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Series Code: TIJ
Program Code: TIJ007110S
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00:27 The convict built Richmond Bridge in Tasmania is the oldest
00:31 stone arch bridge in Australia. 00:34 The foundation stone was laid in December 1823 00:37 and construction continued using convict labor 00:41 until its completion in 1825. 00:44 For 10 years it had the longest span of any bridge in Australia. 00:49 Just up the road from the bridge across the Cull River 00:54 is the St. John's Church, the oldest Catholic Church 00:57 in Australia. When this church was built in 1836 01:01 it was customary for parishioners who passed away to be buried 01:05 in what was considered the Sacred Church Grounds. 01:09 As you walk near the entrance of the church, 01:13 you may casually pass this little grave of Henry Emmet Amar 01:17 the only son of Thomas Francis and Catherine Amar. 01:21 Nearby is an inscription about his father Thomas. 01:25 It's a story of heartbreak, struggle and mystery. 01:30 You see, Thomas Omar, son of the Lord Mayor of the city of 01:34 Waterford Island was a prominent leader in the Young Island 01:38 Movement of the 1840's, he was an outspoken and idealistic 01:43 young political activist and was condemned to death in 1848 01:48 for his part in an insurrection aimed at restoring the 01:51 national independence of Ireland. 01:53 Due to a massive public outcry and defense of the young man 01:57 Omar sentence was commuted to transportation for life. 02:02 And so, in 1849 he was shipped as a convict or a prisoner 02:07 of the British Penal System to the opposite end of the world 02:11 to the island of Tasmania. 02:14 Join me on The Unbelievable Journey of Thomas Omar 02:19 as he seeks justice and a new life. 02:21 It's indeed a tale of patriotism and rebellion, of love and loss, 02:26 of escape and redemption, of war and tragedy. 02:30 You won't want to miss it. 02:48 Beginning in February 1848 Europe was rocked 02:52 by a series of Revolutionary Movements. 02:54 Beginning in Sicily and spreading to France, Germany, 02:59 Italy, Ireland, and the Austrian Empire. 03:02 They ended in failure and repression and were followed by 03:06 widespread disillusionment. 03:08 One such movement gained a foothold among the working class 03:12 people in Ireland during the great famine of 1845 to 1849. 03:17 During the famine over a million people died and a million more 03:22 left Ireland to settle in other countries. 03:25 As part of the social upheaval and rebellion a young patriot 03:30 Thomas Omar went to France to study revolutionary events 03:34 there, he returned home with a new flag of Ireland 03:38 made and given to him by French women sympathetic to the 03:42 Irish Corps. The flag was first flown in public on the 03:46 1st of March 1848 at Waterford Island. 03:49 Omar's Irish flag of green white and orange endured and became 03:55 the national flag of the Republic of Ireland. 03:58 Thomas Omar was an eloquent and gifted orator 04:02 who was very popular with the people, the social upheaval 04:06 came to a head in 1848 with the Young Islander Rebellion 04:11 against the British Monarchy. 04:13 Following the incident also known by the Battle of Ballingarry 04:17 in August 1848 Omar along with four of his fellow 04:22 revolutionaries was arrested, tried, and convicted of sedition. 04:27 The penalty for sedition was death by being hung, drawn, 04:31 and courted. Standing before the judge Omar delivered 04:36 an impassionate plea for clemency. 04:38 The Irish people loved Omar and also rallied together 04:43 to demand clemency for him, the judge relented and 04:47 commuted Omar's sentence to transportation for life 04:50 in the penal colony of Van Dieman's Land known today as 04:54 the island State of Tasmania, Australia. 04:57 Omar was shipped out as a political convict on board the 05:01 transport ship, the Swift in July 1849, most of the prisoners 05:08 or convicts as they were called received the severe punishments 05:12 for petty crimes and misdemeanors like stealing 05:16 a lace handkerchief or a loaf of bread. 05:18 During the convict era from 1788 to 1868 the British 05:24 sent over 165,000 convicts, men, women, and children 05:30 to the colonies in Australia, nearly half of them ended up in 05:35 Van Dieman's Land. 05:37 Omar arrived in Tasmania where he gave his word to the 05:42 authorities not to attempt an escape. In return, he was 05:47 granted a ticket of leave or permission to have comparative 05:50 freedom on the island. 