Quote of the day, 10 April: St. Titus Brandsma

Professor Brandsma took advantage of vacations to visit other countries for study. He was most attracted by Spain, the native land of St. Teresa of Avila. He felt a special attraction for her and her way of living out the spirit of Carmel. 

During the Easter Break of 1929, and months before the first Congress [on mysticism in Nijmegen], he had gone to Spain to study similarities between Spanish and Flemish mysticism. He visited Barcelona, Burgos, Madrid, Toledo, Seville, Jerez de la Frontera, and Avila; he spent time in archives, libraries, and museums. 

In some Carmelite friaries, he lectured on Carmel’s rich heritage, but he also took pains to make contact with the simple faithful whose culture and spirit had contributed so much to the 16th-century reform of the Order.

Father Simón Besalduch, a well-known Carmelite scholar and author, accompanied Titus through Catalonia; while there, they visited the rector of the University of Barcelona and the Monastery of Montserrat. Recalling this latter visit, Fr. Simón wrote:

We visited the monastery, and the monks put whatever he wanted to see at his disposal. … He conversed with the Benedictines in Dutch, French, German, and Spanish. What tremendous devotion he showed while visiting the church and listening to the Gregorian chant of the monks! … Later, as we were strolling along the mountain trails, our dear Father expressed, as though a projection of his inner being, what was in his heart; and he did so with such vitality that it seemed he was dreaming out loud. He spoke of grand proposals that came together in a single ideal: the flourishing of the Order he so dearly loved. We still have so much to do, he said, in order to become what our fathers were. We need to increase vocations. … We need a comprehensive library that is available to Carmelites of the entire world. … We need a multi-lingual journal that will publish in all the major languages. … We need so much, so much, so much.

Miguel Maria Arribas, O.Carm.

Chapter IV, At the university (excerpt)

Arribas O.Carm., M 2021, The Price of Truth: Titus Brandsma, Carmelite, Carmelite Media, Darien, Illinois.

Featured image: Detail from a photograph of St. Titus Brandsma as Rector Magnificus of the Catholic University of Nijmegen. Titus served in this role from 1932–1933. Image credit: Carmelites (used with permission of the Nederlands Carmelitaans Instituut).

#friars #professor #Spain #StTitusBrandsma #travel

Quote of the day, 12 March: St. Titus Brandsma

Early on Thursday, March 12, a police officer entered Titus’ cell to announce: “In the name of the Supreme Commander of the Security Police, I inform you that you are to follow me. You are leaving for the camp in Amersfoort. Transport is waiting.”

In the central yard, Titus found at least a hundred prisoners in formation; on command, they climbed into canvas-covered trucks for the trip to the concentration camp at Amersfoort, in the interior of the Netherlands. The vehicles formed a caravan under the guard of the SS Police. 

At nine o’clock in the morning, the convoy pulled into the central square of the concentration camp at Amersfoort. Guards bellowed orders: “Out quickly! Form a line and prepare for inspection!”

There the bedraggled group stood, from nine in the morning until one o’clock that afternoon, buffeted unmercifully by a frigid north wind, their feet covered with a heavy blanket of snow. All prisoners began their stay in Amersfoort standing in formation for hours, sometimes as many as eighteen. This was a practice favored by the Nazis to break the spirit of new arrivals. And it worked. How better impress on these unfortunates that they were worthless, useless dregs of humanity. When their masters finally deigned to remember they existed, it would be only to issue some new command.

On the day of Titus’ arrival, the order came at one o’clock: strip, and leave all personal effects aside. Totally naked in the frigid winter air, the prisoners were formed into groups of ten and then continued to wait. Finally, they were ordered to put on the camp’s “uniform,” rag-tag surplus remnants from the old Dutch army: pants and military jacket, worn years before by youthful, in shape soldiers; the clothing literally swallowed up Titus’ slight form. The ensemble was completed by an overcoat, which would be taken away on March 21, the first day of spring, even though in the Netherlands it would still be quite cold, and in 1942, very rainy as well.

