St. Nicholas Owen Fun for Kids

The Actor hiding in his priest hole.

Did you know that there is a St. Nicholas, other than the one who fills shoes during Advent?  This Nicholas was the Englishman St. Nicholas Owen, a lay Jesuit who protected priests during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I.  He is almost always a Lenten saint, except for the few times Easter falls on his feast day, March 22nd.  (That's not very often; the last time it happened was in 1818, and it won't happen again until 2285!)

St. Nicholas lived in England during a very difficult time for Catholics.  It was illegal to practice the Catholic faith, and any priest caught saying Mass, or anyone protecting them, was arrested and often killed. Nevertheless, many priests continued to celebrate Mass in private homes.  If the authorities arrived, the priests would need places to hide, sometimes for days while the property was searched.  St. Nicholas Owen built hiding places, called priest holes or hides, for them.  St. Nicholas often built hides that not only concealed the priests, but also had a way for the priests to get food.  They were ingenious enough that often the authorities couldn't find the hides, so well were they built into the structure of the house.  St. Nicholas always prayed before beginning a hide, which is why his hiding places were so inspired!

St. Nicholas was eventually caught and martyred in 1606.  He protected the Catholic community even after his arrest, as the authorities were unable to make him reveal any of the secrets of the underground network of Catholics.  It is said that he knew enough information to bring down the entire English Catholic church.

Here are some ways to introduce this fascinating saint to your family and celebrate his feast day!

Play hide and seek:  Why not have a game of hide and seek?  The Catholic with the best priest hole (hiding spot) wins!

Build a Priest Hole:  Ever make forts out of boxes, furniture, and blankets?  Same idea, but build the fort and then add places for faithful priests to hide!

Serve Afternoon Tea:  St. Nicholas Owen was English, so take the opportunity to introduce your children to an English custom.  Serve small pastries, finger sandwiches, scones with jam, and of course tea!  A tip:  If your kids are like mine and prone to climbing the walls, make sure that the tea is decaffeinated. 

St. Nicholas Owen, pray for us!

Carolyn