27 July: Saint Titus Brandsma

Born in Bolsward (The Netherlands) in 1881, Saint Titus Brandsma joined the Carmelite Order as a young man. Ordained a priest in 1905, he earned a doctorate in philosophy in Rome. He then taught in various schools in Holland and was named professor of philosophy as Rector Magnificus. He was noted for his constant availability to everyone. He was a professional journalist, and in 1935 he was appointed the ecclesiastical advisor to Catholic journalists. Both before and during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands he fought, faithful to the Gospel, against the spread of Nazi ideology and for the freedom of Catholic education and of the Catholic press. For this, he was arrested and sent to a succession of prisons and concentration camps where he brought comfort and peace to his fellow prisoners and did good even to his tormentors. In 1942, after much suffering and humiliation, he was killed at Dachau. He was beatified in 1985 and canonized by Pope Francis on 15 May 2022.

Quote of the day, 30 March: Blessed Titus Brandsma

Blesed Titus’ chief preoccupation in Amersfoort Camp was the needs of others. He had been in the camp barely two weeks when dysentery struck. Hundreds around him died, but Titus recovered enough to be released from the infirmary on March 30, 1942, the Monday of Holy Week that year. During his convalescence he visited those who were worse off than he was.

Quote of the day, 23 February: Blessed Titus Brandsma

Happy Birthday to Blessed Titus Brandsma! From his article on Mary's motherhood of God: "In his Explanation of “The Living Flame of Love”, St. John of the Cross draws the Holy Mother of God as clearly as possible into the circle of his metaphor clarifying the mystical life...."

Quote of the day, 20 February: John Malley, O.Carm.

The Gospel spoke today about the love of enemies, that ability to reach out to those who persecute. Titus had that opportunity and lived it out so well. He had the ability to say, “You must love him, but perhaps not all the time, not all day, not at each moment.”

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