From Eusebius’ Enchiridion, p202
Fr AQUINAS successfully confirmed Catholics in the faith, & won some back from heresy.
He was captured in the home of recent converts. The Puritans searched the house & prepared to burn it. Fr Thomas, came out & surrendered. He was beaten, carried to Drogheda, & cast into prison. He bore all well, meditating on the Apostle's words ‘I am apprehended by the Lord.”[1]
Among the prisoners was the guardian of Drogheda’s Franciscans. He helped Fr Thomas procure the Order's habit. He confessed to the friar, celebrated Mass daily, fortifying himself with the bread of the Strong. The remainder of the day he comforted & encouraged Catholic Prisoners.
He devoted the night to prayer; fasted & chastised his body, to detach it from love of this life, lest it should endanger his spirit. He besought the Blessed Mother & all heavenly citizens to help him.
Early on the 6th of July, a message came from the Governor[2] that he was condemned to hang within an hour. Fr Thomas thanked God, confessed again, & prepared for death. He took leave of his fellows, implored assistance of their prayers, & resigned himself into the hands of the Puritans. They let him keep his religious habit. Holding a crucifix & rosary, he went to execution, joyously chanting the Litany of the Blessed Virgin.
The heretics sought to persuade him but were repulsed. ‘Rather return,’ he said, ‘to the old faith taught by the Apostles.’
A minister told him he could have a choice of offices in the army. To this offer Fr Thomas answered that his duty was not to hesitate to die for the faith.
Enroute the Father was met by a woman condemned to death. Being promised pardon on condition of renouncing her religion, she was tempted to apostatize; but a few earnest words from Fr Thomas confirmed her in the faith, with the result that, having made public profession of the true faith, she cheerfully faced her doom.
Fr Thomas ascended the scaffold, professing the faith and urging all to contend for it manfully unto death.
The Commander ordered the executioner to hasten. The rope snapped letting Fr Thomas fall. The Catholics attributed this to divine intervention. When he revived, the Commander again ordered him to mount the scaffold, he ascended, & appealed to the officer to state the cause for which he was condemned to die, protesting that he had committed no crime.
The Puritan replied: ‘Why do you ask of me the cause of your condemnation; are you not a Papist, a priest, and a monk?’
‘It is so; it is enough,’ the priest replied ‘Let it therefore appear to all men that I die for the Catholic faith & the religious profession, for which I also die gladly.’
The confessor’s body was interred in the cemetery adjoining the Augustinian convent.
God caused a brilliant heavenly light to shine over the grave the following night. The light was visible to the Soldiers, & many others. The soldiers went forty strong, to the spot where they thought the light appeared. In the cemetery they saw no one; all was utter darkness; they were terrified, & fled. They saw it again when they returned to their station.
The Captain himself next proceeded with 50 men, finding the same utter darkness. He immediately fled.
The next morning he visited the grave, & found the body. He stripped it of the white mantle & scapular, & went about relating his experience of the night.
Another soldier took away the crucifix, which he refused to sell for any price, declaring that he'd cherish it all his life.
[1] Phil. ii.12 [2] Lord Moore of Mellifont. DAlton’s H. of Drogheda 1.226
