GAVAN, JOHN, BL.

Jesuit priest and martyr; b. London, England, 1640;d. hanged, drawn, and quartered at Tyburn (London), June 20, 1679. Affectionately called "Angel", Gavan studied at the Jesuit college at St-Omer, Flanders, before his entrance into the Society of Jesus at Watten (September 7, 1660). Prior to his ordination (1670), he studied philosophy at Liège and theology at Rome. Upon returning to England (1671), he ministered fruitfully for eight years in Staffordshire, until he was implicated by Stephen Dugdale in the fictitious Titus Oates Plot to kill the king. When a bounty of 50 pounds was placed on his head, he planned to escape to the Continent disguised as a servant. He was discovered in the imperial ambassador's stables, arrested on Jan. 23, 1679, and imprisoned at the Gatehouse (London), then at Newgate Prison.

During his trial at the Old Bailey with Frs. Thomas whitbread, Antony turner, William harcourt, and John fenwick, he served at spokesman. They were found guilty of high treason based on perjured testimony with the judge's prodding of the jury. On the gallows he again protested his innocence, then said: "I am contented to undergo an ignominious death for the love of you, my dear Jesus, seeing you have been pleased to undergo an ignominious death for the love of me." He was beatified by Pius XI on Dec. 15, 1929.

Feast of the English Martyrs: May 4 (England); December 1 (Jesuits).

See Also: england, scotland, and wales, martyrs of.

Bibliography: r. challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, ed. j. h. pollen (rev. ed. London 1924; repr. Farnborough 1969). j. h. pollen, Acts of English Martyrs (London 1891). j. n. tylenda, Jesuit Saints & Martyrs (Chicago 1998) 179–81.

[k. i. rabenstein]