OUR DIOCESE AND DEANERY

Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour

THE DIOCESE OF HALLAM

Formed in May 1980 after the division of the Dioceses of Leeds and Nottingham, the Diocese of Hallam consists of the County of South Yorkshire, parts of the High Peak and Chesterfield Districts of Derbyshire, and the District of Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire under the patronage of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, who's feast day is celebrated as a Solemnity in the Diocese each year on 27 June.

Our Bishop is the Right Reverend Ralph Heskett C.Ss.R.

Our Cathedral Church is St Marie in the city of Sheffield.

THE PADLEY MARTYRS DEANERY

On 12 July 1588, Robert Ludlam and fellow priest Nicholas Garlick were arrested at Padley, home of Catholic, John Fitzherbert. The raid was made for the purpose of arresting Fitzherbert. In Derby Gaol, the two Fathers met with another priest, Richard Simpson, who had been earlier condemned to death but had been granted a reprieve, either, as stated by most sources, including Richard Challoner, because he had given some hope that he would attend a Protestant service, or, as suggested by Garrett Sweeney, because the Queen may have given orders to halt the persecution of priests in order to remove the threat of invasion from Spain. Whether or not Fr. Simpson was wavering, it is certain that he remained firm after his meeting with Fr. Garlick and Fr. Ludlam. The three priests were tried on 23 July 1588, were found guilty of treason, and were sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered. The sentence was carried out the next day, at St. Mary's Bridge, in Derby. Fr. Ludlam was the last of the three to be executed, and, according to eyewitnesses, stood smiling while the execution of Fr. Garlick was being carried out, and continued to smile when his
own turn came.

His last words, and the only words of his that are recorded, were Venite benedicti Dei ("Come, you blessed of God"), which he uttered just before he was thrown off the ladder.

Robert Ludlam, Nicholas Garlick, and Richard Simpson were declared Venerable in 1888, and were among the eighty-five martyrs of England and Wales beatified (declared Blessed) by St. Pope John Paul II on 22 November 1987.

The Annual Diocesan Pilgrimage to Padley
takes place on the Sunday closest to 12 July.
Mass usually Commences at 3.30pm.

Below are some images of Padley Chapel
situated near Grindleford in the Derbyshire Peak District.