The prisoners would spend entire days with their clothes and shoes soaked: camp regulations must be followed. Along with the uniform, each prisoner was given a number—Titus was issued Nº 58—and a colored triangle to be sewn onto the jacket pocket. As a political prisoner, Titus was assigned a red one.

Miguel Maria Arribas, O.Carm.

Chapters VIII and IX (excerpts)

Arribas O.Carm., M 2021, The Price of Truth: Titus Brandsma, Carmelite, Carmelite Media, Darien, Illinois.

Featured image: A portrait drawing of Fr. Titus when he was imprisoned at Amersfoort Transit Camp 12 March to 28 April 1942. The artist, John Dons, captures the complete sadness of the concentration camp yet sees with Fr. Titus a willing acceptance of pain and a profound inner peace. John Dons was later executed. Image credit: Carmelites (used with permission of the Nederlands Carmelitaans Instituut)

#Amersfoort #Nazi #politicalPrisoner #StTitusBrandsma #suffering

Quote of the day, 6 March: St. Titus Brandsma

Again, my greetings from cell 577, where I have been for more than six weeks. I am growing accustomed to it. I am getting along, and my health is holding up. 

On the 21st, I had a bit of a temperature along with some pain, and I was afraid the bladder and kidney inflammation was returning as it did in December 1939. I asked to see a doctor, but when he showed up the next day, I was already much better. Now I am fine. 

Mentally, I am not suffering: I feel no need for either tears or sighs. Indeed, I even sing a bit, softly, of course. The worst thing is the nights: I cannot sleep so many hours, and so I lie awake much of the time.

Saint Titus Brandsma

Letter to his religious community and family, 5 March 1942
Chapter VIII, Apologia from prison (excerpt)

Arribas O.Carm., M 2021, The Price of Truth: Titus Brandsma, Carmelite, Carmelite Media, Darien, Illinois.

Featured image: A portrait drawing of Saint Titus Brandsma when he was imprisoned at Amersfoort Transit Camp (March 12-April 28, 1942). The artist, John Dons, captured the complete sadness of the concentration camp, yet he saw in Titus a willing acceptance of pain and a profound inner peace. Dons was later executed. Image credit: Nederlands Carmelitaans Instituut / Carmelite General Curia (used by permission)

#acceptance #health #Scheveningen #StTitusBrandsma #suffering

Quote of the day, 27 February: Saint Titus Brandsma

Christ’s message of peace is, “Love those who hate you, do good to those who persecute you” (Cf. Mt 5:43-48). “If you do good to those who do good to you, what merit is there in that? So do the Gentiles. But I say to you, do good also to those who do evil to you” (Cf. Lk 6:27-36).

I know that for many in today’s society this word is the voice of someone crying in the wilderness, but to you who love peace, who understand with me that this peace must ultimately grow from the moral disposition of the many who make up the people themselves, may I make this word of Christ heard as an indication — certainly radical, even difficult to carry out, but nevertheless striking — of the direction in which our work for peace must go.

I repeat, our peacemaking efforts must be based on social reform. In society, the sound principles of love and forgiveness must once again come to flower and enter into general practice.

Saint Titus Brandsma

Vrede en vredelievendheid, no. 8 (excerpt)
Speech in the Mountain Church of St. Nicholas, Deventer, Netherlands
11 November 1931

Titus Brandsma Institute & Nederlandse Provincie Karmelieten 2018, Vrede en Vredelievendheid, viewed 25 February 2026, https://www.titusbrandsmateksten.nl/vrede-en-vredelievendheid/.

Featured image: Max is wearing a cap from LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR, a social fashion label based in Switzerland. Founded by David Togni and now owned by Carole Zimmerli, 100% of sales revenue goes to humanitarian projects of the LYN Foundation. Image credit: Nina Strehl / Unsplash (Stock photo)

#Justice #peace #peacemaker #socialJustice #StTitusBrandsma

Quote of the day, 23 February: St. Titus Brandsma

“Following orders, today I was forced to declare that I am not a member of the Jewish race. Obviously, I am pure Frisian. But this is very painful for the Jews. I must stand alongside them.”

St. Titus Brandsma
27 October 1941

The fire never died out in Oegeklooster on the frigid night between 21-22 February 1881. The Brandsmas were impatiently awaiting the birth of a new shoot. It would be their fifth.

