Poland: Ten WWII nuns beatified

Sister Maria Paschalis Jahn and companions

Source: Vatican News

Ten Polish nuns who cared for the elderly, the sick, and children and were killed by Soviet soldiers in 1945 were beatified by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in Wrocław Cathedral on Saturday. During the Sunday Angelus Pope Francis paid tribute to their witness.

During the Mass Cardinal Marcello Semeraro compared the martyrdom of the Sisters of St Elizabeth to the current situation in Ukraine. he said: "The whole life of these sisters was a true gift of self in service to the sick, the little ones, the poor, the most needy. Their selfless love was heroic to the extent that they chose not to flee from the approaching Red Army in late 1944-45. And this despite the news of its brutality and the atrocities committed by its soldiers against the inhabitants of East Prussia."

"Although they were aware of the risks they were running, these women religious remained alongside the elderly and sick people they were looking after. May their example of faith to Christ help us all, especially Christians who are persecuted in various parts of the world, to bear witness to the Gospel courageously. A round of applause for the new Blesseds!"

Cardinal Semeraro noted that gestures of selfless love and concern for others build peace and are a response to the violence that occurs in the face of war.

In the face of the ongoing war, the Cardinal encouraged fervent prayer through the intercession of the new blessed. He said: "We ask the Lord through their intercession that the world may never again lack respect for womanhood, equality in the dignity of man and woman and protection of motherhood.... Today we commend to them in a special way the Ukrainian people, migrants and our quest for peace."

The Cardinal recalled Pope Francis' words in which the Holy Father thanks the Poles for being the first to support Ukraine by "opening their borders, their hearts and the doors of their homes to Ukrainians fleeing war."

Sister Maria Paschalis Jahn was born on 7 April 1916 in Nysa. After taking her religious vows, she stayed in Kluczbork, Glubczyce, Nysa, and then in the Czech Republic.

On 11 May 1945, Sister Paschalis was brutally attacked by a Soviet soldier, defending her chastity and faith, and shot by him. Like nine other sisters, although they lived in different places and took up different jobs, she remained faithful to her vocation to the end, giving her life in defence of her charges.

The Congregation of the Sisters of St Elizabeth was founded in Nysa in 1810. The main goal of the congregation is selfless service to those in need, especially the suffering and the sick.

The Congregation of the Sisters of St Elizabeth is currently active in 19 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. About 1,000 sisters work in hospitals, kindergartens, schools and parishes. The sisters run community centres, nursing homes, orphanages, educational institutions and boarding schools.

The Sisters stress that the beatification of the ten nuns is a symbol of remembrance of the tragic death of all nuns who died at the hands of the Soviet Army in 1945. They estimate that more than 100 sisters of their congregation died in similar circumstances.

In the Church, the liturgical commemoration of The Elizabethan sisters stress that the beatification of the ten nuns is a symbol of remembrance of the tragic death of all nuns who died at the hands of the Soviet Army in 1945. They estimate that more than 100 sisters of their congregation died in similar circumstances. and her companions, martyrs of the Congregation of St Elizabeth, will be celebrated annually on 11 May.