St. Henry Morse, SJ (1 February): Hero of the Plague Years | Butler's Lives of the Saints

About this sermon

St Henry Morse SJ (also known as Henry Morris) was one of the greatest Jesuit martyrs of England — a fearless priest who ministered during persecution, imprisonment, exile, and plague, and ultimately gave his life for Christ on February 1, 1645. Born in East Anglia in 1595 and raised Protestant, Henry Morse converted to Catholicism while studying law in London. Fleeing England, he was baptized in France and later ordained a priest in Rome in 1624. Returning to England as a missionary priest, he was repeatedly arrested, imprisoned, exiled, and hunted by the authorities. During the Great Plague of London (1636–1637), Father Morse heroically visited over 400 Catholic and Protestant families, bringing both spiritual and material aid. His charity was so powerful that over 100 Anglican families were reconciled to the Catholic Church. He contracted the plague three times and survived each time — returning immediately to serve the sick. A Jesuit in spirit and vows, St Henry Morse made his novitiate in prison, sharing a cell with another Jesuit priest. After years of clandestine ministry, multiple arrests, daring escapes, and exile, he was finally condemned as a repeat offender for being a Catholic priest in England. On the day of his execution at Tyburn, Father Henry Morse calmly proclaimed that he died only for his religion and for the good of his fellow citizens. He prayed for his persecutors and for England before being hanged on February 1, 1645. He is honored among the English Martyrs, a witness to priestly courage, charity in plague, and unwavering fidelity to the Catholic Faith. 📿 St Henry Morse SJ, pray for us. 00:00 – Introduction: Lives of the Saints 00:20 – February 1: St Henry Morse SJ 00:24 – Birth in East Anglia & Protestant upbringing 00:36 – Conversion to Catholicism & flight to France 00:46 – Studies in Rome & priestly ordination (1624) 00:54 – Return to England & first arrest 01:08 – Jesuit vocation & novitiate in prison 01:28 – Exile to Flanders & missionary work 01:38 – Secret return to England under an alias 01:48 – Ministry during the Great Plague of London 02:08 – Conversions through charity & mercy 02:17 – Contracting the plague three times 02:28 – Arrest & trial for being a priest 02:52 – Release through royal intervention 03:00 – Royal proclamation & second exile 03:16 – Return to England & years in hiding 03:25 – Arrest while visiting the sick 03:36 – Daring escape & recapture 03:53 – Trial as a repeat offender 04:06 – Final Mass before execution 04:13 – Martyrdom at Tyburn 05:05 – Relics of Blessed Henry Morse https://sensusfidelium.com/the-lives-of-the-fathers-martyrs-and-other-principal-saints/february/ Get Butler's Lives of the Saints here: https://loretopublications.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=102&url=1 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 🙏🏻PLEASE HELP OUR CHANNEL GROW 🙏🏻 ▶ 1. Become a Channel Patron: https://www.patreon.com/SensusFidelium ▶ 2. Visit the website https://www.sensusfidelium.com for Gueranger, Saint of the Day, Apologetics, Meditation by the Saints, Scripture Study and more. ▶ 3. Subscribe to Other Video Platforms 🔴 BitChute --- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium/ 🔴 Rumble --- https://rumble.com/c/c-298311 🔴 My Catholic Tube - https://mycatholictube.com/videos/sensus-fidelium-channel/ 🔴 LBRY.tv --- https://lbry.tv/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 ODYSEE - https://odysee.com/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 GloriaTV - https://gloria.tv/Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 Brighteon - https://www.brighteon.com/channels/sensusfidelium ▶ 4. Paypal, Bitcoin, Anedot, Stripe, Square & PO Box donations - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ ▶ 5. YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 ▶ 6. Please share this video 📲, and help others find Christ inside the Catholic Church! Please share this video on Facebook and Twitter using the share button. ▶ 7. Follow on Social Media: 🔴 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SensusFidelium/ 🔴 Twitter: https://https://twitter.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Parler: https://parler.com/profile/Sensusfidelium/posts 🔴 SP3RN: https://www.sp3rn.com/community/pages/14-sensus-fidelium 🔴 GAB: https://gab.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Bastyon: https://bastyon.com/sensusfidelium 🔴 GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/sensus_fidelium 🔴 INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sensusfidelium/ 🔴 Telegram: https//t.me/RealSensusFidelium 🔴 Truth Social - @SensusFidelium ▶ 8. Follow on iTunes: 🔴 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sensus-fidelium-catholic-podcast/id1477010758 #StHenryMorse #EnglishMartyrs #CatholicSaints #JesuitMartyr #CatholicHistory #FaithUnderPersecution #February1Saint #TyburnMartyrs