The newcomer was born in the early hours of 23 February, and his arrival filled the entire family of hardworking farmers with joy. It was a boy, another pair of hands to work their enormous farm.

Overcome with gratitude the father fell to his knees, thanking God because at last his four daughters had been joined by the hoped-for male heir. Following this newborn son, there was to be another brother.

Everyone who saw the infant praised his delicate complexion and agreed that he looked like his mother.

In accord with the old ways, that same afternoon the entire family hurried to the parish church to baptize the newcomer. He was given typically Frisian names: Anno Sjoerd. St. Anno had been a famous Bishop of Cologne who had founded monasteries in the northern part of Europe around 1056.

Miguel Arribas, O.Carm.

Chapter 1, A shoot from good stock (excerpt)

Note: Anno Sjoerd Brandsma was born to Tjitsje and Titus Brandsma on 23 February 1881 at Wonseradeel in Friesland, a province in the very north of Holland. The Brandsma family consisted of four girls and two boys, of which Titus was the second youngest. Five of the siblings would later enter religious life.

Arribas O.Carm., M 2021, The Price of Truth: Titus Brandsma, Carmelite, Carmelite Media, Darien, Illinois.

Featured image: Saint Titus Brandsma is seen standing next to his mother, Tjitje, who is seated on his right and wearing a traditional Dutch hat. On Titus’ left is his sister Gatske, perhaps with her daughter Trees (standing). The occasion and place are unknown. Image credit: Nederlands Carmelitaans Instituut / Carmelite General Curia (used by permission)

#baptism #birth #familyLife #Frisia #Netherlands #StTitusBrandsma

Quote of the day, 29 January: Saint Titus Brandsma

On Thursday morning, January 29, it was the feast day of St. Francis de Sales, gentle patron saint of journalists. I had cleaned my pipe and had lighted it for my morning walk when a German soldier entered with a new order. I had to hand over tobacco and cigars, pipe and matches. I was not allowed to smoke any more.

Luckily I happened to think of the mild Francis de Sales, otherwise, I might have said something unkind. I emptied my pipe and gave it up. The soldier said in pity that it was not his fault. I understood. To comfort me, he said that I could keep the other things—books, paper, and so on—which is very fortunate. They will profit me more, though I miss my pipe and cigar. I deleted “smoking” from the daily timetable and the day went on.

Saint Titus Brandsma

Letter from Scheveningen Prison
Saturday 31 January 1942

EWTN (n.d.) Last days of Titus Brandsma: Letters written in prison. Available at: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/last-days-of-titus–letters-written-in-prison-5607 (Accessed: 27 January 2026).

Featured image: “pijp en tabakszak van Titus Brandsma” (Titus Brandsma’s pipe and tobacco pouch) is a photo by the 23 dingen voor musea project. The saint’s pipe and tobacco pouch are from the collection of artifacts at the Dokkum Museum in Dokkum, Netherlands. Image credit: 23dingenvoormusea / Flickr (Some rights reserved)

#journalist #Nazism #prison #smoking #StTitusBrandsma

Quote of the day, 31 December: St. Titus Brandsma

In his Explanation of “The Living Flame of Love”, St. John of the Cross draws the Holy Mother of God as clearly as possible into the circle of his metaphor clarifying the mystical life.

Speaking of the shining of the Lamps of God in us and our intake of the divine Light, which means as much as participating in God’s characteristics and works, he says that this bears still another name, i.e. “to overshadow”.

And in connection to this, he reminds (us) that also the Archangel Gabriel called the exquisite privilege of Mary to conceive God’s Son, an overshadowing of the Holy Spirit [Cf. Lk 1:35]. 

If one wants to understand, the Saint thus follows, what is meant by that spreading of God’s shadow or that overshadowing or that shining, for all these expressions have an equal meaning, then one should remember that every creature evokes a shadow according to its own nature and capacity. A dark opaque object gives an obscure shadow: a bright translucent object a clear and transparent shadow.

Thus, the shadow of something dark will call forth a different darkness, darker to the extent that its cause is also darker, while the shadow of something bright will be light according to the nature of the original light.

