Blessed William Ward

Also known as

• William Webster

Memorial

• 12 April

Profile

Raised Protestant. Teacher. Travelled to Spain with a Catholic friend, and there joined the Church. Back home, he converted his mother. Repeatedly imprisoned for professing his faith. At 40 he went to Belgium to study for the priesthood. Ordained. Took the name Father William Ward. Travelled to Scotland where he was immediately thrown into prison for three years. He worked the next 30 years in and around London, secretly ministering to the Catholic population and the poor in general. Frequently jailed or banished. Eventually betrayed by a priest-hunter and thrown into Newgate Prison. Martyred, uttering the words: “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, receive my soul!”

Born

• c.1560 in England as William Webster

Died

• hanged, drawn, and quartered on 26 July 1641 at Tyburn, London, England

Venerated

• 8 December 1929 by Pope Pius XI

Beatified

• 15 December 1929 by Pope Pius XI

Canonized

• if you have information relevant to the canonization of Blessed William, contact
     Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales
     39 Eccleston Square
     London SW1V 1BX, UNITED KINGDOM

Additional Information

• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• Catholic News Agency
• Hagiography Circle
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints

MLA Citation

• “Blessed William Ward“. Saints.SQPN.com. 14 April 2013. Web. 19 May 2013. <>