July 26 Blessed Titus Brandsma

I was first drawn to the story of Titus because of his nickname – Shorty. I like the idea of a Father Shorty. Drawn in by the name, his story impressed me.

A Carmelite from the the Netherlands, Father Shorty spoke multiple  languages, taught philosophy at the Catholic University of the Netherlands and was editor of the local daily newspaper. He was a common sight around campus with cigar and jaunty walk. After becoming president of the university, he hit the lecture circuit, traveling extensively around Euruope. He was appointed ecclesiastical advisor to Catholic journalists in 1935.

Shortly after the appointment, Father Shorty made a speaking tour of the United States, speaking out against Nazi propaganda. In 1935 he wrote against anti-Jewish marriage laws, which brought him to the attention of the Nazis. He later wrote that no Catholic publication could publish Nazi propaganda and still call itself Catholic; this led to more attention. Continually followed by the Gestapo, the Nazi attention led to his arrest on 19 January 1942. For several weeks he was shuttled from jail to jail, abused, and punished for ministering to other prisoners.

Deported to the Dachau concentration camp in April 1942. There he was overworked, underfed, and beaten daily; he asked fellow prisoners to pray for the salvation of the guards. When he could no longer work, he was used for medical experiments. When he was no longer any use for experimentation, he was murdered.

March 25 Blessed Emilian Kovch

Emilian Kovch was born in a small town in the Ukraine in 1884. A member of the Greek Catholic Church, he studied in Lviv and Rome. He worked as a military chaplain to the Tsar’s army during the Bolshevik Revolution in 1919. Afterwards he settled in as a parish priest in the town of  Peremyshliany, Ukraine. He married (allowed in the Greek Catholic Church) and had six children.. He became known for his work with youth, welcoming orphans and children of all faiths into his home. He organized youth groups and led several youth pilgrimages to Rome. When the Nazis invaded the Ukraine, Father Emilian began baptizing the large number of Jewish members of their town and instructing them in how to live a false Christian life. Despite his best efforts, Father Emilian was arrested in 1942. Deported to the Majdanek concentration camp in August 1943. There he ministered to prisoners, hearing confessions, and celebrating Mass when possible. Martyred in the ovens.

Father Kovch has the unique honor of being honored by both the Catholic Church (His official sainthood for being martyred in the name of his faith is in the works) and the Jewish community as a “Righteous Ukrainian”.