The Nuns of Nowogrodek

The history of Poland is one of immense tragedy and unparalleled courage, a suffering people who had and would endure ever more horrors. As Poland found itself in the middle of two evil powers, that of National Socialist Germany and Communist Russia.

Many problems began when within the Treaty of Versailles, what had been a part of Germany, Upper Silesia, came under Polish control, this left many people feeling disaffected for the predicament they were placed in. It would also lead to further complications once Adolf Hitler came to power.

Things didn’t get any better when a coup de'etat took place within Poland under the leadership of Jozef Pilsudski, who then tried to install a dictatorship with Ignancy Moscicki as President while Jozef kept control of the armed forces. The coup would eventually fail, but it led to further destabilising of the country, none of which helped the Polish people.

But things would go beyond the internal vicissitudes of their own political insecurities, once Germany and Russia signed their non aggression pact. This placed Poland in an invidious position with both their neighbouring countries, as both Germany and Russia made their own plans for this great country, Poland.

The Polish people would suffer immensely under these two evil empires, but it would be their Faith and their love for the Church which would strengthen many Poles for the fight which lay ahead of them.

But it was in 1929 that a couple of Religious sisters arrived to establish their Order of the Holy Family of Nazareth, in the town of Nowogrodek. At first the towns people were not happy about this and did not welcome yet another Religious Order, in that many Religious Communities relied on the charity of the towns people to provide them food and other essentials necessary to live.

But through the Sisters patience and perseverance and through their own hard work, the towns people eventually accepted them. This brought the Sisters much joy as they endeavoured to teach the children of the area, who came from poor families, and also to teach them the Faith through kindness and compassion.

This would be put to the test though when Nowogrodek was overtaken by the Communists and the Nuns were forced to wear ordinary clothes and were also removed from the Convent. The people of Nowogrodek came to the aid of the Sisters and provided many with accommodation and sustenance as they all endured the repressive regime of the Soviet Union.

It would be the generosity of the town’s people who clung to their Faith and also helped the Sisters in their time of need that would be paid back in full by the love the Sisters had for these brave people of Nowogrodek.

But sadly things did not improve for the Sisters nor for the town’s people when the Germans took control of the town in 1941. And even though the Sisters were able to return to their Convent, the Nazi's would also show that they too had no respect nor love for religion as would be shown by their persecution not only of the Jews but also of devout Catholics!

As the Sisters watched in horror and heard stories of the persecution of their Jewish neighbours, as many of the Jews were rounded up and shot in the open square for all to see. The Nazi's made no attempt to hide their hatred and also their genocide of the Jewish peoples and any who aided them.

This troubled the Sisters immensely, as they became witnesses to the horror before them, the Sisters then under the guidance of their Superior prayed in these words, "O God, if sacrifice of life is needed, accept it from us who are free from family obligations. Spare those who have wives and children."

These holy Sisters meant every word, as they observed the tyranny and unholy behaviour of the Nazi war machine and the savagery of the SS soldiers who showed no mercy to anyone. The Sisters love for the people who had come to their aid would now be paid in full with their own lives.

For a bond had been built between the Sisters and the people of Nowogrodek, as the Sisters tried their best to meet their spiritual needs and also to do the works of Mercy for the poor and sick in their community. A mutual love and respect grew as both the people and the Sisters reached out to each other in love and compassion.

This bond of affection did not go unnoticed by the Nazi's, who saw the Sisters charity to the towns people as a threat to the terror they wished to induce into the hearts of the people.

And so when the Nazi's heard about the prayer of these courageous Sisters they decided to put it to the test and instead of murdering a group of factory workers, the Nazi's instead arrested the Nuns of Nowogrodek.

The Nazi's placed an order for the Sisters to appear before them at the commissars building that very evening. Not willing to incur the wrath of the Nazi's who may have vented it on the people of the town, the Sisters kept the appointed time and place, except for one Sister who being elderly had remained behind in the Convent.

Upon showing up at the requested time and place, the Nazi's then arrested the Nuns and placed them in the basement of an old building, where upon on the morning of August 1st the Sisters were driven by van to a wooded area. And seeing the open grave which had been dug the Sisters looked to their Superior and upon gaining her blessing each Sister then placed themselves at the edge of the mass grave. The Nazi's then opened fire on the Sisters as each one fell into the open grave.

These brave Sisters gave their lives so others could live, something the towns people never forgot, as they gathered around to protect the one remaining Sister, who had stayed behind, Sister Malgorzata. It would be this Sister who went into the woods and found the unmarked grave of her beloved Sisters, where upon Sister Malgorzata secretly tended the grave in remembrance of these holy souls who lay down their own lives for their people.

The names of these holy Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth are;

Sister Maria Stella, Superior

Sister Mary Imelda

Sister Mary Rajmunda

Sister Maria Daniela

Sister Maria Kanuta

Sister Maria Gwidona

Sister Maria Sergia

Sister Maria Kanizja

Sister Maria Felicyta

Sister Maria Heliodora

Sister Maria Boromea

The Sisters of Nowogrodek died in 1943.

The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth were beatified in 2000 by Pope John Paul II.