05:52 He was first sent to live in Campbell Town and later in Ross 05:56 where his Britt Cottage still stands today. 06:00 While here in Ross, Omar spent a good deal of his time 06:05 in Hopes Hotel, at the time a local inn but now a 06:09 private residence. Omar's letters were sent from here 06:13 during his time in Ross. 06:15 One day while helping the local physician Dr. Hall with his 06:20 carriage, he met Ms. Catherine Bennett who at the time was 06:24 the governess caring for the six children of Dr. and Mrs. Hall. 06:28 Thomas and Catherine were married on the 22nd of February 06:32 1851 and lived in a cottage on the shores of Lake Sorrell. 06:37 But the restless and ambitious Omar couldn't be confined 06:42 to the penal colony for long, desperately wanting his freedom 06:46 and a new cause to champion, Omar began secretly meeting 06:51 with his fellow Irish rebels and plotting his escape. 06:55 By this time, he and Catherine had been married for almost 06:59 a year and Catherine was pregnant with their first child 07:03 and soon to give birth, but none of this constrained Omar. 07:07 When his father sent money to pay for the escape, 07:11 Omar organized with the Irish Sympathizers in Northern Tasmania 07:15 to assist him to meet up with the sailing ship bound for 07:20 Brazil and then on to America. 07:22 Leaving Catherine behind, Omar traveled mostly at night 07:28 past the mountains and great lakes and down into the town 07:31 of Westbury which is at the foot of the mountains. 07:34 It was a Galic-speaking area and he was sheltered there 07:39 until the coast was clear, then the Irish Sympathizers 07:43 rode Omar 60 Kilometers down the Tamar River 07:47 and out to sea in a difficult and dangerous conditions 07:50 to rendezvous with a waiting ship. 07:53 It all had to be navigated in the dark, no lights at all 07:58 to avoid being detected. 08:00 Omar successfully escaped and reached New York 08:05 in May 1852. Here he found himself among the throngs 08:10 of other Irish immigrants and was warmly welcomed by the 08:14 Irish exiles. Omar thrived in this new world with enticing 08:19 possibilities and soon began to make a new life for himself, 08:24 meanwhile, tragedy befell his family back in Tasmania. 08:29 Thomas and Catherine's son Henry Emmet Fitzgerald Omar 08:34 was born in 1852 just months after his father's escape 08:39 sadly at four months of age, little Henry contracted 08:44 Influenza and died. He was buried here in St. John's church 08:49 in Richmond. Devastated, Catherine left 08:53 Van Diemen's Land and sailed for London where she was met 08:57 by her father-in-law and then they both traveled on to 09:00 Waterford. On arrival at Waterford Railway Station 09:04 she was welcomed by thousands of citizens such was her 09:08 husband's fame in Ireland as a Nationalist. 09:11 However when she was rested and well enough to travel again 09:16 she sailed on to America to be with her husband. 09:19 But Thomas Omar had changed he dropped the O from his name 09:26 and was now known as Thomas Mar, he soon realized 09:30 that the social constraints that he'd experienced living 09:34 under the Monarchy were not applicable in a country like 09:38 America. Seizing the opportunities presented before 09:42 him he soon began to study law and journalism and reveled 09:47 in his new celebrity status. 09:49 Consequently his relationship with his wife, Catherine didn't. 09:54 Catherine spent three lonely months with Thomas 09:57 only to leave brokenhearted for Ireland carrying their 10:01 second child. Catherine went back to live with her 10:05 father-in-law Thomas senior who was still the mayor 10:08 of the city of Waterford. Sadly Catherine aged only 22 years 10:15 died soon after the birth of their second son 10:18 Catherine was buried in the family Mar grave at Faith Ledger 10:23 in Ireland. Thomas Mar never met his second son 10:27 who was raised by his relatives in Ireland and to us know 10:31 to have died while in the Philippines where he was buried. 10:35 Not long after completing his studies Mar began to lecture 10:41 or soon became a United States citizen, he then founded a 10:45 weekly newspaper called The Irish News 10:48 in addition to this Mar also published The Citizen, 10:53 now The Citizen was an anti- British pro-Irish Republican 10:56 Periodical that he published with a fellow revolutionary 11:00 friend John Mitchell. 