A Pope and a Carmelite martyr

I am struck by the fact that Blessed Alfons Maria Mazurek OCD (1891-1944) whose feast is today, was beatified by a Pope who had actually met him – St John Paul II.   Mazurek was a professor and rector of the Carmelite seminary and director of the tertiaries at the monastery in Wadowice. In 1930 he was elected prior of the convent in Czerna. The prior impressed all with his zeal and dedication to his priestly and religious vocation.  In 1936, he became the first visitor of the Carmelite communities in Poland; he wrote new statutes for them in 1937.  Pope St John Paul said later ‘I am happy that I was able to beatify … Blessed Father Alfons Maria Mazurek, a pupil, and much later, a well-deserving educator in the minor seminary connected to the Discalced Carmelite monastery. I had an occasion of meeting personally with this witness to Christ, who in 1944 … sealed his faithfulness to God with death through martyrdom. I kneel in veneration before his relics which rest in the church of Saint Joseph and I thank God for the gift of the life, the martyrdom, and sanctity of this great religious.’   When the Nazis forced the friars to another village to dig war trenches. Father Alphons Maria was separated from his community and forced into a car where he was assaulted. Later he was pushed out of the car and told to start walking. Soldiers fired at him and the priest fell. When the murderers realized he was not dead, they filled his mouth with dirt, put his body in a horse drawn carriage and drove to a nearby cemetery.  Providentially, the carriage passed the other friars on their way to dig the trenches. One of his brother priests was able to give Father Alphonsus absolution before he died. Throughout his torture and death, the priest had a rosary clutched in his hands.

Intercessions:

Brian Davis – cancer

Cancer: Marie, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Jacqui, Sue B, Theresa K

Siena, Elara – sick children

Wojtek – massive heart attack leaving him incapacitated

David OCDS - housebound

Sophia – blind infant

Joy Smith OCDS – seriously ill