Bienheureux Jacques Kern
Prêtre prémontré (+ 1924)
Vie des Saints et Bienheureux - Postulator Generalis Ordinis Praemonstratensis
À Vienne en Autriche, l'an 1924, le bienheureux Jacques (François-Alexandre
Kern), prêtre prémontré. Encore étudiant, il fut mobilisé, pendant la première
guerre mondiale et gravement blessé. Par la suite, il se donna de tout son cœur
au ministère pastoral, mais pour peu de temps, car terrassé par une maladie
longue et cruelle, qu'il accueillit avec une grande force d'âme, il se soumit
dans la paix à la volonté de Dieu.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : https://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/10542/Bienheureux-Jacques-Kern.html
Jakob Franz Alexander Kern, 1897 - 1924, Wien,
Penzing, Penzinger Pfarrkirche
Blessed Jakob Kern, October 20
Roman Martyrology: In Vienna, Austria, Blessed James
(Francis Alexander) Kern, Norbertine Priest: still a student, called to arms in
World War I and seriously wounded, he devoted himself with all diligence to the
pastoral ministry, which he performed for short time, suffering from a long and
relentless disease, which he accepted with fortitude, in peaceful obedience to
God’s will
Francis Alexander Kern, was born in Vienna on 11 April
1897, his mother had longed for his coming and introduced him as a child to
religious life, take part as a boy in the life of the parish and right there he
heard the call to follow Christ.
The family, the parish community, school, friends,
were key factors and fertile ground for a vocation. Thus came the diocesan
seminary of Hollanbrunn he loved and preferred the adoration and had a
particular veneration for Jesus, and later he joined the Confraternity of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus Atonement.
He was involved in World War I, as a seminarian, he
was recruited in 1915, had to participate in a war for which he did not
understand the underlying motives, nevertheless he fulfilled his duty by
establishing good relationships with fellow soldiers, who respected his
convictions and his acting in accordance with the desire to be a priest.
On September 11, 1916 he was seriously wounded, with
perforation of the lungs and liver, he had begun “holy week” as he called them
later, the wounds were not treated well, he fought against death in Lazzaretto
and miraculously survived.
During this senseless war, he continued his
theological studies in Vienna, though in poor health, while others became
lieutenant with experience in war, when the conflict ended he returned to
Vienna seminayr, this was not heard by then, a future pastor souls must be able
to live among the people, in everyday life, to understand the needs and moods.
He began listening to the will of God for the future,
learning that in the neighboring Czech region after the fall of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire, had established a national church, one of the most
active builders was a Norbertine Monk, Strahov Isidore Zahradník, who had left
his monastery with other brethren.
Francis Kern reached the decision to take the place of
those who had left the monastery, which stood along the Czech border. His
spiritual director agreed that the young Kern felt for a year as a religious
life in the abbey of Geras, affected by the fact that this ancient abbey
founded in 1153, had witnessed many parishes and pastoral Kern aware of his
health limitations, believed that the institution of Saint Norbert was right
for him and his desire was to commit fully to others.
He suffered twice the removal of more ribs, without
anesthesia, because his weak heart could not bear it, its terrible pain could
be endured only shared with the sufferings of our Lord.
It was his life intensely varied though brief, of the
Child and diligent student, a young man met his vocation as a seminarian,
active soldier and officer in the war, wounded by the trail of incredible pain,
as Priest and Monk committed by expiatory victim with his life, for the
glorification of the Heart of Jesus.
Pope John Paul II beatified him on June 21, 1998 in
Vienna, during his pastoral visit to Austria.
Author: Antonio Borrelli
Source: Santi
e Beati
SOURCE : https://theblackcordelias.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/5442/
HOMILY OF POPE JOHN PAUL II
Sunday, 21 June 1998
1. "Who do the people say I am?" (Lk 9:18).
Jesus asked his disciples this question one day as
they were walking together. He also puts this question to Christians on the
paths of our time: "Who do the people say I am?".
