Posted on 08/06/2013 3:58:20 PM PDT by marshmallow
Readers of First Things probably know this already, but heres a follow up on a story from earlier this year. In February, archaeologists confirmed that they had discovered the remains of King Richard III beneath a parking lot in Leicester. Richard died in battle at Bosworth Field in August 1485; the Tudor victors gave him a rather unceremonious burial in what was then a local abbey. Richard will now be re-interred in Leicesters Anglican cathedral, most likely next May. Back in February, some Catholics objected that Richard, who was Catholic, should by rights be buried in a Catholic ceremony in a Catholic sanctuary. According to the Law and Religion UK blog, however, the Catholic Church in the UK will not insist. The Catholic Bishop of Nottingham states:
The Bishop is pleased that the body of King Richard III has been found under the site of Greyfriars Church in Leicester, in which it was buried following the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, and that it will be reinterred with dignity in the city where he has lain for over five hundred years......
(Excerpt) Read more at firstthings.com ...
The guy just can’t catch a break.
“Richard III was a member of the Church of England, which happened to be allied with Rome at his death, and later, broke with Rome.”
False. The Catholic Church in England was not “allied” with the Catholic Church. It was part of it. It also never broke with the Catholic Church. The SECULAR government of England seized control of the Church in England - its property, its money, its officials and killed those who resisted.
“Its perfectly fit and proper, and legal, that her majestys government and the Church of England inter his remains as they see fit.”
BS. Richard III was not Anglican. He was Catholic his entire life. No secular government should decide against the religious rights of any man. Richard would never have wanted to be buried by a schismatic or heretical sect.
Thank you. The fiction that the Church in England organically grew out of English soil and is not the progeny Rome is pure fiction. It’s also fiction to ignore the murder and theft who h produced the CoE.
What say the Reverend Jesse Jackson and the Reverend Al Sharpton?
The Apostolic Succession of the Bishops of the C of E according to the Roman Catholic POV, did not end abruptly, but rather slowly faded with Henry VIII's successors, had a major comeback with Mary Tudor, and then died out for good.
Many Catholic clergy took the King's Oath, a good number did not. Fascinating chapter in the History of Religion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vicar_of_Bray_%28song%29#Text_and_melody
Satirical perhaps, but an accurate reflection of the way many "practical" churchmen handled the shifting religious tides and fashions!
“Oddly enough, Thomas Cranmer, author of The Book of Common Prayer, was named Archbishop of Canterbury by the Pope.”
False. He was named Archbishop of Canterbury by Henry VIII October 1st 1532.
He got his Masters in Arts, and was kicked out of Jesus College for marrying. After his wife died, he was reinstated and ordained in 1520.
He got his doctorate in 1526. The pope never elevated him from the priesthood to the episcopy.
Richie was Catholic and should be buried as such in a Catholic ceremony, not in a priestess led CoE ceremony.
Besides Shakespeare's play (which is one of my favorites -- the opening soliloquoy I can still recite in my sleep) historical snippets show that Richie was a pretty good king (as, incidently, also was Macbeth)
well, it probably mattered to Richard III that he would not be getting his last rites by a CoE priestess/vicaress
Why not? It's just a database entry.
Fact: On March 30, 1533, he (Cranmer) became Archbishop of Canterbury, and forced (for a time) to hide his married state. Once his appointment was approved by the Pope, Cranmer declared King Henry's marriage to Catherine void, and four months later married him to Anne Boleyn. In 1536 it was Anne Boleyns marriage that was declared invalid, then Anne of Cleves 1540, then Catherine Howard. As King Henry divorces his many wives, Cranmer continued to be warmly supported by King Henry.
....in 1532, William Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury, died. Thomas Cranmer replaced him. The death of Warham was lucky for Henry as he could put one of his own men forward as a replacement. Unlike Warham, Cranmer was in favour of the divorce. He had also played a part in roaming Western Europe finding theology academics who he could bribe so that they would support the king. He was also a member of the Boleyn faction so there can be little doubt that Anne supported his appointment. However, his appointment needed the approval of the Pope. As Cranmer was only an ordained priest and held no major positions of responsibility within the Church, the Pope would have been within his right to reject the nomination. However, Cranmers nomination was accepted.
I did say "oddly enough." All was now in place to push through the divorce. The Act in Restraint of Appeals had been passed and Henry could now guarantee that any body headed by Cranmer created to discuss the divorce would support the king.
In brief: The Pope officially made Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury. It is also rumored that Cranmer "died Catholic," confessing to, and accepting the Last Rites from a Roman Catholic priest.
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/thomas_cromwell_divorce.htm
Lest we on this site be accused of being "Gender- Normative," Patriarchal," or heaven forfend "Hierarchical," permit me to suggest that the rites be conducted by a lesbian bishop who is in a stable relationship, preferably having undergone some sort of C of E ceremony to "sanctify the relationship."
Blessèd as I undoubtedly am with politically correct hindsight, I am sure King Richie, a thoroughly modern guy, woulda wanted it that way.
Good king? He wasn’t even supposed to be king. He was supposed to tend the throne until his brother’s kids got old enough. Instead he had the kids declared illegitimate, crowned himself, and the kids were never seen again. Sounds like a real bastard to me.
Sorry, you're historically wrong
The great monasteries supported the poor and this action of Henry resulted in the great uprising in the North from 1535 to 1537 (the Pilgrimage of Grace) -- so Henry's move was an elite move just like ObamaCare.
Considering the Anglicans are an extention of the Catholic Church.
Richard wouldn’t recognize the modernized Catholic Mass anyway. Perhaps a priest can say a private Requiem for him in the Traditional rite, or the Sarum rite(the rite used in England, and very close in most essentials to the Divine Liturgy of St. Gregory the Great).
All the more reason to have the Mass said for his soul. If he was lucky enough to make it to Purgatory, he needs it!
Exactly so. He needed the cash so he took it. There will be a reckoning.
Perhaps we shall. In any case, he needs to be interred in a Catholic cemetary and given the proper funeral.
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