New Saints

The courage to long for the light – Titus Brandsma 1881-1942

This short film is a wonderful introduction to Titus Brandsma and his heroism during a great time of suffering. The video is in German but there are English subtitles that you can enable in the settings.

Titus Brandsma, a Carmelite priest, was born on February 23, 1881 in the Netherlands and at 17 years old entered the Monastery in Boxmeer. His vocation of prayer and journalism led to study in Rome and the University of Nijmegen where he served as Rector in 1932. The Carmelites of the German-occupied Netherlands spoke out against the Nazi occupation. At the request of the Archbishop of Utrecht, Titus Bransdma met with the editors of Dutch newspapers, encouraging them to refuse advertising and press releases from the Nazi overlords.

He was arrested while engaging in this effort, interrogated and taken to the transit camp at Amersfoot. With other prisoners he was given forced labor under harsh conditions.

Titus Brandsma was sent to the Dachau concentration camp. One account says; “From the moment Titus entered the camp, his calmness and gentleness infuriated his captors. They beat him mercilessly with fists, clubs and boards. They kicked, punched and gouged him.” On a visit to the camp infirmary he was given a lethal injection and died on Sunday, July 26, 1942. He was beatified in November 1985 by Pope John Paul II and was canonized by Pope Francis on May 15th, 2022.

Anne Marie Rivier, was born December 19, 1768 in Montpezat, France. At the end of April 1770, Marinette, then sixteen months old, had a bad fall which left her severely handicapped. Her mother, a woman of great faith, carried her to the statue of the Pieta each day. After four years of prayer she began to walk and a loving relationship with the Blessed Mother marked her life forever.

In the year 1795, Marie and four women of the village of Thueyts entered into a covenantal life and opened a new convent dedicated to serving the poor and the education of youth. They consecrated themselves to God. The new community grew very quickly despite the poverty it experienced.

She was possessed with an apostolic ardor and was often a parish speaker to women and young girls. When she died on February 3, 1838 the congregation of sisters were 350 strong with 140 houses of prayer and formation. Blessed Anne Marie was beatified by St. John Paul on May 23, 1982 and  was canonizedd by Pope Francis on May 15, 2022

Charles Eugene de Foucauld was born in Strasbourg, France on September 15, 1858. He was orphaned at age 6. In his early adult years St. Charles left the faith to pursue other adventures including the French Military. He pursued a serious study of the culture and history of Algeria. Regaining his faith, he joined the Cistercian Order of Trappist monks in 1890 and moved to Syria for a life of prayer. He left the Order to become a hermit and took up residence in a simple hut at Beni Abbes in the Algerian desert. He learned the language of the Tuareg people He was a beloved friend of the Tuareg people and was well respected a man of deep and simple prayer. St. Charles was martyred on December 1, 1916 in his hut by a band of wandering rebels. St. Charles was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI on November 13, 2005 and was canonized on May 15, 2022 by Pope Francis

Maria Lopez de Rivas Martinez was born in Tartandedo, Spain on April 15, 1560. At age 17, she entered the Carmel of Toledo in 1577. Her religious name was Maria of Jesus. Sr. Maria of Jesus spent 63 years of religious life in the Carmel of Toledo, later in life served as Prioress, and won the favor and friendship of St. Teresa of Avila. She had a lively devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and a deep, contemplative life of prayer. Sr. Maria died in Toledo on September 13, 1640 at the age of eighty. She was beatified by St. Pope Paul VI on November 14, 1976 and was canonized by Pope Francis on May 15, 2022.