May
Newsletter
Abbaye Saint-Joseph de Clairval, France
May 13, 2001
Our Lady of Fatima
Dear Friend of Saint Joseph Abbey,
³Have you ever noticed the halo of light that surrounds holy priests
and illuminates all those in their presence? They bring about such transformations
by the silent preaching of their holy life! How many imitators they draw
in their wake, attracting them by their priestly ideal! May Jesus favor
us with entering into contact with such a priest!² The author of
these lines, Father Edward Poppe, (1890-1924)‹whom Pope John Paul
II beatified on October 3, 1999‹could not imagine that these words
would be applied to his own life story.
Edward Poppe was born on December 18, 1890, into a profoundly Catholic
Flemish family. His father, Désiré, and his mother, Josefa,
lived in a modest home in the small city of Temse, close to Ghent, Belgium.
In his profession as a baker, Désiré worked hard to support
his family. In his trials, he had the custom of saying, ³We must
always be satisfied with the will of God.² Josefa displayed in her
household both warm affection and firm discipline. She attended Mass every
day, as much as she could, for the family grew quickly. Eleven children
would join the family circle‹three would die at an early age, the
two sons would become priests, five daughters were to become nuns, and
one daughter alone remained at home with her mother.
A mischievous and stubborn child
From his early youth, Edward manifested an equally happy and hyperactive
disposition. He was, however, not an easy child‹he knocked everything
over, at the risk of breaking a good many things as well as hurting himself.
Mischievous and stubborn, he would not leave his sisters alone. These
would take their revenge by mussing his hair when they discovered him
combing in front of a mirror. Edward went to school willingly, but preferred
staying at home, where his exuberance could be given full rein more easily.
A big eater, like many children, Edward frequently devoured treats from
the bakery. Nevertheless, people noticed in him candor and cheerfulness.
At the age of twelve, he made his First Communion and received Confirmation.
Then, under the beneficial influence of the sacraments, Edward became
more serious‹practical jokes and teasing became more rare.
In the spring of 1904, Mr. Poppe introduced Edward to his business expansion
plans. He hoped to see his son enter an apprenticeship as a baker. Edward
remained silent at first, for he had resolved to become a priest. He finally
replied to his father that he didn¹t want to become a baker. Some
time later, a priest friend expressed to Mr. and Mrs. Poppe a favorable
opinion on Edward¹s vocation. Mr. Poppe said to his wife: ³I
prefer what God wants. Besides, let¹s not be selfish. God has not
given us our children for ourselves.² Thus did the son leave that
fall for Saint Nicholas Minor Seminary in Waas.
On January 10, 1907, Mr. Poppe died of exhaustion. Edward, who was 16
years old, considered leaving his studies for a short time and taking
over the bakery, but his mother told him, ³Before he died, Papa made
me promise to let you continue with your studies. I want to keep my promise.²
In September 1910, Edward was called to military service, in the university
company, where he could begin his philosophy studies. In the barracks,
the others quickly learned of his desire to enter the priesthood, which
brought him mockery and provocation. His companions¹ vulgarity and
debauchery became unendurable to him, ³a hell,² as he said.
In addition, he could not attend Mass and receive Communion each week.
This privation deeply pained him. On the other hand, the experience of
military life enlightened him on human misery, and was useful to him when,
in 1922, he was entrusted with the care of seminarians and religious fulfilling
their military service. After several months, he found serenity again
and drew from the Eucharist, which he was again able to receive, the strength
to transform trials into opportunities for the apostolate. He now better
understood life and the difficulties of soldiers and placed himself in
the service of all. He observed the degree to which strong-minded men
need friendship; thanks to his kindness, to his helpfulness and his good
humor, he succeeded in opening hearts and bringing souls to the spiritual
life.
One day, he discovered the life of St. Thérèse of Lisieux:
³This book,² he wrote, ³has given me more pleasure and
benefit than any book of philosophy; in it I have learned things that
years of study could not have shown me.² He was charmed by the young
Carmelite¹s way of understanding contemplation, which corresponded
so well to his tastes‹a simple, practical prayer, embracing the twists
and turns of all events and occupations, becoming an integral part of
life, becoming life itself and sanctifying everything. The conflict between
prayer and work thus disappeared. Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort
brought him Mary¹s maternal smile, but it seemed that Edward¹s
favorite saint was Francis of Assisi, because of his love for the Cross
of Jesus.
