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Blessed Thaddeus McCarthy

Blessed Thaddeus McCarthy Also known as

Tadhg MacCarthy
Taddeo Machar
White Martyr of Munster

25 October

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Son of the Lord of Muskerry, Ireland; grandson of the Lord of Kerry, Ireland. Educated by the Franciscans at Timoleague,at the University of Paris, and in Rome, Italy. Priest. Bishop of Ross, Ireland in 1482; when he arrived in Ross he found that Bishop Hugh O’Driscoll was still alive and holding the see. Because of the political intrigues of the time, and the fact that people were not above falsley reporting the bishop‘s death0 or sending an imposter to take his place, years of disputes broke out over the appointment, and Thaddeus never did assume his position. At one point he was excommunicated by Pope Sixtus IV, had the excommunication confirmed by Pope Innocent VIII, and charged with fraud; he was cleared of all charges, civil and ecclesiastic, and the excommunition revoked.

Bishop of Cork and Cloyne, Ireland on 21 April 1490. When he arrived he found that locals had chosen Gerald FitzGerald as bishop, and for political reasons there were armed supporters in the cathedral to prevent Thaddeus from assuming control. Thaddeus appealed to the Pope, and had his support, but without armed supporters he travelled for a while as a pilgrim to holy sites. He died while on the road. The title White Martyr of Munster commemorates the mental and physical anguish he suffered while trying to do the Church‘s work.

Born

c.1455 in County Cork, Ireland

Died

25 October 1492 in a pilgrim‘s hostel at Ivrea, Italy of natural causes
the hostel warden found him deceased but surrounded by light
Bishop Nicholas Garigliatti had a dream of Thaddeus’s death and ascension to heaven, and came to collect the body, which would have otherwise been given a pauper‘s burial as the man was an unknown pilgrim
buried in the cathedral of Ivrea
miracles reported at the tomb
body found incorrupt when the tomb was opened in 1742, but later deteriorated
some relics enshrined in the Cathedral of Saint Mary and Saint Anne in Cork, Ireland
some relics enshrined in the Cathedral of Saint Colman, Cobh, Ireland
some relics enshrined in the Church of Saint Mary, Youghal, Ireland