St. Thomas More has been so aptly described as a gentleman, scholar, humanist, man of the world, devoted husband and father, Lord Chancellor of England, martyr, and canonized saint. He was born in London in 1478. His father was a respected lawyer and judge who steered his son in the same direction. Thomas More worked as a page in the household of the Archbishop of Canterbury, John Cardinal Morton, who was Lord Chancellor during the reign of Henry VII.

The Cardinal recognized More's exceptional talent and sent him to Oxford. John More wanted his son to start law studies and transferred him to Lincoln's Inn. He was admitted to the bar in 1501 and three years later became a member of Parliament.

Thomas More developed a deep spirituality while living with the Cathusian monks and would have joined their ranks, or become a Franciscan friar, but he decided to marry. He maintained some of the ascetical practices he had learned from the Cathusians and wore a scratchy hair-shirt for the rest of his life, a relic still treasured.

In 1504, he married Jane Colt, not to hurt her feelings, although he actually preferred her younger sister. But the marriage was a happy one and they had four children, three girls and a boy. The family prayed together, and played together, a joyous home. Thomas had a sense of humor and kept it right up to his execution. He saw to it that his children received a good education. His guests were for the most part the poor of the neighborhood.

Thomas was sincerely concerned with humanity at large. In his "Utopia", a briliiant yet gently satirical critique of the state of affairs in Europe in 1516, he expressed an amazing sympathy for the unfortunate victims of the social system, people without property, without rights. In his ideal state there are no class distinctions, no slaves; all men are free, workers, students.

When Henry VIII became king, More's fortunes rose. He was made Undersheriff of London. His success was darkened, however, by the death of his wife, whom he loved dearly. Shortly, he married a widow seven years his senior to care for his children. She fulfilled that role very well although she was a bit of a shrew.

He continued to rise in public life but Henry insisted on having More's services at the court. He reluctantly accepted and in 1529 he was made Lord Chancellor. He did not trust Henry and resigned when the King declared himself head of the Church of England. He resignation was not accepted, and the King sought More's advice and help in the matter of his divorce from Catherine of Aragon. More expressed his opposition, and although he was allowed to hold his own opinion, things like this could not continue, and More's resignation was accepted.

A series of events led to his arrest and imprisonment on the charge of treason, and after a long and bitter imprisonment he was executed on June 22, 1535. He joked with the headsman, rewarding him to do an efficient job. Thomas More's head was impaled on London Bridge. He was canonized in 1935.