As it was 2,000 years ago in an obscure part of the
then known world, so today, human opinions about Jesus are divided. Some
attribute to him the gift of prophetic speech. Others consider him an
extraordinary personality, an idol that attracts people. Others, again, believe
he is even capable of ushering in a new era.
"But who do you say that I am?" (Lk 9:20).
The question cannot be given a "neutral" answer. It requires a taking
of sides and involves everyone. Today, as well, Christ is asking: you
Catholics of Austria, you Christians of this country, you citizens, "who
do you say that I am?".
It is a question that comes from Jesus' heart. He who
opens his own heart wants the person before him not to answer with his mind
alone. The question that comes from Jesus' heart must move ours: Who am I
for you? What do I mean to you? Do you really know me? Are you my witnesses? Do
you love me?
2. Then Peter, the disciples' spokesman, answered:
"We consider you the Christ of God" (Lk 9:20). The Evangelist Matthew
reports Peter's profession in greater detail: "You are the Christ, the Son
of the living God!" (Mt 16:16). Today the Pope, as Successor of the
Apostle Peter by the grace of God, professes on your behalf and with you:
"You are the Messiah of God. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God".
3. Down the centuries, there has been a continual
struggle for the correct profession of faith. Thanks be to Peter, whose
words have become the norm!
They should be used to measure the Church's efforts in
seeking to express in time what Christ means to her. In fact, it is not enough
to profess with one's lips alone. Knowledge of Scripture and Tradition is
important, the study of the Catechism is valuable; but what good is all this if
faith lacks deeds?
Professing Christ calls for following Christ. The
correct profession of faith must be accompanied by a correct conduct of life.
Orthodoxy requires orthopraxis. From the start, Jesus never concealed this demanding
truth from his disciples. Actually, Peter had barely made an extraordinary
profession of faith when he and the other disciples immediately heard Christ
clarify what the Master was expecting of them: "If any man would come
after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me"
(Lk 9:23).
As it was in the beginning, so it is today: Jesus
does not only look for people to acclaim him. He looks for people to follow
him.
4. Dear brothers and sisters, whoever reflects on the
history of the Church with eyes of love will discover that despite the many
faults and shadows, there were and still are men and women everywhere whose
lives highlight the credibility of the Gospel.
Today I am given the joy to enrol three Christians
from your land among the blesseds. Each of them individually confirmed his or
her profession of faith in the Messiah through personal witness of life. All
three blesseds show us that "Messiah" is not only a title for Christ
but also means a willingness to co-operate in the messianic work: the great
become small and the weak take the lead.
It is not the heroes of the world who are speaking
today in Heroes' Square, but the heroes of the Church. Sixty years ago from the
balcony overlooking this square, a man proclaimed himself salvation. The new
blesseds have another message. They tell us: Salvation [Heil] is not
found in a man, but rather: Hail [Heil] to Christ, the King and Redeemer!
5. Jakob Kern came from a humble Viennese
family of workers. The First World War tore him abruptly from his studies at
the minor seminary in Hollabrunn. A serious war injury made his brief earthly
life in the major seminary and the Premonstratensian monastery of Geras - as he
said himself - a "Holy Week". For love of Christ he did not
cling to life but consciously offered it to others. At first he wanted to
become a diocesan priest. But one event made him change direction. When a
Premonstratensian left the monastery to follow the Czech National Church formed
after the separation from Rome which had just occurred, Jakob Kern discovered
his vocation in this sad event. He wanted to atone for this religious. Jakob
Kern joined the monastery of Geras in his place, and the Lord accepted
his offering a "substitute".
Bl. Jakob Kern stands before us as a witness of
fidelity to the priesthood. At the beginning, it was a childhood desire that he
expressed in imitating the priest at the altar. Later this desire matured. The
purification of pain revealed the profound meaning of his priestly vocation: to
unite his own life with the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross and to offer it
vicariously for the salvation of others.