Therefore, the shadow brought forth by the lamp of God’s beauty will be a different beauty, the shadow by the lamp of strength a different strength, etc. or better said, all these shadows will be the beauty itself, the strength itself of God, but in shadow, because the soul here on earth cannot perfectly understand or take God into itself.

Over Mary, the Holy Spirit came in all his fullness, and the power of the Most High overshadowed her in the most perfect way [Cf. The Living Flame of Love, III, 12].

Saint Titus Brandsma

Mary’s motherhood of God, leading idea in the mystical life (excerpt), Carmelrozen 20 (May 1931), pp. 11–15

Brandsma, T. 1931, Mary’s motherhood of God, leading idea in the mystical life (excerpt), Carmelrozen, vol. 20, May, pp. 11–15. English translation by the Titus Brandsma Instituut, Nijmegen, available at: https://www.titusbrandsmateksten.nl/marys-motherhood-of-god/

Featured image: The Virgin and Child (detail), after Raphael (1483–1520), oil on canvas. Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery (public domain).

#BlessedVirginMary #MotherOfGod #overshadow #StJohnOfTheCross #StTitusBrandsma

Quote of the day, 26 December: St. Titus Brandsma

This cold, naked cell needed a little decoration, so I have made myself a tiny altar, if you can call it that. I found a checkerboard with frame in the cell, and since I had no desire to play checkers, I wrapped it in a piece of paper and with a pin—I am not permitted to have a pocket knife or scissors—I made some tiny slits and inserted three holy cards from my breviary in them: “Christ on the Cross” by Fra Angelico in the middle; St. Teresa of Avila with her motto “To suffer or to die” on one side; and on the other St. John of the Cross with his motto “Lord, to suffer and be despised for You.”

Saint Titus Brandsma
“Diary of a Prisoner—My Cell”
Scheveningen Prison, 23 January 1942

Titus Brandsma, martyr, that is, one who has witnessed with his blood, in other words with his life, to his faith in Jesus Christ, Son of God and savior of mankind. Thus does Paul speak of the first martyr, Stephen: “While the blood of your witness, Stephen, was being spilled, I stood by” (Acts 22:20).

The suffering and death of Titus Brandsma have been recognized by the Church as a witness to his faith. He has been given us by the Church as a model of faith, as an intercessor for us, for the people of our time whose faith suffers violence.

Thus we honor him in the liturgy, in the worship of the Church, as a witness for Jesus Christ. The witness of his death was the completion and crown of the witness the whole life of Father Titus lived. He strove to be wholly filled with Jesus Christ. His person was a witness for Christ….

At the beginning of this sermon I referred to Stephen, the first martyr. In the account in the Acts of the Apostles of the death of Stephen, there are various traits which recall the account of Christ’s passion.

Stephen’s last prayer was, “Lord, do not account this a sin for them” (Ac 7:60). Christ on the cross heard the prayer of the good thief. “This day you will be with me in paradise” (Lk 23:43).

Saint Titus in his suffering and death was the image of reconciliation. To the one who gave him the mortal injection, he gave the only thing he had been able to keep: his rosary. The peace and joy of his countenance witnessed to reconciliation and love. This expression of union with God, and of reconciliation and union with men issuing from it, was not lost even on those who killed him.

The martyrs, witnesses to faith in and love for Jesus Christ—Titus in particular for our time—are the sign and foundation of reconciliation in the midst of the mystery of evil. Defunctus adhuc loquitur. In death, he speaks to us yet.

Cardinal Johannes Willebrands

Homily, First Mass of Thanksgiving (excerpts)
Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, 4 November 1985

Manuscript Illumination with the Martyrdom of Saint Stephen in an Initial E
Niccolò di Giacomo da Bologna (Italian, 15th c.)
Tempera, gold, and ink on parchment, ca. 1394 –1402
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
(via Wikimedia Commons, public domain)

Arribas O.Carm., M 2021, The Price of Truth: Titus Brandsma, Carmelite, Carmelite Media, Darien, Illinois.