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

Blessed Pedro Calungsod

The Philippine Islands were discovered by Spain by explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. But it was in 1570 that Miguel de Legazpi that a Spanish settlement was built and the capital became Manila.

Through the influences of the Spanish Religious, many of the Filipino people were baptised into the Catholic Faith. The Philippines remained under Spanish control until the year 1815.

It was in 1655 that a young man was born, Pedro Calungsod, he lived for a time in the Visayas region, and it was here that the Jesuits touched this young man's heart.

And it was with the Jesuit Priests that the young Pedro learnt the Faith that he embraced with all his soul. He grew to love the Jesuit teachers and also reached out to his community as the more he learnt the more he wished to share with others.

Where Pedro lived could also prove to be very inhospitable, to those who wished to evangelise the region. They had to go through jungles and traverse huge cliffs as well as rivers and always with the threat of typhoons.

The Missions were doing well in teaching the Catholic Faith and baptising whole families into the Catholic Church, but wherever God's work is being done, there would be those who would try and disrupt this Mission and to try and destroy the Catholic Missionaries. One was a Chinese trouble maker, who planted stories among the villagers that the water used for Baptism was poisonous. This brought great fear to the village people as infant mortality was high due to unsanitary living conditions.

This lie would herald in a period of persecution to the Missions and those who supported the Catholic missionaries, such as the young Pedro, who truly loved and lived his Faith with great devotion towards our Blessed Mother.

But the persecutions were still thriving in the hearts of those who embraced the idea that the Catholics were to blame for anything that went wrong in their villagers and also if any sickness befell families. These erroneous ideas were able to gain a foothold due to the remaining superstitions that remained within many Filipino villagers.

Into this hotbed, the young Pedro who was about 17 years old and a Priest Diego De San Vitores travelled to the village of Tomhom on the island of Guam. And it was here upon hearing that a young baby was near death, both Pedro and Fr. Vitores requested that the baby be baptized this unfortunately began a sequence of events that would lead to a tragedy.

For the baby's father, Matapang had become an apostate and now denied the religion he had once embraced. And while Matapang tried to enlist other villagers to kill the Priest and his helper the young Pedro, it was during this absence that Fr. Vitores decided to baptize the young baby without the permission of Matapang.

Upon his return, Matapang was enraged that his wife had permitted the Baptism of his child, and took out his rage on Fr. Vitores and the young Pedro by hurling spears at them both. Pedro being so young was able to avoid getting hit by the spears but he refused to run and leave Fr Vitores behind. It was then that one of spears struck Pedro and he fell to the ground, where upon Pedro was hacked to death. Father Vitores as one of his last acts gave Pedro Absolution before he too was murdered.

Upon the death of these two holy men, both their bodies were mutilated and the Cross they wore was also desecrated by the enraged Matapang!

Pedro Calungsod died in 1672.

Blessed Pedro Calungsod was beatified in 2000 by Pope John Paul II.

Peace of Christ to you ALL

Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

Saint Pius X, Pope

In the 17th century onwards Italy and its Provinces became a cesspool of insurrection and internal bickering as the quest for power took hold of many powerful families and politicians within Italy.

Including a young man named Giuseppe Garibaldi who with the help of his friend Giuseppe Mazzini tried to start a revolution. After its failure and upon sentence of death both men fled Italy and lived in exile. Garibaldi went on to take his revolutionary zeal to other lands whilst Mazzini plotted in the relative safety of London for the downfall of the power structure in Italy.

In order to try and bring some stability to the warring factions which were tearing the country apart, many Italians supported two idea's of a new governing body. Some supported the idea of installing the reigning Pope as Head of all Italy, whilst others preferred a Monarch who would unite the warring factions.

But an uprising in Sicily has both Mazzini and Garibaldi making a quick return to Italy to bolster their revolutionary ideals for an Italian Republic. They were helped in that many neighbouring countries were also at war with each other, so few countries felt inclined to help Italy and its internal infighting.

Even the Pope was not spared from the insurrection as he fled to Gaeta as the different factions fought it out. A Republic was proclaimed in 1849, and both Mazzini and Garibaldi were key players in this revolution. But it was not to be, as Pope Pius IX requests the help of the French forces and they defeated the Republican movement within Italy for a time.

But it is in 1835 that Italy would produce one of its greatest sons, who would also become a 'Pope for the people'.

Though the birth of Giuseppe Sarto was certainly humble enough, his parents were of humble stock, his father, Giambattista Sarto worked as a postman, shoemaker and janitor and his mother Margarita, worked as a seamstress as both parents tried to provide the best for their children.

From an early age Giuseppe showed a strong talent for learning and a hunger to utilize the Gifts that he had been given. Despite his impoverished circumstances, Giuseppe did not let this deter him for he was very strong willed. It was also during this period that Giuseppe would show a strong love for his Faith and his longing to be a Priest.

He was taught Latin by his village Priest, before continuing his studies at Castelfranco. Through heat and driving rain nothing would stop Giuseppe from achieving his dream as he continued to walk to school daily.