A well-directed seminarian
Freed from military service, Edward took the cassock with profound joy
at the Louvain Seminary on March 13, 1912. He valued the Superior¹s
instructions: ³According to the divine plan, action must be fed with
prayer. The interior life is the wellspring of the apostolateŠ Do
not believe in the slogan, ŒThe priest is sanctified in sanctifying
others¹‹it¹s an illusion. The real formula is, ŒSanctify
yourself so as to sanctify others.¹ ² But his ideal of sanctification
was not shared by all of his confreres. One day, he heard, ³Your
enthusiasm is common among young seminarians. Everyone starts out as if
the fervor will last forever. After ten years of priesthood, the reality
of life completely extinguishes this illusion.² These thoughts deeply
disturbed Edward, who wrote to his sister Eugénie, who had become
a nun, ³Is it true that fervor is only at the beginning of life as
a priest or religious, when the difficulties are still unknown to them?
Is it true that I will someday become an ordinary priest, having lost
all my supernatural strength? I can¹t, and more that that, I don¹t
want to believe it. Better to die than serve God by halves.²
But the discouraging remarks he had heard plunged Edward into incertitude
and doubt. Was the ideal of holiness a fantasy? Prayer became difficult
for him, dryness overcame him, even when he invoked the Blessed Virgin.
He saw only selfishness, weakness and vain sentimentality in his life,
even in his prayer. ³How can I believe that God loves such a base
creature?² And he who had meant to become a saint! By a good impulse,
he revealed his thoughts to his spiritual director, who answered him,
³Say often: ŒLord, I believe, but help me.¹ Above all,
don¹t become discouraged. Look at the crucifix‹you will find
there the joyful peace of sacrifice.² Edward followed this precious
advice and, little by little, under the merciful influence of Mary, the
thick fog which surrounded him disappeared. In contemplating the crucifix,
he vividly felt the need to share in Christ¹s sufferings, and guessed
at the mysterious relationship linking suffering to love.
In September 1913, he began his theological studies at the Ghent Seminary.
The First World War broke out and, on August 1, 1914, Edward was called
to serve as a nurse. On the 4th, he was in Namur, where the battle was
raging. On the 25th, the Belgian army withdrew to the south. Exhausted
with fatigue, Edward was placed half-dead in an ambulance van. In the
village of Bourlers, the priest, Father Castelain, took care of him until
December. This priest had a limitless confidence in Saint Joseph. Edward
wanted to try it. One day, the Germans captured a dozen young men from
the village. Edward appealed to Saint Joseph for them to be freed that
same day. A few hours later, they returned home, with the exception of
a Frenchman. Edward renewed his request, and again he was heard. From
that day on, Mary and Joseph became inseparable in his heart. Father Castelain
also made known to him the poor and exemplary life of Blessed Father Chevrier.
After many sudden changes of fortune, he obtained, thanks to Cardinal
Mercier, a dispensation from his military duty, and returned to the seminary
in April 1915. Edward was ordained a priest on May 1, 1916. Intense were
his emotions and his meditation‹he offered himself to the Eucharistic
Heart of Jesus as a victim with Him for sinners.
Seeking out lost sheep
On June 16, he was named vicar of the parish Saint Collete of Ghent, in
a working-class neighborhood. Just recently founded, this parish was not
exactly flourishing‹good Christians were few and far between, and
religious practices were very much neglected. The parish pastor had retained
from his service in the army a certain rigidity. Nevertheless, under this
rough exterior, he hid a generous heart, a profound piety, and great kindness.
Edward would always love him as a father.
The warmer season allowed Edward to begin his apostolate in the street.
He was amiable, gave holy cards to the children, and greeted workers in
the evening as they returned home from the factories. ³They will
get to know me; they should feel that I love them,² he thought. Little
by little, the number of conversations increased, and he entered homes,
especially the most squalid. His heart broke when he saw the poverty of
these people‹the war had created tragic situations. He opened his
purse and gave all that he could. Before his obvious benevolence, the
anticlerical bias of the poor fell away, and he could speak of Christ
and give renewed life to the ancient Christian roots. He was happy, full
of hope and eagerness.
But the redeeming cross visited him often. One day, his pastor told him,
³I don¹t like it that you visit those people there. You are
too young to expose yourself in that way. And anyway, it¹s useless‹you
are deluding yourself and wasting your time. Save your strength for the
care of faithful souls.² Edward was, however, allowed to visit the
sick and the dying, where he did wonders. His pastor¹s decision,
to which he had submitted himself, dismayed him. ³Humanly speaking,²
he wrote, ³it¹s discouraging for the heart of a priestŠ
Oh! My God, help me!²
The Eucharist: sun of his life!
To find the strength he needed, Edward spent a great deal of time before
the Tabernacle. Sometimes he sighed, ³Oh, Jesus, how little men love
You! At least, the two of us love each other.² On the eve of All
Saints¹ Day, after a long day of confessions, a friend found him
close to the Blessed Sacrament. ³Edward, what are you doing there?²‹³Oh!
