Anne Line, Saint: The Safe House Keeper

The Safe House Keeper: Saint Anne Line:

Saint Anne Line was a young Catholic woman, a convert from Calvinism, in Elizabethan England. With her brother and her husband Roger Line, she assisted the Catholic Church’s survival during the great persecutions during Penal Times. Saint Anne Line devoted her free time to developing a profound spiritual life, meditating often upon the Passion of Christ with a deep love of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (outlawed in England at that time) and for prayer.  Saint Anne Line loved to shelter the many priests who were hunted throughout England by the government. When her brother and husband were arrested, and Roger Line exiled, Saint Anne Line found herself alone. Her father, still a Calvinist, had rejected her and she was unable to see Roger who eventually died in exile. Saint Anne Line found her calling though by dedicated her life to keeping safe houses for the missionary priests under the direction of Father John Gerard.

Her reputation as a gentle, pious, reliable, devout Catholic woman was known among the recusant Catholics. She was an important part of the Catholic underground movement in England that worked to keep the outlawed Catholic Faith alive and provide the illegal Sacraments and the Mass for the English people.

Saint Anne Line was eventually arrested during the celebration of an illegal Mass with several others. She refused to deny her Faith or give up the locations of safe houses, priest holes or details regarding the Catholic network and priests.  Saint Anne Line bravely offered her life in defence of the Catholic Church in England at the triple Tyburn gallows and is one of three women in a group known as the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales.

William Shakespeare admired Saint Anne Line and it is believed that he references her in several plays and poems, in particular his poem ‘The Phoenix and the Turtle’ which is believed to be a tribute to Saint Anne and Roger Line.

Learn about Saint Anne Line: The Safe House Keeper, in a film that has been internationally praised for not only presenting details, information and facts but a prayerful and spiritual film experience. As seen on EWTN.

Length and Format:

The Safe House Keeper: Saint Anne Line runs for 30 minutes and is available worldwide on Region Free DVD.