James Fenn was a 16th-century English Catholic priest who was executed for his religious convictions. Born around 1540 in Somerset, he was a scholar at Oxford but lost his degree after refusing to swear the Oath of Supremacy to Queen Elizabeth I. After living as a widower and a tutor, he was ordained in 1580. His refusal to acknowledge the monarch as the head of the Church led to his arrest and eventual death at Tyburn in 1584.
Life and priesthood
Fenn was a scholar and chorister at Oxford, where he eventually faced expulsion for his refusal to swear allegiance to the crown. Following a period of marriage and fatherhood in Somerset, he was encouraged to enter the priesthood. He traveled to France for his ordination in 1580. Upon returning to England, he provided spiritual care to prisoners at the Marshalsea before being identified and arrested for his recusant activities.
Death and veneration
In February 1584, Fenn was convicted of conspiracy and sedition. He was executed at Tyburn alongside several other individuals. During his execution, he reportedly attempted to bless his daughter, who was watching from the crowd. He was beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1929 and is commemorated in the Catholic Church on 12 February.