Friday 28 October 2011

A modern saint?

Looking at the readings for All Saints day led me to ponder once more whether there are any modern saints anywhere in the pipe line....most of us know one or two who will never be recognised by the church either of England or Rome but apart from Mother Teresa no one really came to mind so I  indulged in a spot of googling!
That brought up the name of a man born in Cumbria early in the century. John Bradburne was the son of an Anglican priest who converted to Rome and then became a Fransiscan who adopted the role of pilgrim with no means of support other than what people gave him in his travels...Having spent most of his life on t this pilgrimage. he then settled in Zimbabwe where he looked after a leper colony, taking care of the children and still maintaining a wonderful Christian sprit of joy and praise..
He was martyred during the civil unrest there so he ticks all the boxes. I had never heard of him before today but I am sure many of you are already conversant with  this man and his life. He wrote poetry as he travelled and leaves a legacy of joy with all those he met.
I am just glad that the spirit of the first Christians is still alive and well and hope there are more possible Christians living amongst us who will achieve sainthood in due course..
Not me though...I could not  cope with the pain!

1 comment:

UKViewer said...

I suspect that there are many millions more, but whose lives and deaths, live only in the hearts and minds of those who loved them.

Just thinking of persecuted Christians killed in Iraq and Egypt for a starter. Whether that counts as martyrdom, I'm not sure. But if they lived in faith and died for it. it should do.

It's good to have a life to relate to, but sometimes just praying for All Saints is all we have.