May Bl. Jakob Kern, who was a vivacious and
enthusiastic student, encourage many young men generously to accept Christ's
call to the priesthood. The words he spoke then are addressed to us: "Today
more than ever there is a need for authentic and holy priests. All the prayers,
all the sacrifices, all the efforts and all the suffering united with a right
intention become the divine seed which sooner or later will bear its
fruit".
6. In Vienna 100 years ago, Fr Anton Maria
Schwartz was concerned with the lot of workers. He first dedicated himself
to the young apprentices in the period of their professional training. Ever
mindful of his own humble origins, he felt especially close to poor workers. To
help them, he founded the Congregation of Christian Workers according to the
rule of St Joseph Calasanz, and it is still flourishing. He deeply longed to
convert society to Christ and to renew it in him. He was sensitive to the needs
of apprentices and workers, who frequently lacked support and guidance. Fr
Schwartz dedicated himself to them with love and creativity, finding the ways
and means to build "the first workers' church in Vienna". This humble
house of God hidden among the modest dwellings, resembles the work of its
founder, who filled it with life for 40 years.
Opinions on the "worker apostle" of Vienna
varied. Many found his dedication exaggerated. Others felt he deserved the
highest esteem. Fr Schwartz stayed faithful to himself and also took some
courageous steps. His petitions for training positions for the young and a day
of rest on Sunday even reached Parliament.
He leaves us a message: Do all you can to protect
Sunday! Show that it cannot be a work day because it is celebrated as the
Lord's day! Above all, support young people who are unemployed! Those who
give today's young people an opportunity to earn their living help make it
possible for tomorrow's adults to pass the meaning of life on to their
children. I know that there are no easy solutions. This is why I repeat the
words which guided Bl. Fr Schwarz in his many efforts: "We must pray more!".
7. Sr Restituta Kafka was not yet an adult
when she expressed her intention to enter the convent. Her parents were against
it, but the young girl remained faithful to her goal of becoming a sister
"for the love of God and men". She wanted to serve the Lord
especially in the poor and the sick. She was accepted by the Franciscan Sisters
of Charity to fulfil her vocation in everyday hospital life, which was often
hard and monotonous. A true nurse, she soon became an institution in Mödling.
Her nursing ability, determination and warmth caused many to call her Sr
Resoluta instead of Sr Restituta.
Because of her courage and fearlessness, she did not
wish to be silent even in the face of the National Socialist regime.
Challenging the political authority's prohibitions, Sr Restituta had crucifixes
hung in all the hospital rooms. On Ash Wednesday 1942 she was taken away by the
Gestapo. In prison her "Lent" began, which was to last more than a
year and to end in execution. Her last words passed on to us were: "I have
lived for Christ; I want to die for Christ".
Looking at Bl. Sr Restituta, we can see to what
heights of inner maturity a person can be led by the divine hand. She risked
her life for her witness to the Cross. And she kept the Cross in her
heart, bearing witness to it once again before being led to execution, when she
asked the prison chaplain to "make the Sign of the Cross on my
forehead".
Many things can be taken from us Christians. But we
will not let the Cross as a sign of salvation be taken from us. We will not let
it be removed from public life! We will listen to the voice of our conscience,
which says: "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).
8. Dear brothers and sisters, today's celebration has
a particularly European tone. In addition to the distinguished President of the
Republic of Austria, Mr Thomas Klestil, the Presidents of Lithuania and Romania,
political leaders from home and abroad, have honoured us with their presence. I
offer them my cordial greetings and through them I also greet the people they
represent.
With joy for the gift of three new blesseds which we
are offered today, I turn to all my brothers and sisters in the People of God
who are gathered here or have joined us through radio or television. In
particular, I greet the Pastor of the Archdiocese of Vienna, Cardinal Christoph
Schönborn, and the President of the Austrian Bishops' Conference, Bishop Johann
Weber, as well as my Brothers in the Episcopate who have come to Heroes' Square
from near and far. Then I cannot forget the many priests and deacons, religious
and pastoral assistants in the parishes and communities.