11:02 During this time Mar was also court marshaled by a handful 11:07 of notable American citizens in New York 11:09 because they heard of his escape from the Penal Colony 11:13 in Van Dieman's Land. 11:15 Mar vowed that if he was found guilty, he would happily return 11:20 to Australia, but as it turned out the American court 11:24 found in his favor and acquitted him of the charges 11:28 that had been brought against him by the British Crown. 11:31 Just before the outbreak of the American Civil War 11:35 Mar joined the Union Army and was commissioned as a captain 11:39 in the 69th Infantry Regiment of the New York State Militia. 11:44 The 69th fought in the first battle of Bull Run 11:48 where the Union lost to the Confederates, Mar's commanding 11:52 Officer was taken as a Prisoner of War and Mar succeeded him 11:57 as Colonel. After the Battle of Bull Run, 12:01 Mar went back to New York and formed the Irish Brigade 12:06 he was named Brigadier General and led the brigade in a 12:10 Union Offensive launched in the southeastern part 12:13 of Virginia known as the Peninsula Campaign of1862. 12:18 During this campaign the Union won several decisive victories 12:23 and the Irish Brigade distinguished themselves 12:26 as CS Fighters. This reputation was further cemented 12:31 when Currier and Ives a New York printmaker and 12:35 Lithographer published a lithograph of Mar on horseback 12:39 leading his brigade in a bayonet charge against 12:42 Confederate soldiers. 12:44 After the war, Mar returned to politics and public service 12:49 with a passion, he was appointed secretary of the new territory 12:54 of Montana and shortly after his arrival found himself 12:58 appointed as acting governor by the US president 13:01 Andrew Johnson. Mar continued to serve the territory of 13:05 Montana until his disappearance in 1867. 13:09 That summer Mar made a fairly routine trip to Fort Benton, 13:14 Montana to meet a shipment of guns and ammunition 13:18 sent by General Sherman for the Montana Militia. 13:21 Fort Benton was a steamboat terminus on the Missouri River 13:26 and Mar was traveling on the steamboat GA Thompson 13:31 on its approach into Fort Benton, the final tragedy 13:35 came on the evening of the 1st of July, 1867 when Mar fell 13:41 overboard plunging into the churning waters of the 13:44 Missouri River. Mar was swept away with the current 13:49 and his body was never recovered, his death remains a tragic 13:54 mysterious accident in a family that was separated 13:58 not only in life but also in death. 14:01 The baby boy lies at Richmond, Tasmania, 14:05 the Australian mother lies at rest in Waterford Island, 14:10 the second son is buried in the Philippines and the 14:13 Irish patriot in the bed of the Missouri River. 14:17 but Mar's life was a roller- coaster ride of activism, 14:24 imprisonment, and redemption. 14:27 His life was colorful and diverse, he was a man 14:31 with a flawed character who made poor decisions particularly 14:36 in relation of abandonment of his wife and family 14:39 however, even though he had major shortcomings 14:43 we should recognize that he had strong vision, firm ambition, 14:48 and the kind of tenacity that insured that he chased after 14:52 his goals with a relentless passion that overcame 14:55 every obstacle. 14:57 In many ways, Mar was a man who possessed grit in spades. 15:03 Now grit is a concept that is being extensively studied by 15:08 psychologists and researchers. 15:10 In a book Grit The Power of Passion and Perseverance 15:15 psychologist and researcher Angela Lee Duckworth 15:18 reveals some interesting discoveries 15:21 she writes it, of all the predictors of success 15:25 talent, IQ, Emotional Intelligence, 15:28 none is more important or factors more largely 15:32 than Grit. 15:33 She describes grit as the ability to stay the course 15:37 for the long haul. 15:39 In other words, grit is the stamina both mental and 15:43 emotional to pursue long-term goals regardless of obstacles 15:48 or challenges. The ability to treat life and by extension 15:53 our goals like a marathon instead of a quick sprint. 15:57 Duckworth believes that grit is not an inborn ability 16:01 that only a few people are blessed with, 16:03 grit she says is something that can be cultivated 16:08 and taught to anyone willing to learn. 16:11 So how can we cultivate this important life skill called grit? 16:16 Well, Duckworth points to the work being done by Professor 16:21 Carol Dweck a professor of psychology at 16:24 Stanford University. Professor Dweck's research centers largely 16:29 on a concept she calls growth mindset. 16:32 Now growth mindset is the opposite of a fixed mindset. 