I¹m not doing anything, I¹m just keeping Our Lord company. I
am too tired to talk to Him, but I¹m resting next to Him.²
From his arrival in the parish, the young priest had been seen busying
himself with youth groups. His goal was to keep the children busy during
the summer vacation. At the end of the school year, he went to the school
of the Brothers of Charity and spoke to the students: ³Summer vacation
is upon us. You are surely going to have fun, and that¹s good. But
don¹t forget Our Lord. He is so good, and He loves you, during vacation
as well as during the school year. Show Him that you have courage‹each
morning at the seven o¹clock Mass, and in the evening at Benediction!Š
I am going to see who among you are the brave ones, and for those, there
will be a raffle.² He gave the same speech at the Sisters¹ school.
The next day, thirty children answered the call. Then, each day that followed‹fifty,
one hundred, two hundredŠ Father Poppe gave them little lessons,
with stories and amusing remarks here and there. Then, he gave them a
short invocation to repeat often during the day. To prevent commotion,
he gathered together the most boisterous children and appointed them the
ones responsible for order.
In his goal to sanctify children through the Eucharist, he conceived the
plan of a League of Communion which would be ³an association of children
who love Jesus and wish to sanctify themselves in mutually supporting
one another and showing a good example everywhere.² In the League¹s
meetings, which his pastor permitted him to establish, Edward started
from the principle that children must not have a watered-down, half-Gospel
preached to them, as some priests do for fear of rebuttal, but the full
Gospel, Christian perfection. For that, each can count on the grace that
comes to us especially from the Eucharist. In June 1917, the Children¹s
Communion League counted 90 members already. Piety flourished again in
the parish. Edward was overjoyed. For the Feast of the Sacred Heart, 21
children aged 5 and 6 made their First Communion. They came from poor
families, and the mothers wept with joy.
At the end of the month of July, exhausted by his unfailing work, Edward
was at the limit of his strength. He was ordered to complete rest for
a month. He spent it at the Sisters of Charity of Melle. Upon his return,
he took up his usual ministry, but his pastor, concerned for his health,
discharged him from the Communion League meetings, from youth clubs, and
from the catechism lessons. Edward obeyed, his heart broken. Without him,
the groups would slowly fall apart. He would later write, ³Suffer
and obey! Is the servant greater than his Master? We are intelligent,
we understand how to conceive and organize our works, we have foresight
and initiative; and we even burn with zeal. But Jesus was more intelligent
and more zealous, had more foresight, and understood more than do we!
His zeal was a consuming fire. He knew how to order His life much better
than we doŠ And yet Jesus obeyed Joseph and Mary in everything. He
left the last word to authority‹over the course of thirty years,
He recognized and taught the value of authority. The price of obedience
rises beyond all estimation when we think that Jesus, who submitted Himself,
was God. His entire life, as a child and as a young man, His mission and
His death‹a death on the Cross‹was a great act of obedience.²
The eloquence of example
Despite the workload reductions and care provided him, the young vicar
became weaker. He was forced to reduce his work more and more. Following
the good advice of his spiritual director, in July 1918, he asked his
Bishop for a change of post. On October 4, he was named director of the
house of the Sisters of Saint Vincent de Paul, in the village of Moerzeke.
The house was composed of nine sisters, some elderly persons, several
sick people, and numerous orphans, altogether about fifty residents. Edward¹s
mother and two of his sisters, Marie and Suzanne, came to live permanently
in Moerzeke. At the village parish, Father Poppe was reunited with a classmate
from the seminary, who had become the vicar. By common consent, they made
an hour of adoration together before the Most Blessed Sacrament every
Thursday night in the convent chapel. Drawn by their example, the residents
of the house joined them; then the priests attracted the children who,
in turn, brought along their parents. Soon the chapel was full, and Father
Poppe took advantage of it by delivering a short homily, to which readings
and songs were added.
If the ardent apostle took an interest in a soul in danger, he first addressed
himself to the individual¹s Guardian Angel, reminding him of his
mission, and drawing up with him his battle plan. When he entered a school
or assembly, he greeted the Guardian Angels of those present. But it was
with his own Guardian Angel that he spoke most of all. Seeing in him the
messenger who joined his soul to Jesus and Mary, he named him ³little
Gabriel,² the name of the Angel of the Annunciation.
