St. Godfrey of Merville

Godfrey of Merville was a franciscan priest and one of the nineteen Martyrs of Gorkum. He died with his companions at Brielle on July 9, 1572. His traditional birth date is 1512.

The Martyrs of Gorkum (Dutch: Martelaren van Gorcum) were a group of 19 Catholic clerics, secular and religious, in the Netherlands. They were hanged on 9 July 1572 in the town of Brielle by militant Calvinists during the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule.
Given the chance to save their lives by renouncing Catholic teachings, the 19 men refused. The martyrs were beatified in 1675 and canonized in 1867. Today the martyrs are widely revered by Catholics in the Netherlands.

Their feast is July 9. This individual profile is part of the shared remembrance of the nineteen martyrs, whose witness is linked to fidelity to the Eucharist and communion with the Catholic Church.

Shared witness

This profile remembers one member of the Martyrs of Gorkum. Their shared story is presented on the group profile.

Prayer

St. Godfrey of Merville, pray for us before Jesus Christ. Ask him to strengthen our faith, grant us patience in trials, and teach us to forgive. Help us respond to suffering with compassion and serve our neighbors with courage. Bring our intentions before him according to his holy will. Amen.

Sources

Historical and ecclesial reference: St. Godfrey of Merville — source.

Biographical text adapted from Wikipedia contributors: Martyrs of Gorkum, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Contributor history. Selected and reformatted; the adapted text retains the same license.