16:37 As an example, Professor Dweck talks about a high school 16:42 in Chicago where students were required to pass 84 units 16:47 in order to graduate. Now interestingly students 16:51 who didn't pass a unit, instead of getting an F, 16:54 they were given the grade, Not Yet. 16:57 Not yet instead of fail gave them a sense that they shouldn't 17:03 give up but should keep persevering until they reach 17:06 their goal. Professor Dweck' s premise is simple 17:10 instead of educating people to think in terms of failure 17:14 or success, she suggests that people should be taught to 17:18 think in terms of not yet that every goal is achievable 17:23 given time, perseverance, and hard work. 17:26 Thomas Mar's life is a reflection of both grit 17:31 and growth mindset regardless of how many times he seemed 17:35 to get knocked down, the man just kept getting up 17:39 and forging onwards, especially in the pursuit of his goals 17:42 for his homeland. 17:44 Now, the Bible is filled with examples of both grit 17:51 and growth mindset, Moses exhibited considerable grit 17:56 as the leader of the Israelites when God called him to lead 18:00 a rag-tag group of slaves out of Egypt and into Canaan 18:04 He had His work cut out for Him. 18:06 At every step along the way the Israelites complained 18:10 about the rugged terrain, shortage of food, 18:13 lack of water, the hardships they endured, 18:17 their behavior would have driven a lesser man to despair. 18:21 But Moses was steady and calm in the face of almost incessant 18:28 whining. He refused to quit, he was given a goal 18:33 and even in the bleakest moments when it seemed that the odds 18:36 were all stacked against him, Moses refused to give up. 18:41 Turning to God for strength and guidance Moses pursued 18:45 the goal that was set before him with singleness of purpose. 18:49 Another example of grit is Joseph, 18:53 sold into slavery as a young man by his brothers 18:56 Joseph arrived in Egypt and was sold into the household 19:01 of Potiphar. Instead of giving way to despair and a sense of 19:05 hopelessness, Joseph clung tenaciously to his faith in God 19:10 and it was this faith that buoyed him through the struggles 19:14 that lay ahead. He was able to rise to the position of Chief 19:18 Steward of all that Potiphar owned until Potiphar's wife 19:22 falsely accused him and he was thrown into jail. 19:26 But even when he was unjustly accused, 19:29 and jailed for something he didn't do, joseph didn't give up 19:33 instead, he shored up his courage clung to his faith, 19:38 and made a difference in the prison. 19:40 In fact, the entirety of Joseph's story is one long 19:45 hard round of persistent persevering faith in God. 19:50 Joseph's persevering faith and faithfulness finally paid off 19:55 when he became Prime Minister of Egypt and saved not only 19:59 Egypt from famine, but also his own family from ruin and death. 20:04 In fact, God used Joseph's position in Egypt to provide a 20:09 place of refuge for the children of Israel. 20:12 Joseph displayed grit in his pursuit of his goal 20:16 to be faithful to God and follow him wherever He led. 20:20 And that grit was fueled by his mindset, his knowledge 20:25 that God loved him and would work all things together 20:28 for his good. 20:30 The mindset that God is in control of every circumstance 20:35 and that He is full of goodness and compassion 20:37 spurred Joseph on. It is this mindset that enabled Joseph 20:43 to persevere in holding onto his principles and 20:47 persevering in his faith. 20:49 Then in the New Testament, we find the Apostle Paul 20:54 another example of the grit and growth mindset. 20:58 God had given Paul a special work to share the good news 21:02 of Jesus with the gentiles, (non-Jews) it was an extremely 21:07 difficult demanding and challenging task. 21:11 Paul accepted it with full dedication and commitment 21:15 he undertook three extensive missionary journey's 21:18 that took him to far-flung regions of the empire 21:22 sharing the gospel wherever he went. 21:25 He became the great proclaimer of the goodness and grace 21:30 of God, he was threatened, persecuted, beaten, stoned, 21:35 and imprisoned. Yet through it all Paul is a man of 21:39 extraordinary courage and tenacity. 21:41 Nothing could stop him from pursuing his goal to take the 21:45 gospel to the world. When sharing the good news of Jesus 21:49 his message was consistent, steady and unwavering. 21:53 Paul had a grit about him a focus and determination 21:58 that is evident throughout his ministry. 22:01 But perhaps the most powerful example of grit and growth 22:06 mindset in the Bible is the example of Jesus. 