(This post is from 2012. I will be reposting it each July 9.)
When July 9 rolls around each year I am always reminded of my personal belief that before our end, perhaps especially for those of us sunk deep in sin, God gives us an opportunity to atone and turn aside from the downward path.
In Sixteenth Century Holland one of the longest wars in history began between Spain and Dutch rebels. The war was waged on both sides with sickening atrocities. Among the most violent were the Sea Beggars, Dutch patriots or pirates depending upon one’s point of view. In June of 1572 the Sea Beggars took the Dutch town of Gorkum, and captured nine Franciscan priests, Nicholas Pieck, Hieronymus of Weert, Theodorus van der Eem, Nicasius Janssen, Willehad of Denmark, Godefried of Mervel, Antonius of Weert, Antonius of Hoornaer, and Franciscus de Roye, of Brussels. Two Franciscan lay brothers were also captured: Petrus of Assche and Cornelius of Wyk.
The Sea Beggars also captured the parish priest of Gorkum, Leonardus Vechel of Boi-le-Duc, and his assistant, Nicolaas Janssen. Also imprisoned were Father Godefried van Duynsen and Joannes Lenartz of Oisterwijk, director of the convent of Augustinian nuns in Gorkum. Later imprisoned was a Domincan priest Joannes van Hoornaer who bravely came to Gorkum to minister to his imprisoned colleagues and joined them in their captivity, Jacobus Lacops of Oudenaar, a priest of Monster, Holland, Adrianus Janssen of Brielle, and last, and no doubt he would say least, the subject of this post, Andreas Wouters of Heynoord.
To be blunt, Andreas Wouters had been a lousy priest. A drunkard and notorious womanizer, he had fathered several children. Suspended from his duties he was living in disgrace when the Sea Beggars captured Gorkum. This was his cue to run as far away as possible, based on his past history. Instead, perhaps understanding that God was giving him maybe his last chance to redeem himself, he volunteered to join the captive priests and brothers.
The 19 were tortured and subject to every type of humiliation and mockery, especially Wouters who was constantly reminded by his captors of what a disgrace he was. William the Silent, leader of the Dutch rebels, sent a letter to the commander of the Sea Beggars, William de la Marck, ordering that the priests and brothers were not to be molested in any way. Ignoring his instructions, de la Marck ordered them to be slain if they did not renounce their belief in the Real Presence and Papal Supremacy. All stoutly refused.
On July 9, de la Marck had the 19 hanged in a turfshed. As the noose was being fastened around his neck, his captors kept mocking Father Wouters. His last words before he entered eternity were: Fornicator I always was; heretic I never was.
The Martyrs of Gorkum were canonized by Pope Pius IX on June 29, 1865, the feast day of the two greatest martyrs of the Church, Saints Peter and Paul.
“St. Stephen’s answer (Acts, vii) was a long recital of the mercies of God towards Israel during its long history and of the ungratefulness by which, throughout history, Israel repaid God’s mercies. This discourse contained many things unpleasant to Jewish ears; but the concluding indictment for having betrayed and murdered the Just One whose coming the Prophets had foretold, provoked the rage of an audience made up not of judges, but of foes. When Stephen “looking up steadfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God”, and said: “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God” (vii, 55), […] “falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, saying: “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” (vii, 59). […] The praying martyr was thrown down; […] he was heard to utter this supreme prayer: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (vii, 58). Little did all the people present, casting stones upon him, realize that the blood they shed was the first seed of a harvest that was to cover the world.”
“Fornicator I always was, heretic never.”
And so he ended his life in truth, like the Good Thief:
One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
It has been observed that the dying thief’s prayer is the most extraordinary instance of faith in the whole of Scripture – praying to a fellow convict as if he were indeed the God that the whole situation seems to mock. But then his fellow convict was indeed God. And God is truth. And by stating boldly and with no recrimination the truth about himself – “we are receiving what we deserve” – he has stepped into truth, truth with no ifs nor buts, in the presence of Truth Itself. He is already in Paradise; he only has to realize it. And so that lousy priest who admitted before everyone that everything they said of him was true was, by the very act, in the truth – and “heretic, never”. “I tell you in truth, tonight you shall be with me in Paradise.”
I share your belief, Don, or at least I hope it is true. I have often speculated about the possibilty that God might even give us this chance after our earthly deaths. For this reason I’m inclined to think that pride is the most dangerous sin, because it is the one most likely to impede our atonement. I have encountered people who despise Christianity and faith generally, and who believe we are dupes to believe in a God who would encumber us with a morality that can preclude self-actualization. The common denominator among such people is inordinate pride, especially intellectual pride (usually unwarranted of course). Some percentage of these people will simply be unwilling or unable to express the humility required for atonement, even in the face of God Himself.
I have always agreed with the Church that pride is the deadliest of sins, and I have more than a bit of that sin myself. The saving grace for me has come in the form of the Faith, a sense of the absurd, always a good solvent for pride, and chastening experiences to prove to me that I am never as smart as I believe I am.
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Thanks for re-posting–this story is one of my favorites!
Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
The First Joyful Mystery of the Holy Rosary: The Annunciation. Meditation: Actively desire love of humility. Think of the humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary when the Angel Gabriel greeted her with these words, “Hail full of grace!”
Arrogance, avarice, hubris, pride: the definition of heretic: one who places her/his opinions ahead of the teachings of Holy Mother Church.
Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Awe, Courage, Knowledge, Reverence, Right Judgment, Understanding, Wisdom, Wonder
Regarding the seven deadly sins:
Replace pride with humility
Replace greed with generosity
Replace envy with love
Replace anger with kindness
Replace lust with self-control
Replace gluttony with temperance
Replace sloth with zeal (for the Glory of God)
Fruits of the Holy Spirit: Faithfulness, Goodness, Humility, Kindness, Love, Joy, Patience, Self-control
You could repost this every week and I’d be happy. This is such a hopeful story.
“I have always agreed with the Church that pride is the deadliest of sins…”
I think Aquinas might have thought envy was. Pride at least was an inflated sense of self. Envy was pure hatred for the possessions of another.
Think the “social justice” crowd.
To put it a bit more Thomistically, Pride was a disordered sense of one’s goods, envy a hatred of the good of another.
The word heresy etymologically has something to do with making a choice.
Paradox- though he had succumbed to the deadly sin of lust (exaltation of bodily pleasure) he did choose life (Deut 30:19), when he chose to suffer bodily death for his Faith.
I always read the best stories on this site. Thank you!
Amazing Grace how sweet the sound…
Thanks Donald. I’m glad you put this out.
-from a prodigal son.
Wow. “Fornicator I always was;Heretic I never was.” Fill in the blank (or leave it as it is) and that is a new prayer for any one of us.
At least if at the time it is being uttered one is dying for being a Catholic.