#martyr #prison #reconciliation #StStephenMartyr #StTitusBrandsma

Quote of the day, 10 December: St. Titus Brandsma

As Mr. Steffen was locking me in my cell at Arnhem, I remarked, jokingly, that it was certainly unusual for a man to be put in jail at sixty years of age. His reply was comforting: ‘You should not have accepted the archbishop’s commission.’ I was finally sure of the real reason for my arrest.

Saint Titus Brandsma

For some thirty years, Titus Brandsma was once again on trial; this time it was not for the crime of sabotage but for the evaluation of his courage and virtue. The process of canonization put its seal on his spiritual victory, much as the Nazi process had placed its seal, albeit unintentionally, on his moral victory through death in the camp.

The diocesan process began on January 11, 1955, in Nijmegen, the Diocese of Den Bosch. The investigation was based on the sworn testimony of some fifty eyewitnesses to his life and martyrdom: a cardinal, two bishops, four professors from the Catholic University, and most especially inmates from the prisons and concentration camps where he had been held. Among these latter were four non-Catholics and a few agnostics.

From his family there was the testimony of his brother, Fr. Hendrik, a Franciscan priest; his sister, Gatske; and the lawyer, Asuerus Brandsma.

Most important of all was the testimony of the SS nurse, known to us only as Tizia, from the extermination camp of Dachau. Her deposition was taken in 1956. The impact of her confession extended even beyond the canonical procedure: its importance is unparalleled for any honest judgment of the nature of Nazism.

Miguel María Arribas, O.Carm.

The Price of Truth, chapters 8, 14 (excerpts)

Note: On 10 December 1973, Titus Brandsma’s cause was accepted by the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints as truly involving martyrdom.

Arribas O.Carm., M 2021, The Price of Truth: Titus Brandsma, Carmelite, Carmelite Media, Darien, Illinois.

Featured image: This photograph of the Dachau gate was captured in February 2011. Image credit: payam_fahr / Flickr (Some rights reserved)

#congregationForTheCausesOfTheSaints #dachau #martyrdom #stTitusBrandsma #testimonies

Quote of the day, 3 November: St. Titus Brandsma

The Security Office of the Reich in Berlin published the official accusation against Professor Brandsma: he had obstructed the plans of the victorious German nation for the Netherlands through his influence on the Catholic press. Providentially, all the documentation of the entire process against Titus Brandsma was preserved. It concludes:

The arrest of Professor Brandsma was necessary and it took place on January 19, 1942. The following day he was interrogated in this office concerning his activities. As Brandsma himself admits, Archbishop De Jong and he himself are the individuals principally responsible for the sabotage of the uniform orientation we are attempting to provide for the Dutch people through the press. The directive for all Catholics to cancel their subscriptions to periodicals that obeyed our orders would have a deleterious effect on the Dutch people. The security measures that we Germans have taken with regard to the press have been systematically sabotaged due to the activity of Professor Brandsma, who has no other purpose than to discredit the German government and Dutch National-Socialism. It is my recommendation that this case result in the prolonged preventive arrest (Schutzhaft) of the Professor.

In spite of his role in Titus’s condemnation, [Nazi judge Paul Hardegen] appeared to respect him. A few months later, Hardegen himself told one of Titus’ friends: “He was a real man. He was convinced that he was defending Christianity against National-Socialism.”

In all probability, Hardegen did not realize that he could have given Titus no greater praise; his words confirmed that Titus was worthy of the crown of a Christian martyr.

Miguel María Arribas, O.Carm.

The Price of Truth, ch. 8

Note: It was ten o’clock on the morning of Sunday, 3 November 1985, when Pope John Paul II proclaimed the words of beatification: “We, by our apostolic authority, declare that the Venerable Servant of God, Titus Brandsma, may from now on be called Blessed, and that his feast may be celebrated…” 

Arribas O.Carm., M 2021, The Price of Truth: Titus Brandsma, Carmelite, Carmelite Media, Darien, Illinois.

Featured image: Newsclip from the 26 February 1942 edition of the New York Daily News. Clipping courtesy of newspapers.com

#beatification #martyr #Nazism #StTitusBrandsma #WorldWarII