22:09 When Jesus began his ministry He understood what lay 22:14 at the end of His path, a cross and a painful humiliating death. 22:20 and yet, He continued to press forward towards his goal of 22:25 saving the world from sin. 22:27 During His brief ministry, He had to work against almost 22:31 insurmountable odds, the rulers and leaders of the time, 22:36 seemed to be constantly aligned against Him. 22:39 Even His own followers didn't fully understand His mission, 22:44 the crowds who followed Him were fickle at best 22:47 looking for an easy handout, His mission was to bring 22:51 spiritual transformation to a dying world and yet 22:55 the people who thronged to see Him expected Him to deliver them 22:59 from the Romans. 23:00 Jesus' life was full of trials, contradiction, and opposition 23:06 and yet though He seemed to trudge through an almost 23:10 incessant storm surge, He stood firm and resolute in the 23:15 eye of it all. To everyone watching Jesus' entire mission 23:20 seemed to be heading towards failure and disaster, 23:24 even His own disciples thought this was the case. 23:27 The people wanted Him to defeat the Romans and rule the world 23:31 His Heavenly Father was leading Him towards death 23:35 on a Roman Cross and Resurrection 23:39 and yet Jesus' mindset was not one of failure but one of 23:44 Not Yet. Jesus possessed grit and a mindset that did not 23:50 accept defeat, His life revolved around being patient, 23:54 persevering and steadfast in following the plan God had 23:59 laid out for Him and He understood the principle 24:02 that when you follow God's plans for your life, 24:05 there is no failure. 24:07 The Bible promises us in Romans chapter 8:28... 24:22 In God's great plan for each of us, there is no failure, 24:27 there may be times in our lives when we feel frustrated 24:32 and overwhelmed by disappointment and defeat 24:35 it is in those moments that we need to look to Jesus 24:39 and remind ourselves that before there is a crown of 24:43 victory there is sometimes a cross of defeat. 24:47 Hebrews chapter 12 and verse three says... 25:01 Sometimes when we are mired in our struggles it's easy 25:06 to get discouraged but the Bible tells us to look outside of 25:10 ourselves and to think about Jesus. 25:13 Think about the fact that Jesus who healed countless people 25:17 who could bring the dead back to life, who could feed 25:20 thousands without almost nothing at hand, still chose the shame 25:25 and bitter humiliation of the cross for us. 25:29 Bible prophecy tells us that Jesus is coming soon 25:35 it points to the pestilence, wars, and turmoil around us 25:39 as fast fulfilling signs that we're not far from Jesus' return 25:44 to establish His kingdom on earth. 25:47 God's plan for our salvation has spanned over 6,000 years 25:52 and through it all, he has not been weary or inclined to admit 25:57 defeat. His love for us is limitless and even though 26:01 we make serious mistakes in our lives like Thomas Mar 26:05 He still loves us and never gives up on us. 26:09 Despite the setbacks and the obstacles God has patiently 26:14 persevered in His purposes for us. 26:17 With God, there is no failure just not yet. 26:23 Does your life seem to be spinning out of control? 26:28 Does it seem that everything around you is falling apart? 26:31 Are fear and anxiety consuming you? 26:35 If so, I'd like to recommend that you look to Jesus 26:41 then read the free gift we have for all our Incredible Journey 26:45 viewers today. 26:46 It's the Booklet Finding Courage to Meet Life's Challenges 26:52 this booklet will share with you how to gain the strength 26:55 and courage to persevere in the face of difficulty 26:59 to develop the mindset of continuing to press forward 27:03 despite the challenges. 27:05 I guarantee there are no costs or obligations whatsoever 27:09 so, make the most of this wonderful opportunity 27:12 to receive the free gift we have for you today. 27:34 Or visit our website tij.tv or simply scan the QR Code 27:40 on your screen and we'll send you today's free offer 27:44 totally free of charge and with no obligations. 27:47 You can also write to us at the addresses on your screen. 27:51 Or email us at info@tij.tv. Don't delay call or text us now. 27:58 Dear Heavenly Father, We thank you that we can look 28:03 to you when our trials and difficulties overwhelm us. 28:07 We ask for the courage to face the road ahead 28:11 and overcome our defeats. Please grant us faith 28:14 and true grit. We want to choose to obey your Word. 28:18 We ask for your blessing, In Jesus name. Amen. |
Revised 2025-01-27