Thoughts from the Chaplain - Blessed Titus Brandsma

Last week on the 27th July we celebrated the feast of Blessed Titus Brandsma, a Carmelite Friar from Holland who died in Dachau.  Titus is an important 20th Century saint for the Universal Church but also for the Carmelite Order.

Titus was born Anno Sjoerd Brandsma on 23rd February 1881 in the province of Friesland; the son of Titus and Tjitsje who ran a small dairy farm.  The area where he was born and raised was a mainly Calvinist region although his family were devout Catholics.

Anno became a Carmelite and took the name Titus in honour of his father.  He studied and was ordain a priest in 1905 and after his doctorate in Philosophy was appointed professor of Philosophy at the Nijmegen Catholic University where he later served as Rector.

Brandsma was well known through his writings and lectures and in 1935 he was invited to take a lecture tour in the United States and the same year he became ecclesiastical adviser to the Catholic journalists of Holland and this brought him into confrontation with the rising Nazi government of the third Reich.  In 1940 the Nazis invaded the Netherlands and because of his outspoken writings and his campaigning for freedom of the press he came to their attention. This led to him being arrested and imprisoned in Scheveningen and then he was moved to Dachau arriving there on the 19th June. Titus Brandsma died in Dachau on 26th July 1942 from a lethal injection.

As Carmelites we can see many aspects of our charism in the life and death of Titus Brandsma:    

a)    we are called to be contemplatives, leading a life in the presence of God and in the footsteps of Jesus.  It was this following of Jesus and his grounding in prayer which led Titus to stand up for truth, freedom and the church.  This courage was to bring him to Dachau where he underwent his passion; deteriorating health, cruelty from the regime and finally a lethal injection

b)    Carmelites are to have the Eucharist at the centre of their lives and as proof of this Titus continued to celebrate the sacraments during his imprisonment, obtaining bread and wine for his offering.  But this offering was not just for him but for all those in need of it.

c)     Part of our life is to care for the marginalized and those in despair; what better place to find these than in the brutality of a Nazi death camp.  Titus was well known for his smile and welcome to all those who needed him, even to the nurse who came to administer his lethal injection.  It is said that she accepted his rosary and was at his beatification in Rome.

d)   Our rule tells us to ‘study the law of the Lord day and night’.  Titus fulfilled this exaltation and published the fruits of this in a number of writings. He wrote in one of a set of small booklets “Do not yield to hatred. We are here in a dark tunnel, but we have to go on. At the end, an eternal light is shining for us.”  This quote sums up the end of his journey especially in Dachau.

While he was in Scheveningen he scratched on the wall of his cell a poem called "Before an Image of Jesus Crucified" which I would like to share with you:

Dear Lord, when looking up to thee,I see thy loving eyes on me;love overflows my humble heart, knowing what faithful friend thou art.

A cup of sorrow I foresee, which I accept for love of thee. Thy painful way I wish to go;

the only way to God I know.

My soul is full of peace and light, although in pain, this light shines bright.For here thou keepest to thy breast my longing heart, to find there rest.

Leave me here freely all alone, in cell where never sunlight shone. Should no one ever speak to me, this golden silence makes me free!

For though alone, I have no fear; never wert thou, O Lord, so near. Sweet Jesus, please abide with me; my deepest peace I find in thee.

Blessed Titus Brandsma, Pray for us

Icon of Bl. Titus Brandsma (left) and St. Edith Stein (right) in the National Shrine of Saint Jude

Thoughts from the Chaplain - Mothers' Mass

As part of our celebration of the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel we will be celebrating a Mass in the National Shrine of Saint Jude.  This Mass for mothers will be for all the intentions of those who have given a donation for this shared Mass and also for those who come to celebrate with us.  So why a Mass for mothers and why celebrate it on this day?

