Saint John Ogilvie, sj

     

Born in Scotland in 1580, John Ogilvie was raised as a Calvinist. In 1560, the Scottish Reformation had banned Catholicism.
He was educated by German Benedictines in Regensburg - or Ratisbon - ( Bavaria ), in Olmütz and Brünn ( Moravia ).


He was received into the Church at seventeen in Louvain ( now Belgium ). Becoming a Jesuit, he was ordained in 1610 in Paris. At his own request, he was sent in 1613 to Scotland, then a perillous destination for Catholics.


During nine months, mostly in Edinburgh and Glasgow, he reconcilied many with the Church. He was betrayed in Glasgow. During his long imprisonment he was tortured, but never named any Catholics. He was hanged at Glasgow on 16th March 1615.

He was beatified in 1929 by Pius XI, and canonized in 1976 by Paul VI.