Dear young people! I extend a special greeting to you
today. Your presence in such large numbers is a great joy for me. Many of you
have come a long way, and not only in a geographical sense.... But now you are
here: the gift of youth which life is waiting for! May the three heroes of
the Church who have just been enrolled among the blesseds sustain you on your
way: young Jakob Kern, who precisely through his illness won the trust of young
people; Fr Anton Maria Schwartz, who knew how to touch the hearts of apprentices;
Sr Restituta Kafka, who gave courageous witness to her convictions.
They were not "photocopied Christians", but
each was authentic, unrepeatable and unique. They began like you: as young
people, full of ideals, seeking to give meaning to their life.
Another thing makes the three blesseds so attractive:
their biographies show us that their personalities matured gradually.
Thus your life too has yet to become a ripe fruit. It is therefore
important that you cultivate life in such a way that it can bloom and mature.
Nourish it with the vital fluid of the Gospel! Offer it to Christ, the sun of
salvation! Plant the Cross of Christ in your life! The Cross is the true
tree of life.
9. Dear brothers and sisters! "But who do you say
that I am?".
In a short time we will profess our faith. To this
profession, which puts us in the community of the Apostles and of the Church's
Tradition, as well as in the ranks of the saints and blesseds, we must also add
our personal response. The persuasive power of the message also depends on
the credibility of its messengers. Indeed, the new evangelization starts with
us, with our life-style.
The Church today does not need part-time
Catholics but full-blooded Christians. This is what the three new blesseds
were! We can learn from them!
Thank you, Bl. Jakob Kern, for your priestly
fidelity!
Thank you, Bl. Anton Maria Schwartz, for your commitment
to workers!
Thank you, Sr Restituta Kafka, for swimming
against the tide of the times!
All of you saints and blesseds of God, pray for us. Amen.
© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Reliquienschrein des seligen Jakob Kern der Stiftskirche Geras, Niederösterreich
BLESSED JAMES KERN
The Priest of Atonement
Herman Joseph Weidinger
Translated
by Rev. Hubert S. Szanto, O.Praem.,
St. Michael's Abbey, Orange, California, U.S.A.
A Letter from the Abbot of St. Michael's Norbertine Abbey:
June 6, 2003, the Feast of St. Norbert.
Dear Readers, the spirit of St. Norbert given to
his followers down through the ages has produced numerous men and women of extraordinary
holiness of life. One of these, Blessed James Kern, a man of our own
time, is the most recent in that line which goes back to the Founder of the
Norbertine Order himself. Like St. Norbert, James Kern was a
churchman. With the same spirit that enabled St. Norbert to reform the
Church of the twelfth century, James directed his efforts to repair the damage
done to the Church of the early twentieth century.
In his offering of self as a means of atonement for
the failings of a brother priest, Blessed James Kern underlines for the
faithful at the beginning of the twenty-first century the importance of the
unity of believers in the bond of charity. His life is also a timely
reminder of the importance of priestly fidelity, and of the need for all the
faithful to support their priests through prayer, penance and encouragement.
It is my hope and prayer that many will read the life
of this young priest who in a few short years of priesthood contributed so much
to the building up of Christ's Body here on earth. I wish to thank Fr.
Hubert S. Szanto, O.Praem., of St. Michael's Abbey for his translation of this
work from the original German.
May all who read this work be inspired to seek God's
will without fear and to answer his call regardless of the cost.
Sincerely yours in Christ and St. Norbert,
+++ Eugene J. Hayes, O. Praem.
Abbot of St. Michael's Abbey, Silverado,
California
Introduction to
the 2003 Edition
The beatification of Father James Francis Kern by
Pope John Paul II on June 21, 1998, was a sign of hope for God's pilgrim people
on earth. This simple priest who accepted suffering in a spirit of humble
reparation calls humanity back to gospel values that have all but disappeared
from the lifestyle of many Christians today. In a particular manner,
Blessed James's keen sorrow over the loss of a single priestly vocation in his
own day invites us to offer humble reparation in the face of widespread similar
losses in our time.