The church frequently tells us that all fatherhood and a father’s love for his children is a reflection of our heavenly Father and his love for his Son.  It is this that sowed the seed for a Mass for mothers; it is not a great step to saying that motherhood as well as reflecting the feminine aspects of tenderness, compassion and nurturing of God mirrors the motherhood of Mary and her support and caring for her Son.  This led to the celebration of a Mass giving thanks on behalf of all mothers for the life of Mary, Mother of God, Theotokos and what better day to celebrate this than on the great Feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the primary feast of the Carmelite order.  We venerate her as mother, sister, queen and intercessor - a relationship which brings her close to us in all our times of need, anxiety and doubt.  

Often we find it difficult to approach the saints in a close and intimate way.  With Mary and with her Son it is different; He died for us and Mary said yes to God’s will and by bearing Him in her womb enabled Him to be incarnate and to fulfil His Father’s plan for his creation.  Year for year, throughout the world the faithful dress Our Lady of Mount Carmel in costly robes and process with her through the streets singing her praises and asking for her intercession.  During these processions she is transformed from a plaster or wood carving into a symbol of our devotion and our need to be close to her.  She becomes truly our mother. 

This is why we are having this Shared Mass on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in order for all mothers to see in her their mother and the source of all their motherly attributes.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for all mothers

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, National Shrine of Saint Jude

You still have time to send in your names. Simply add the name(s) of a mother, or grandmother via our on-line shop, and your donation. Those listed can be your mother, someone else’s mother, a grandmother, someone who is expecting, someone who is hoping for a child, or a maternal figure in your life.

Fr Michael Manning, O.Carm.

Saint Jude medals

Beautiful Saint Jude medals that have been created by the famous French artist and sculptor, André Lacôme are available to pre-order from the National Shrine of Saint Jude. They are currently being produced in the special town of Lourdes. All medals that are pre-ordered will be blessed by our Chaplain on arrival, and sent to you first class.

These special medals are only available for our sixtieth anniversary year, and there are only 100 silver and 100 bronze medals available. Please order as soon as possible.

Silver: £30 each
Bronze: £25 each

You can pre-order these via our on-line shop, or you can call the office to pay by debit or credit card: 01795 539214.

Novena for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel: 8 - 16 July 2015

The following novena from the National Shrine of Saint Jude is for the nine days leading up to the Feast of Our Lady of Carmel, which falls on 16 July. You can pray the novena in private, with your friends or family, or in a group. The novena starts today.

Statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, National Shrine of Saint Jude

O God, 

you have given us Mary as our Mother

and, through the Order of Carmel, 

we learn to call her sister.

May we imitate her goodness and faith

and be ever joyful in the wonderful things

you have done for us.

May Mary watch over and protect us

on our pilgrim way to your holy mountain,

Christ the Lord.

We make our prayer through the same Christ, 

Our Lord. Amen.

Make your special request now

Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...

Thoughts from our Chaplain - my role

In a few days time I will have been Chaplain at the Shrine of Saint Jude for 10 months and the Summer Celebration last month will be the second time that I have had the pleasure of meeting all our pilgrims who come to Faversham to ask Saint Jude to intercede on their behalf with God.

The requests for intercessions is an important part of the ministry of the shrine and as Chaplain it is a pleasure when I get to write to people who are going through a difficult patch in their lives or just need someone to write a caring word.  So what is a Chaplain to the Shrine of Saint Jude?   According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) a Chaplain is a member of the clergy attached to a private chapel, institution, hospital, prison etc.  Doesn’t say very much does it!  

My main task and also the most enjoyable is my time with pilgrims and visitors offering them a cheerful welcome, a generosity with my time and an open ear; essential elements of a pastoral ministry.   Anyone who has met me will be aware that I am always willing to stand or sit and have a chat with people and when I do this I never feel that my time is wasted.  As part of this pastoral care I also have the opportunity to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation with those who wish it and to give personal blessings and blessings of religious articles.  Basically I am here to make sure that anyone who comes to the Shrine has an enjoyable and memorable visit.

The Shrine office is where all the letters and requests come to be dealt with by the team. They also respond to the requests and the donations.  Should a letter need an answer from the Chaplain then the letter hits my desk and I write a personal letter concerning their needs and worries.  These letters are always welcomed and I receive very kind replies to a number of them.

