MARTYRS OF OUR 20TH CENTURY

Our New Third Millennium and New 21st century have barely begun. In our seventh year it might be good to pause for a 'reality check' on how our journey in these NEW times is progressing. There is a Guide book for our journey, or have we forgotten?

Six years (1994) before the NEW times, John Paul II published a Guidebook - 'The Coming Third Millennium'. He offers specific goals and detailed agendas for the NEW times.

From so many goals, let's focus on one dear to his heart and vital for the Church's (our) journey of faith in time to eternity. He firmly believed in the importance of the saints who accompany us on our journey, especially martyrs and above all those our 20th century. They are 'giants' of faith, hope, love and courage who inspire us.

That's why he beatified and canonized numerous Servants of God in his 27 years. His 'guide' states: "The Church of the first millennium was born of the blood of the martyrs". Tertullian (+220) wrote: "the blood of martyrs is the SEED of Christians".

At the end of the second millennium the Church has again become a Church of martyrs. The persecution of believers - priests, religious and laity - has caused a great sowing of martyrdom in different parts of the world. This witness must not be forgotten!

In our own century the martyrs have returned, many of them nameless 'unknown soldiers' of God's great cause. Their witness must not be lost to the Church.

Among many martyrs of our time eleven Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth were canonized in Jubilee 2000. On Sunday, March 5, 2000, the Holy Father beatified 44 Servants of God during a Mass in St. Peter Square. Among the 44 martyrs were Blessed Maria Stella Mardosewicz and ten companions of Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. They suffered martyrdom at the hands of the Nazi's on August 1, 2943.

Excerpts from the Vatican News: "In 1929 the Servant of God Bishop Lozinski invited the Sisters to Nowogrodek to care for the Church of the Transfiguration, known as the Biala Fara ("White Church") and to educate the children and young people.

The outbreak of World War II and the ensuing occupation first by the Soviet Union (1939-41), then by the Germans (1941-45), disturbed the harmony of Nowogrodek. Amid the darkness of war, Fara became a beacon of light, and it was not unusual for the faithful to come to Church in droves.

The invaders were unable to tolerate the vibrant religious life of the Church, the home of all that is Polish and the bastion of Catholicism. With the arrival of a special Gestapo unit terrorist activity intensified. The first mass execution took place in July 1942, when 60 people were killed.

On July 18, 1943 the Polish people were subjected to a new wave of arrests; 120 were imprisoned for the purpose of being executed. The people hurried to share their suffering with the sisters. The sisters responded by collectively reaching the decision to offer themselves in place of the imprisoned family members. Sr. Maria Stella, superior of the community met Fr. Alexander Ziekiewicz, the rector of Fara, she expressed their decision: "My God, if sacrifice of life is needed, accept it from us who are free from family obligations and spare those who have wives and children in their care. We are even praying for this". As if in response to the sister's prayers, the plans were changed. Some of the men were released, but the majority was sent to forced-labor camps in Germany. All of those men survived the war. Further intimidation included a threat to the life of the only surviving priest in the region, Fr. Zienkiewicz. The sisters responded by renewing their readiness to sacrifice their lives: "O my God! You, Father, are more needed here on earth than we, so we are now asking God, if further sacrifice is needed, to take us rather than you".

On July 31, 1943 a police officer issued an oral command to Sr. Stella ordering her to appear, together with all the sisters, at the Gestapo headquarters. Eleven sisters complied with the order. The sisters' sentence had already been decided. The Gestapo was determined to exterminate priest and religious without even an investigation. The sisters were to be executed that same evening. Though they were driven to the outskirts of Nowogrodek, there was so much activity on the road and so many people milling about that the Gestapo returned to town. The next morning, Sunday, August 1, 1943 the sisters were executed in the birch-pine woods about five miles beyond Nowogrodek".

John Paul II declared BLESSED Sr. Stella, the Superior and Sisters Imelda, Raymond, Daniela, Canuta, Sergia, Gwidona, Felicita, Heliodora, Canisia and Baromea . From the Holy Father’s Homily: "God was also a true 'protector and helper' for the martyrs of Nowogrodek - for Blessed Maria Stella Mardosewicz and her 10 sisters, professed religious of the Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth. For them he was a helper throughout their lives and at the moment of their terrible test, when for an entire night they awaited death; he was a helper especially on the way to the place of execution, and finally at the moment they were shot.

Where did these women find the strength to give themselves in exchange for the lives of imprisoned residents of Nowogrodek? From where did they draw the courage to accept calmly the death sentence that was so cruel and unjust? God had slowly prepared them for this moment of greater trial. He sowed the seed of his grace in their hearts at the time of holy Baptism and then, tended with great care and responsibility, it developed firm roots and bore the most beautiful fruit, which is the gift of life. Christ says: "There is no greater love than this: to lay down one's life for one’s friends". Yes, there is no greater love than this: to be ready to lay down one’s life for one's brothers and sisters".