Blessed Titus Brandsma, O.Carm.



This is the feast of Blessed Titus Brandsma in the Carmelite calendar. He was martyred by the Nazis during the second world war for his insistence on the independence of the Catholic press and his consistent denunciation of the Nazi racial policies. Short life can be found here. A longer study of Blessed Titus - several pages and many pictures - can be found here.


This little selection is from one of his sermons now appointed to be read as the second reading for his feast day in the Carmelite calendar. You can see from only two paragraphs why he was such a burr under the saddle of "the master race".

You hear it said that we live at a wonderful time, a time of
great men and women. It would probably be better to say that we
live in an era of decadence in which many, however, feel the need
to react and to defend what is most precious and sacred. The
desire for the emergence of a strong, capable leader is
understandable. But we want such a leader to fight for a holy
cause, for an ideal based on divine designs and not merely on
human might.

Neo-paganism considers the whole of nature as an
emanation of the divine: this is what it holds about various races
and peoples of the earth. But as star differs from star by reason of
its light and brightness, so neo-paganism considers one race more
noble and pure than another; to the extent that this one race is
held to embody more light within itself, it has the duty of making
that life shine and enlighten the world. It is maintained that this is
possible only when, eliminating elements foreign to it, it frees
itself from all stain. From this notion derives the cult of race and
blood, the cult of the heroes of one’s own people.
From such an erroneous starting-point, this view can lead
to fatal errors! It is sad to see how much enthusiasm and effort are
placed at the service of such an erroneous and baseless ideal!