The Shrine office is also where the Saint Jude Oil is blessed and bottled before being placed in the Shrine for people to take home with them.  When we have a pilgrimage I always carry a bottle of the oil with me in order to bless those who ask me.

Starting with the New Year we also have a number of Masses being celebrated in the Shrine marking the feasts of Saint Jude, the apostles, local saints and also for the intentions of the Guild of Saint Jude.  These masses are of course public and anyone who would like to join us is more than welcome.
 
So you can see that my role as Chaplain to the Shrine of Saint Jude is a varied and unpredictable one.  It is also a fulfilling one and gives me a feeling of having done some good at the end of the day as I lock up the shrine and, believe it or not, say goodnight and thank you to Saint Jude before I turn out the lights.

I am looking forward to welcoming you here in Faversham any time. and promising you of my prayers,

I remain your Chaplain,

Fr Michael Manning, O.Carm.

Fr Michael Manning, O.Carm with the Prior General of the Order and Matt Betts, the Development Manager

Diamond Jubilee Celebrations Begin at Shrine of Saint Jude

On 30 May 2015 the National Shrine of Saint Jude began their Diamond Jubilee commemorations with the Summer Celebration. The Mayor and Mayoress of Faversham, Councillor Nigel A Kay and Mrs Anne Kay attended the day, as did a number of other VIPs, including the Prior Provincial of the British Province of Carmelites, Fr. Antony Lester, O.Carm. The National Shrine is looked after by the British Province of the Carmelites.

On arrival, the Mayor of Faversham and other VIPs were taken on a tour of the Shrine and site by Fr. Wilfrid McGreal, O.Carm (Prior of the Carmelite community).  The guests discovered the history behind the Shrine and learnt that the founder, Fr Elias Lynch, O.Carm sat on the town council for a number of years.



In the afternoon, an outside Mass of thanksgiving was celebrated by the Prior Provincial of the British Province, Fr. Tony Lester, O.Carm. Fr. Tony thanked all the Pilgrims who have supported and visited the Shrine since 1955.  He noted that the Carmelite Order has been very proud of the work of the Shrine, the community, lay staff and volunteers over the last sixty years. The Mass was followed by a procession past the beautiful sixteenth century statue of Saint Jude.

The Mayor and other VIPs (including Guild of Saint Jude members) then enjoyed a drinks reception in the Saint Jude Welcome Centre. Later, the Mayor was invited to say a few words by Mr. Matt Betts, Development Manager at the Shrine. Councillor Nigel Kay thanked the Carmelite Order for their invitation to the Summer Celebration, and observed that the Shrine was a hidden jewel in Faversham. He was very proud to know that the Shrine was continuing the long history of pilgrimages to the area since the middle ages. Both he and his wife had an enjoyable day.

The weather was kind and the Shrine welcomed over three hundred pilgrims. Fr Michael Manning, Chaplain, said: “It was a truly joyous occasion and we were so pleased to have so many friends of Saint Jude attend”. Mr Matt Betts, Development Manager remarked: “The National Shrine of Saint Jude is proud of its 60 years of ministry and we are very pleased that the Worshipful Mayor and other VIPs could attend this special day. We are looking forward to seeing pilgrims at our Feast celebrations in October where the Diamond Jubilee will conclude – all welcome”.

Novena for the Feast of the Sacred Heart: 4 - 12 June 2015

Statue of the Sacred Heart, National Shrine of Saint Jude

The following novena was recently published in Carmelite News and is from the National Shrine of Saint Jude. Our novena to the Sacred Heart is for nine days.

You can pray the novena in private, with your friends or family, or in a group. The novena starts on Thursday 4 June and continues until 12 June 2015. 

Merciful God,
we rejoice in the gifts of love
we have received from the
heart of Jesus, your Son.
Open our hearts to share his life
and continue to bless us with his love.

We ask this through
our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

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Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...