Jesuits dedicate house to 17th century martyr

The Provincial of the British Jesuits has maintained a Jesuit tradition by dedicating the Province's Clapham residence to St Thomas Garnet SJ. The house in Windmill Drive, London SW4, was acquired by the British Province in 2001 from the Sisters of Notre Dame. Since then, it has been the Scholastic Residence, housing students from several Jesuit Provinces. At present, six of the eight residents are from overseas. Acting Superior, Father Frank Turner SJ, said he was delighted that the Clapham Residence would be known as Garnet House from now on, and called St Thomas Garnet "one of the British Province's greatest spiritual influences". "Garnet was born three miles from here, in Southwark, and was martyred for the Faith at Tyburn," says Fr Turner. "He was a person of rare and costly commitment to the Gospel, and his life is a great example to the Jesuit students (Scholastics) from the various provinces who are living here." Thomas Garnet studied for the priesthood at St Omer in Flanders and Valladolid, Spain. Initially ordained as a secular priest, he joined the Jesuits in 1604 and worked to advance the Catholic cause in Warwick until his arrest in 1606. He was exiled after months of torture but returned in 1607 and was soon arrested again and executed. Garnet was canonized in 1970 and is included among the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. Thomas Garnet was the son of Richard Garnet, an Oxford don, and nephew of Henry Garnet, superior of the English Jesuits. Source: Jesuit Communications Office