Saintly Saturday - St. Titus Brandsma

Anno Brandsma was born on February 23, 1881, in Friesland, the second youngest of six children. After finishing school he entered novitiate into the Carmelite Order, taking the name Titus. He was ordained a priest in 1905 and later earned a PhD in philosophy. He helped found the Catholic University of Nigmegen, and even served as Rector Magnificus in 1932.

Titus was also interested in journaling, and worked as a spiritual advisor to the Union of Catholic Journalists. His strong opposition to Nazi propaganda quickly drew their attention and he was arrested in 1942, while delivering a letter to Catholic editors. The letter ordered the editors not to print Nazi articles or advertisments, despite the new law that required them to do so.  In June, 1942, after being interned at Scheveningen and Amersfoort, Titus was taken to the Dachau camp in Germany, where he was soon subject to a medical experiment and was killed on July 26th. 

Before his execution, Titus had gifted the nurse who gave him the lethal injection with a wooden rosary. He prayed that God would help her to repent. She became Catholic some years later and was a witness in the process of Titus’ beatification. 

   

While at Scheveningen, Titus wrote this prayer: 

Prayer Before an Image of Christ

O Jesus when I look at you,

My love for you again lights up,

And your heart moreover treasures me,

Even as a special friend of yours.

Courage and suffering are demanded,

But all suffering is good for me,

For through it I become like you,

Finding thus the Kingdom path.

I am truly fortunate in my pain,

Which I no longer sense as hurt,

For it’s more a loving plan

That makes me one with you, O God.

Oh, leave me here alone and still,

With chill and cold surrounding me,

And let no person come to me,

For being alone doesn’t weary me.

Remain then with me, Jesus

I was never so close to you,

Stay with me, Jesus, my delight,

Your presence here

makes all things good. 

The Church celebrates his feast day on July 27th.

St. Titus Brandsma, pray for us!

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Also celebrated this week are the feasts of: St. Sharbel Makhlouf (24th), St. James, Apostle (25th), Sts. Joachim and Anne (26th), and Sts. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (29th)