Robert Dibdale facts for kids
Robert Dibdale (also known as Debdale) was an English Catholic priest who lived around 1556 to 1586. He is remembered as a martyr, which means he died for his religious beliefs.
Early Life and Studies
Robert Dibdale was born in a village called Shottery in Warwickshire, England. This village is close to Stratford-upon-Avon, where William Shakespeare was born. Robert's family, including his brother Richard and two sisters, Joan and Agnes, were Catholic. Some historians think Robert might have gone to the same school as William Shakespeare.
At this time in England, being a Catholic priest was against the law. Because of this, many young men who wanted to become priests had to leave England to study. Around 1576, Robert went abroad to study in places like Louvain and Rome. He then went to the English College in Rheims, France, arriving in 1579.
Becoming a Priest
In 1580, Robert Dibdale returned to England, but he had not yet become a priest. He was immediately arrested when he arrived in Dover and was sent to a prison called the Gatehouse. While he was in prison, his father sent him food and money. Robert was released from prison in 1582.
After his release, Robert went back to the English College in Rheims in 1583. He was ordained as a priest in Rheims Cathedral on March 31, 1584. This meant he had completed his training and was now a Catholic priest.
Ministry and Arrest
In August 1584, Robert Dibdale returned to England again. To avoid being caught, he used a different name, "Palmer." He worked as a chaplain, which is like a private priest, at a place called Denham Manor in Buckinghamshire. The family who lived there, the Peckhams, were also Catholic and helped hide priests.
However, on July 24, 1586, Robert was arrested in London. He was first held at a prison called the Counter and then moved to Newgate Prison.
Martyrdom
In 1585, a new law had been passed in England that made it a very serious crime to be a Catholic priest in the country. Because of this law, Robert Dibdale was sentenced to death. On October 8, 1586, he was executed at a place called Tyburn in London. Two other priests, John Adams and John Lowe, were executed on the same day.
Many years later, on November 22, 1987, Pope John Paul II declared Robert Dibdale, along with the other two priests, to be "Blessed." This is an important step in the Catholic Church towards being recognized as a saint.
In 1998, the Catholic church in Robert Dibdale's home village of Shottery was rededicated in his honor. It is now called the Church of Our Lady of Peace and Blessed Robert Dibdale.
See also
| Stages of Canonization in the Catholic Church |
|---|
| Servant of God → Venerable → Blessed → Saint |
