Blessed Thomas Reynolds

Thomas Reynolds (c. 1562 – 21 January 1642), born Thomas Green (possible alias during priestly ministry, Richard Reynolds), was an English Reformation Catholic priest and martyr. Reynolds place of birth is not clear, possibly Warwickshire, more likely Oxfordshire. In keeping with the necessity of the times, he left England to study for the priesthood on the continent, initially going to Reims before continuing his studies from September 1590 in the English College, Valladolid as one of its first students, and finally at another newly founded Jesuit institution, the English College of St Gregory in Seville. He was ordained a priest there in 1592. He made his way to England where he ministered to the Catholic community until his arrest in 1606 in the wave of anti-Catholic measures that were taken following the Gunpowder Plot of November 1605. Whilst the duration of his early years of ministry reflected the slightly less difficult times for Catholics during that period, the Gunpowder Plot changed the atmosphere making it far more hostile. He was one of the priests who were fortunate to just be exiled from England rather than martyred in response to the Plot. He soon returned to England and once more set about ministering to Catholics in secret. This he continued for about twenty years until he was arrested in 1628. He was put on trial and condemned to death, but given a reprieve at the behest of the Queen, Henrietta Maria, originally of France, a Catholic. Though imprisoned he was kept under relatively mild conditions which included being allowed to receive visitors readily. Because of that, many Catholics visited him, not only to offer him care and support but also for his spiritual guidance and the sacraments. In 1635 he was one of a number of priests who would pay a bond and then be released from prison, which allowed him to minister to the local Catholic population in London on a regular basis.