Through his intellectual curiously, he earned a Scholarship at the Diocese seminary in Padua in 1850. This was a great achievement for the young Giuseppe but he allowed none of it to interfere with his love of God and his great common sense, which kept his feet firmly on the ground. Sadly though Giuseppe's father died in 1852, this left his mother to support the rest of her family alone.

Giuseppe's dream came true in 1858 when he was ordained a Priest, and though his mother struggled to support herself she was very proud of her son and helped him as much as she could.

Father Giuseppe worked as a parish Priest for nine years in the region of Tombolo, and though he was a good shepherd to his people Fr. Giuseppe also continued his studies in theology, despite his heavy workload on behalf of his parish.

But even though Fr Giuseppe worked hard and studied much he never lost sight of his roots and he endeavoured as much as he could to alleviate the suffering of the poor by providing education and everyday needs to the people in order for them not only to survive but to rise above their origins. For Giuseppe was proof that no matter how humble one is born their is opportunity for all if they work hard enough.

Father Giuseppe understood the poor, and with his enormous energy and generosity he never patronised those born into poverty but instead he gave them the dignity that all men deserve irrespective of their financial troubles. As arch Priest for the area of Salzano Father Giuseppe helped to keep the hospital there functioning in order to provide health care for the poor in the area, as well as providing education for instruction of the Faith.

From the very beginning Giuseppe had a great love for people, and was able to connect with them on a one to one basis making all he met feel important. This did not spring from 'charm' but from a deep love and reverence for God's children both rich and poor equally.

In 1884 Father Giuseppe was named Bishop of Mantua, he was for many years to teach theology to the seminarians. He particularly was drawn to the works of St. Thomas Aquinas and in order to help his seminarians he was known to give away free copies of St. Thomas work the 'Summa Theologica'.

And in 1893 Pope Leo XIII would create Father Giuseppe a Cardinal, this was a great honour and his Mother Margarita was especially proud of this son of hers, but saddened that his father had not lived to see this auspicious occasion.

But even though Italy would struggle with political turmoils this did not disturb Cardinal Sarto from keeping his tremendous intellect from grasping one of the bigger issues that would confront the Church all through its history, the theory of rationalism and the rise of socialism.

Greatness was to touch this humble son of Italy and in 1903 Cardinal Sarto was elected Pope and took the name Pope Pius X, and chose as his motto, "Restore all things to Christ".

Pope Pius X would put his stamp on his Papacy very early on by encouraging children upon reaching the age of reason to be able to partake of the Eucharist. He also held a Eucharistic Congress in 1905 in Rome and encouraged sacred music most especially Gregorian chants to further give praise and Glory to God.

The Pope was a man of the people but he was also to be a great son of the Church in that he fostered correct Liturgical practices and believed strongly in discipline to the Magisterium, rather than secular independence that many priests longed for.

Through all his Pontificate Pope Pius X would be a great denouncer of all things secular including the subtle appearance of modernism, which he saw as a great threat to the Church.

Pope Pius X would eventually write an Encyclical titled, "Pascendi" which condemns the heresy that is modernism, as the Pope says, "We allude, Venerable Brethren, to many who belong to the Catholic laity, nay, and this is far more lamentable, to the ranks of the priesthood itself, who, feigning a love for the Church, lacking the firm protection of philosophy and theology, nay more, thoroughly imbued with the poisonous doctrines taught by the enemies of the Church, and lost to all sense of modesty, vaunt themselves as reformers of the Church; and, forming more boldly into line of attack, assail all that is most sacred in the work of Christ, not sparing even the person of the Divine Redeemer, whom, with sacrilegious daring, they reduce to a simple, mere man."

And he then followed this encyclical with a decree titled 'Lamentabilis', for the Pope was determined to rid the Church of this great menace. He also instructed an oath from every Priest against this heresy which is modernism!

Pope Pius X will be remembered in history as the voice against the modernist incursion which tried to infiltrate the Church at that time. But also as the Pope who expounded the need for daily Eucharist and encouraged the Faithful to partake of the Eucharist frequently.

But though Pope Pius X was a mountain when it came to all things Liturgical still he could not prevent the outbreak of war which he could sense would bring untold misery to millions. And though this great man of peace worked hard to prevent it, war turned out to be inevitable, and this would bring a great feeling of foreboding to the Pope.

The Pope did not live to see the devastation which would bring untold misery and death to many, which may have been a blessing to this Pope of Peace.

Pope Pius X died in 1914.

St. Pius X was canonised in 1954 by Pope Pius XII.

Some Quotes

"Let us be leaders; but not of the worldly type, who accomplish by forcing, urging and driving to get things done; rather leaders who lead as Christ did: "Come, follow me!"

"I accept with sincere belief the doctrine of faith as handed down to us from the Apostles by the orthodox Fathers, always in the same sense and with the same interpretation."

"Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to heaven."

"This is the last affliction the Lord will visit on me. I would gladly give my life to save my poor children from this ghastly scourge."(In reference to the outbreak of World War I)

Let us remember the spirit of St. Pius X to unite the Church and not allow it to combust within. So may we always remain loyal to the Holy See and our reigning Pontiff.

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.