Fr Ben Garren

Dear Siblings in Christ,

What is a Holy Death?

A bishop’s body is afloat upon the sea amidst the Solomon Islands. Resting on a cushion of palm leaves, a ceremonial branch of honor placed in his hands, safely held within a canoe crafted by the local indigenous people. He had spent years with them, learned over twenty of their tongues, gave up friends and family to live and die amidst them. The body was cared for and honored by the people he evangelized but his death was also at their hands.

During his time amidst them, slavers had come to their shores again and again. He had worked, pleaded with the colonial government to do more to stop this now illegal trade but the resources were thin, and the slavers continued to ravage the indigenous communities. Many say he died at the hands of those who mistook him for a slaver scout, there had been raids just a few days before up the coast. When they realized their mistake, they gave him all the honor in death they could. Is this a Holy Death?

During his time amidst them he ran indigenous boarding schools. Children were taken from their parents to schools many islands away. Some say that a group of indigenous elders, enraged that a generation of children were being stolen, killed him. Another group of elders, ones grateful for his ministry with them, gave him all the honor in death they could. Is this a Holy Death?  

During his time amidst them he gave gifts and help to the indigenous people with no regard to local custom and hierarchy. He was known to empower the work and leadership of women and critique the patriarchal culture at play in many of the communities. Another group believes a group of powerful men had him murdered for daring to question their authority. Then those he had empowered found him, gave him all the honor in death they could. Is this a Holy Death?

John Coleridge Patterson’s body is afloat upon the Solomon Sea. Resting on a cushion of palm leaves, a ceremonial branch of honor placed in his hands, safely held within a canoe crafted by the local indigenous people. Far away in the North Sea, on the British Isles, those long fighting for the basic rights of indigenous persons have a story of how our failure to value and protect indigenous persons led to the death of a bishop. This story brings about the first major political successes of those who longed for the English Empire to see indigenous individuals as fully human. That, amidst whatever else, is the holy working through death.  

Peace,
Ben