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"We are the anvil, not the hammer..."
Oct. 9th, 2005 12:55 amBishop Clemens August, Graf von Galen, July 20, 1941:
I pointed out with considerable emphasis to the recipients of the telegrams [Reich Marshal Göring, the Minister of Home Affairs, the High Command of the Army] that these outrages can only spring from a deep-rooted hatred of the Christian religion and the Catholic Church and that suchlike chicanery but serves to sabotage national unity. How can we feel one with men who hound our religious brothers and sisters from the country like outlaws without cause, defence or trial? We can't! I have nothing in common, neither in thought nor sentiment, with these men and all others responsible for these actions. I do not hate them but I wish from the bottom of my heart that they may acknowledge their sins and repent. We must therefore pray for all those who persecute and denigrate us in obedience to Our Blessed Lord's mandate. But as long as they continue to act as they are now doing I withhold any kind of fellowship. . . .
It is true we Christians must not start revolutions. We must continue to do our duty conscientiously in obedience to the Divine Will and out of love for our people and country. Our soldiers will continue to fight and die for their Fatherland but not for those men who, by their hateful deeds against our beloved Religious, break our hearts and bring down shame on the German name before God and man. We shall continue our fight against the external enemy, but we cannot fight with weapons against the enemy within our own gates, who strikes and tortures us. The only way we can hit back is by strong, prolonged and stubborn endurance. Steel yourselves and hold fast! We can perceive clearly enough what lies behind the new credenda which they have imposed upon us for some years now, how they have forbidden religious teaching from our schools, suppressed our societies and are now intending to ban the Catholic kindergartens. Their motive springs from a deep-rooted hatred of Christianity which they intend to deracinate. ( Read more... )
My dear Catholics of Münster! ... Amidst all this annihilation of human works, amidst the storm and stress I exhort you in the words spoken to the persecuted Christians by the first Supreme Pontiff: ‘Bow down, then, before the strong hand of God; He will raise you up, when His time comes to deliver you. Throw back on Him the burden of all your anxiety; He is concerned for you. Be sober, and watch well; the devil, who is your enemy, goes about roaring like a lion, to find his prey, but you, grounded in the faith, must face him boldly; you know well enough that the brotherhood you belong to pays, all the world over, the same tribute of suffering. And God, the giver of all grace, who has called us to enjoy, after a little suffering, His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself give you mastery, and steadiness, and strength. To Him be glory and power through endless ages, Amen.’
Let us pray for our relatives and for our religious Orders, for the innocent who are suffering, for all in trouble, for our soldiers, for Münster and its inhabitants, for our nation and Fatherland and for its leader. Amen. (Here the vast congregation shouted, ‘And for our beloved Bishop!’)
I pointed out with considerable emphasis to the recipients of the telegrams [Reich Marshal Göring, the Minister of Home Affairs, the High Command of the Army] that these outrages can only spring from a deep-rooted hatred of the Christian religion and the Catholic Church and that suchlike chicanery but serves to sabotage national unity. How can we feel one with men who hound our religious brothers and sisters from the country like outlaws without cause, defence or trial? We can't! I have nothing in common, neither in thought nor sentiment, with these men and all others responsible for these actions. I do not hate them but I wish from the bottom of my heart that they may acknowledge their sins and repent. We must therefore pray for all those who persecute and denigrate us in obedience to Our Blessed Lord's mandate. But as long as they continue to act as they are now doing I withhold any kind of fellowship. . . .
It is true we Christians must not start revolutions. We must continue to do our duty conscientiously in obedience to the Divine Will and out of love for our people and country. Our soldiers will continue to fight and die for their Fatherland but not for those men who, by their hateful deeds against our beloved Religious, break our hearts and bring down shame on the German name before God and man. We shall continue our fight against the external enemy, but we cannot fight with weapons against the enemy within our own gates, who strikes and tortures us. The only way we can hit back is by strong, prolonged and stubborn endurance. Steel yourselves and hold fast! We can perceive clearly enough what lies behind the new credenda which they have imposed upon us for some years now, how they have forbidden religious teaching from our schools, suppressed our societies and are now intending to ban the Catholic kindergartens. Their motive springs from a deep-rooted hatred of Christianity which they intend to deracinate. ( Read more... )
My dear Catholics of Münster! ... Amidst all this annihilation of human works, amidst the storm and stress I exhort you in the words spoken to the persecuted Christians by the first Supreme Pontiff: ‘Bow down, then, before the strong hand of God; He will raise you up, when His time comes to deliver you. Throw back on Him the burden of all your anxiety; He is concerned for you. Be sober, and watch well; the devil, who is your enemy, goes about roaring like a lion, to find his prey, but you, grounded in the faith, must face him boldly; you know well enough that the brotherhood you belong to pays, all the world over, the same tribute of suffering. And God, the giver of all grace, who has called us to enjoy, after a little suffering, His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself give you mastery, and steadiness, and strength. To Him be glory and power through endless ages, Amen.’
Let us pray for our relatives and for our religious Orders, for the innocent who are suffering, for all in trouble, for our soldiers, for Münster and its inhabitants, for our nation and Fatherland and for its leader. Amen. (Here the vast congregation shouted, ‘And for our beloved Bishop!’)