle Ireland from England’s grip. Fr. Scarampi arrived in Ireland and he was received by the Irish Catholics as an angel from heaven. The Pope’s envoy was highly esteemed by the Irish bishops, the clergy, and the nobility alike. By 1647, the end of his tenure in Ireland had come, and it was in that same year that Rev. Scarampi conducted St. Oliver Plunkett, with five companions to Rome.
For the next twenty-two years Plunkett remained in the Eternal City of Peter and Paul. He was a student at the Irish College in Rome. For three years, after his 1654 ordination to the priesthood, Rev. Oliver Plunkett served as Chaplain with the Oratorians. For twelve years he taught in the College of Propaganda Fide.
Oliver Plunkett was then appointed bishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland for twelve years. His nomination as Primate was welcomed by England, who identified his parents as one of their own. Oliver was accepted by the English monarchy under the parliamentary premunire law, which means to prepare in advance. The monarchy had a big influence on who could be appointed bishop in Ireland and Rome was often sensitive the English politics.
St. Oliver as bishop of Armagh and primate of Ireland did great pastoral and catechetical work. He was highly regarded by the protestants in Ireland, and reached out to all, giving spiritual nourishment. St. Oliver indeed helped England, as he managed to successfully convince the Irish Tories, to lay down their arms, and leave aside appraisal attacks on the new English land owners in Ulster. The Tories had lost their land, but were still a force to be reckoned. St. Oliver convinced them to head to France, and make a new agricultural life for themselves there, rather than spend an eternity in hell for vain gorilla warfare.
Despite all the good that the Primate of Ireland did, to the advantage of England, they did not appreciate his Catholic faith. The English martyred St. Oliver in Tyburn in England of false grounds of political conspiring, He was tried in England, because no-one would dare falsely accuse the Primate on Irish soil. Rev. Oliver’s good reputation was so widespread among Catholics as well as the ruling protestant elite in Ireland.
At Tyburn, Oliver did not receive a fair trial, and his executioners knew it. In his speech on the scaffold, his words of pardon were: «I do forgive all who had a hand directly or indirectly in my death and in my innocent blood». Thus the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, is made manifested in St. Oliver Plunkett. Like Jesus, St. Oliver surrendered his life willingly in sacrifice (Cfr. Is. 53, 7; Io. 10, 17). His dying words were: «Into thy hands, o Lord, I commend my spirit».
Today his relics are in St. Peter’s church in Drogheda. His feast day is celebrated on the 1st of July.
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