St. Thomas on Being Quiet

The film, A Man for All Seasons, teaches us that silence has meaning. In fact silence can mean different things, sometimes at the same time, and there is something for Catholics to learn in regard to being quiet.

Let me explain. In the film St. Thomas More is at odds with King Henry VIII. This is because Thomas More will not ratify the King’s annulment and his appointment of himself as head of the Church. Pope Clement would not grant King Henry an annulment of his marriage to Catharine of Aragon so that he can marry Anne Boleyn. To get around this King Henry declares himself Supreme Head of the Church. The bishops and Parliament accede to the king's demands and renounce all allegiance to the Pope and make Henry the head of the Church.

Thomas More cannot condone the King’s actions and resigns as Lord Chancellor of England. The King then circulates an oath that recognizes himself as Head of the Church; all must sign under penalty of treason. St. Thomas will not sign the oath but does he speak against the King. He simply remains Silent.

Thomas is brought to trial and is asked to take the oath. Instead he states that he wishes to remain silent and cites his silence as part of his defense, based upon the legal principle that silence is to be interpreted as consent. So we see that Thomas’ silence was really not consent - but what about us ? What does our silence convey ?

Do we remain silent when societal pressures try to make us accept what we should not accept as Catholics ? If our conscience tells us to speak out against something we feel is wrong or sinful, are we quiet ? There are all sorts of pressures from society to do as the majority does, to go along with the program, to be politically correct, to behave as expected because it is expedient. Suppose someone approaches you and says they belong to Catholics for Choice. You could say; “Well you must be mistaken as Catholics are for Life.” Or you could say that an organization calling itself Catholics for Choice is analogous to one saying that they are ‘Jews for National Socialism’. There are no Catholics for choice; but will you say it ?

If your conscience allows you to remain quiet then you must follow it. Otherwise you should speak up. In that regard A Man for All Seasons has one more admonition for us to do what is right: the Duke of Norfolk tells Thomas that everyone has signed the King’s oath. He asks Thomas if he can’t just go along and sign for ‘fellowship’, St. Thomas replies : ‘And when we die, and you are sent to heaven for doing your conscience, and I am sent to hell for not doing mine, will you come with me, for fellowship?"

Cromwell presided at St. Thomas’ trial where he was found guilty and sentenced to death. At his execution Thomas More declares, "I die his Majesty's good servant, but God's first."

<><>,The First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians:2 [5]  ‘That your faith might not stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God’