On May 11, 1919, he suffered a cardiac arrest, and received Extreme Unction
in great peace. ³I have never asked the Lord to live to be old,²
he told a friend, ³but only that men love Him and that priests sanctify
themselves.² Contrary to all expectations, he recovered, and the
doctor authorized visits‹Edward¹s room was always full. On June
8, he suffered another attack, more serious than the first, which laid
him low; no more visits, no more Masses. This time his health recovered
again, but he remained between life and death, waiting from one day to
the next for the end. During his periods of respite, he took up his apostolate
again, as much as he could. He had a board put across his bed so as to
be able to write, especially to his brother priests. He kept up-to-date
on social questions which had always aroused his zeal, and occupied himself
with the workers¹ faith and religious practice, offering sufferings
and prayers for them. He strove to make one of his friends, who had become
a member of Parliament, understand the importance of his role in finding
an equitable solution to the problems of the workers. ³I ask God,²
he wrote, ³to grant you to bring your political and social convictions
in harmony with the Gospel. I would be happy if even just one Parliament
member depended on God to obtain a worthy result of his efforts.²
For several months, his health improved, but he remained weak. His illness
itself contributed to the Mission, as the Holy Father said during the
beatification: ³Father Poppe, who knew suffering, has a message for
the sick, reminding them that prayer and love for Mary are essential to
the Church¹s missionary commitment.²
The apostle of Mary
On January 1, 1924 came another heart attack which, after a lull, was
followed by a more serious relapse on February 3. In a letter addressed
to his priest friends, he revealed the secret of his heart: ³Mary
will cover you with Her shadow, and you will remain calm and confident.
She will start the journey with you and lead you by secret shortcuts.
You will not be spared suffering, but She will make you hungry for it,
as if for an essential food. Ah, Mary! Mary! Her name will be like honey
and balm on your lips. Mary! Mary! Ave Maria! Who can resist it? Tell
me, who will be lost with the Ave Maria?²
Little by little, Edward understood that his mission on earth was complete,
that Jesus wanted to take him from this world, and that he had to die,
to sacrifice his life for his sheep, just as the grain of wheat thrown
to the earth that bears much fruit. From then on, he calmly prepared himself
for the supreme testimony of death perfectly accepted, and asked the Sister
who cared for him to repeat these words to him often: ³I do not know
if God is content with me; I abandon myself to Him. Oh! How sweet it is,
at the final moment, to think of nothing, not of one¹s sins, nor
of one¹s virtues, but solely of Mercy! This truly is the death of
the little victims of love.² His last days thus illustrate these
maxims written at the beginning of his ministry: ³Brothers, we have
but one life that goes by. We are travelers; and it is foolishness to
wish to seek here on earth our dwelling and our repose.²
In spring, despite Edward¹s weakness, many people came to see him.
Sometimes they had to wait at length for their turn, but they were never
let down by his cheery reception. On June 10, while getting up in the
morning, he was hit by a final stroke. He received Extreme Unction, then
his half-opened eyes cast a final glance at the statue of the Sacred Heart,
his hands opened as if for a final offering; he then rendered his soul
to God at the age of 33.
May we keep in mind this prayer gone out of his priestly heart: ³Remember
Your sufferings, Jesus. Remember Your love, and the innocence of the little
ones! Send us Your priests!²
This prayer was echoed by the Holy Father during the homily of the World
Youth Day Mass (August 20, 2000): ³May every community always have
a priest to celebrate the Eucharist!Š The world must not be deprived
of the gentle and liberating presence of Christ living in the Eucharist!
You yourselves must be fervent witnesses to Christ¹s presence on
our altars. Let the Eucharist mold your life and the life of the families
you will form. Let it guide all life¹s choices.²
In these thoughts, we pray for all your intentions and for those dear
to you, living and deceased.
Dom Antoine Marie osb
P. S. This monthly letter is free of charge, and is also published in
French, Spanish, German, Dutch and Italian. We gratefully accept the addresses
of other persons who may enjoy receiving it.
Also available free of charge are: tract about the Truths of the
Catholic Religion; scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, with explanatory
notice; the promises of the Sacred Heart; the mysteries of the Rosary.
Contributions may be sent to this address in France (Abbaye Saint-Joseph
de Clairval, F-21150 Flavigny sur Ozerain, France) :
From U. S. A., U. K. or Canada: by ordinary cheques payable to ³Abbaye
Saint Joseph,² (no need to have special international cheques) in
U. S. $, Pounds Sterling or Can. $.
From Irish Republic: by ordinary cheques in Irish Pounds. No formality
up to 100 Irish Pounds; for more, ask your bank.
From other countries: by postal order, or bank drafts in French
Francs.
Permission is required for publishing our newsletter in a magazine, newspaperŠ or for putting it on a web-site or on a home page. Request permission from:
englishspoken@clairval.com
For more information about our abbey, you may contact:
http://clairval.com/
or
http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~vlaisney/
The monks pray for your intentions.