He who wants to win the world for Christ must have the courage to come in conflict with it.
Saint Titus Brandsma
Is the titular patron of the Philippine Province of the Order of Carmelites. Titus was born in February 23, 1881 and became a celebrated priest, philosophy professor, journalist, educator, and orator. He was known for his anti-Nazi stance, that in 1935 he wrote against anti-Jewish marriage laws, which brought him to the attention of the Nazis. He encouraged Catholic publications not to publish Nazi propaganda. The move ultimately incensed the Nazis, who later on arrested him.
He was deported to the Dachau concentration camp in Bavaria, Germany where he was overworked, underfed, and beaten daily. Despite the difficulties of the situation, he still managed to encourage prayer in the camp, even requesting fellow prisoners to pray for the salvation of the guards. In the camp, Titus was used for medical experiments.
When he could no longer serve his purpose in the experimentation projects, he was murdered by lethal injection in 1942. Pope St. John Paul II beatified Titus on November 3, 1985. Titus was canonized by Pope Francis on May 15, 2022 in Rome together with nine others. (Text by Br. Lester Hallig, O.Carm.)
