Titus Brandsma

Anno Sjoerd Brandsma , of its monastic name Titus Brandsma , born on February 23rd 1881 in Oegeklooster (Bolsward, Netherlands), dead on July 26th 1942 with Dachau, Germany, was priest Carmelite friar, catholic journalist, professor of philosophy and the history of the Mysticisme, vice-chancellor of the catholic Université of Nimègue and Martyr. He was béatifié by Pape Jean-Paul II in 1985.

Youth and formation

Anno Sjoerd Brandsma was born on February 23rd, 1881 from a Friesian country family in Oegekleaster, (in Dutch: Oegeklooster), hamlet of Bolsward, the Netherlands. After the college with Megen, it enters at 17 years to the noviciate of the Grands Carmelite friars to Boxmeer, where it takes the monastic name of Titus Brandsma. It makes its religious studies with Zenderen and Oss.

All its life, extremely active in spite of a fragile health, will be inspired by a very interior personal mystic, without devotions external. Already into 1901, it represents the writings of Therese d' Avila into Dutch. It is ordered priest on June 17th 1905 with Wood-the-Duke. Of 1905 with 1909 it studies the Philosophie and the Sociologie with the Gregoriana with Rome where it obtains its doctorate of philosophy.

Teaching and journalism

From 1909 to 1923 Titus Brandsma teaches philosophy, the sociology and the history of the church in Philosophicum, seminar of the Carmelite friars, with Oss. It founds there a college, which bears its name now. It founds also a college with Oldenzaal and increases the college of Zenderen. It is interested in the clippings, language of its childhood, but also with the Esperanto. He is active member of the International union of the catholic esperantists, IKUE. Having obtained a diploma of professional Journalist, it becomes 1919 editor association of a local newspaper with Oss. Later, with Nimègue, he is journalist of the regional newspaper De Gelderlander . He is to advise spiritual association of the catholic journalists, and deals with the improvement of the work conditions of the journalists and the revival of the catholic press. He proposes the foundation of a school for journalists, which will be carried out only after its death.

Professorship and mysticism

With the foundation of the catholic University of Nimègue (current the University Radboud de Nimègue) in 1923, it is named professor of history of the Philosophie and the Mystique. He teaches in particular the mystic Dutchwoman and Flemish and he organizes International Conferences on the Spiritualité. He évertue to be made redécouvrir the spiritual roots of the Netherlands and his collection of copies photographed of Manuscrits religious will be at the origin of current the Center of studies Titus Brandsma with Nimègue. Become member of the general advice of the Order of Carmel, it has a strong influence on the revival of the Carmes. In Nimègue, it is of 1926 to 1929 the prior of a small community of student Carmelite friars, then in 1929, he is founder of a larger convent, Doddendaal . In 1927, he is cofounder of the religious newspaper Ons geestelijk erf (“Our spiritual inheritance”). In 1932/1933, he is vice-chancellor of the university and holds his famous speech God is not a dream, but lives in all that exists . Journalist and professor, it published nearly 800 scientific articles and to popularization. Its book spiritual Itinéraire of Carmel is translated into French.

Be a prelude to with martyrdom

In 1935, Titus Brandsma becomes the spokesperson of the Archevêché of Utrecht and as of this moment he is opposed firmly to the theories Nazis and persecutions of the Jews. In 1938/1939 it gives a series of course on the harmful principles of the Nazisme and takes the defense of the Jews. May 10th, 1940, the Netherlands are invaded and then occupied by the Nazis who find collaborators in party NSB. At the beginning of the war, Titus Brandsma speaks against the reference of the schoolboys and Jewish students and against the NSB. December 30th, 1941, it has a discussion with the archbishop of Utrecht on the position of the catholic press in the Netherlands; then it returns visit auxdirecteurs and auxrédacteurs as a chief of the catholic newspapers, pleading which one makes no publicity for the NSB.

At the beginning of January 1942, a German report/ratio on Titus Brandsma mentions this systematic opposition and orders its arrest.

Chemin du martyrdom

January 19th, 1942, Titus Brandsma is stopped with Nimègue and put in prison at Arnhem, then transferred to $the Hague for two days from interrogations. From January 20th to March 12th, it is in prison with Scheveningen; then from March 12th to April 28th with the Polizeiliches Durchgangslager Amersfoort , a camp of transit.

From April 28th to May 16th, it is again with the prison of Scheveningen. According to the testimony of its fellows-prisoner, in each prison, it brought comfort and consolation to them. According to a prisoner, the Good Friday April 3rd, it holds a conference for the other prisoners on Geert Groote and the significance of the passion of the Christ and the human suffering. He writes even in prison, sometimes, for lack of paper, between the lines of a book.

From May 16th to June 13rd, it is with the prison of Clèves where according to a judge, it believes duty to defend Catholicism against the Nazism.

June 13rd, it is transferred to the concentration camp from Dachau where it arrives on June 19th. Its health is already strongly shaken and, after one month of life in the camp, it is weakened so much that it falls per moments in the coma. A few days later, on July 26th, a catholic old male nurse gives him an injection, of which he dies in 14.00 hours. He was incinerated in one of the crematoriums of Dachau.

Its festival is the 26 or on July 27th.

Posthumous honors

Titus Brandsma was béatifié by the pope Jean Paul II with Rome, on November 3rd 1985. He is the first béatifié journalist.

With Nimègue, one changed the Saint-Joseph church into commemorative church Titus Brandsma, where memories of him are.

In 2005, at the time of 2000 years of existence of the city, the population of Nimègue elected Titus Brandsma like the largest character of all times of the city.

With Bolsward the museum Titus Brandsma is.

Several elementary schools and colleges in the Netherlands bear its name.

One founded in his memory the Prix Titus Brandsma , decreed every three years with un/e journalist, a publication or an institute which suffered from threats or persecutions because of its engagement in the media in favor of an important issue from the human or Christian point of view .

The International union of the catholic esperantists, IKUE, did of Titus Brandsma one their owners.

In France in particular, a street of Nantes was baptized Allée Titus Brandsma and there is a catholic center Titus Brandsma with Lyon.

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