John Hewitt
English Roman Catholic priest and martyr
Who they were
John Hewett (alias Weldon), son of a York family, studied at Cambridge and Reims. Captured and banished, he returned after ordination, was exiled again, and was then arrested on a false charge by the Earl of Leicester and sent back to England.
Charged with receiving ordination from Rome and coming to minister in England, he was executed at Mile End Green in October 1588.
The miracles
As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
A priest who kept returning to England until he gave his life there.
The cause
The cause continues. No postulation address is published here yet. Favours received through this person’s intercession, and offers of help, are best sent to the religious order or congregation they belonged to, or to the diocese where the cause was opened; either will pass them to the postulation.
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - John Hewett
- Wikidata Q6239154 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — John Hewitt (priest, died 1588) (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.