Who is Saint Thomas More?

Our Newman Center is named after him, but who is he?

​He was born into a prominent London family on ​February 7th, ​1478​. As a young boy he attended Catholic school. In 1492 he went to university at Oxford in England. In 1494 he became a lawyer. He became a member of parliament involved in the political activity of his country. He married and had 4 children. He was a defender of the Catholic Faith in England.​ He was knighted and worked as a member of the royal staff of King Henry VIII as his chancellor. When King Henry VIII was deciding to break away from the Catholic Church, Thomas could not support the king's decision. Thomas chose to resign from his position as the king's chancellor. King Henry wanted to divorce his wife Catherine and Thomas would not support his action. He was pressured, but did not sign an Oath​ declaring ​Ann Bo​leyn the new queen.​ King Henry had self-granted​ an a​n​nulment from​ his first wife ​Catherine​ and made himself the head of his newly founded Church of England​. Thomas refused to support the king's action and was locked in the tower of London as a result of his refusal. He was put to death by beheading on July 6th, ​1535​. We celebrate his feast day on June 22​ as a martyr of the Catholic Faith​.​ ​He is the patron saint of adopted children, lawyers, civil servants, politicians, and difficult marriages.