James Kern's thirst to be a priest, his ardent desire
for priestly holiness, and his profound love for the gift of the priesthood
evoke the beginnings of the Norbertine Order to which he belonged. It was
St. Norbert of Xanten, establishing this ancient religious order in the year
1120, who distinguished himself as a champion of priestly holiness in the
Gregorian reform movement of the twelfth century. St. Norbert was
convinced that through lives of penitent holiness his priest could lift the
priesthood from the depths to which it had generally fallen in his time.
The rapid expansion of the order across Europe in the twelfth century
contributed substantially to the phenomenon which some historians have since
dubbed "the exaltation of the priesthood."
Blessed James once wrote: "The priest must be
consumed by his vocation. In our days, more than ever, we need devoted
and holy priests." The beatification of Father James Kern is
therefore a call to priests everywhere to renewal and the pursuit of
holiness. It is a call to the faithful to foster priestly vocations
through prayer, example, and works of penance and separation. It is not
enough merely to be concerned about the "crisis" in priestly
vocations. This "crisis" can only be overcome through a
combination of prayer and penance in the life of both priests and laity.
This booklet is a loose translation of the original
German work Sühnepriester: Jakob Kern by Rev. Hermann Josef Weidinger,
O.Praem., published in 1960 by Verlag Styria Graz in Austria.
Rev. Hubert S. Szanto, O.Praem., Ph.D., of St. Michael's Norbertine Abbey in
Silverado, California translated the book. Several sections of the
original work without any direct connection to the life of Blessed James have
been omitted and/or condensed in the English. The German name "Jakob" has
been rendered by the more familiar English equivalent "James."
The first edition was printed in 1998. Rev. Norbert Wood, O.Praem., did
the final editing of the 2003 edition and added the new Epilogue and
appendices. He was assisted by Rev. Charles Willingham, O.Praem., and
Frater Ambrose Criste, O.Praem..
Chapter
1: The Lord
Needs Sacrificial Souls
The pilgrim traveling by rail to visit the tomb of
Blessed James Kern is aware of the train's laborious ascent on the last hill of
the Manhartsberg where it joins the mountains of the Thaya valley along the
southern border of the Czech Republic. Traveling close to what was
formerly known as the "Iron Curtain" the small country train reaches
a wide bend and approaches Geras-Kottaun, one of the last stations along the
way. The green wall of forest respectfully retreats to reveal the ancient
abbey of Geras nestled in a forested cove.
Immediately the Norbertine abbey appeals to the eye
with its prominent church. Its slender steeple, like a warning finger of
God, points to the heavens where clouds and sunshine compete for control: an
image of daily life with its constant mixture of somber and bright
moments. Meanwhile cars on the Horn-Drosendorf highway rush pas the
venerable old buildings. The different wings of the baroque monastery
cling to the church like trusting children, and the gardens and fishponds
behind it are peacefully inviting. On the abbey grounds, in a simple memorial
chapel, rest the mortal remains of Blessed James, a Norbertine canon and former
resident of this monastery.
In every age the Lord needs sacrificial souls to be
instruments of conversion and transformation. Father James was just such
a man. He took his vocation as a canon regular, which combined the
priestly and monastic life in one, very seriously. He offered himself
totally, pouring himself out in sacrifice for the benefit of others, literally
becoming a priest of atonement, a paschal lamb in the image of Christ
crucified.
No one is born a saint. Saints are made by
continually striving for the grace of God and allowing it to transform their
hearts. This little book will modestly attempt to relate the intense and
abundantly fruitful life of Blessed James. His was a life which
demonstrates that everything worthwhile and noble in this world requires hard
work, daily sacrifice and great love.
Chapter 2:
A Mother's Promise
A baby boy was born to Francis and Anna Kern on April
11, 1897, in the 13th district of Vienna, Austria, at 56 Breitenseerstrasse.
The child was baptized "Francis Alexander," after his father and his
godfather, Alexander Kern. His father was a professional gardener from
Vienna who nevertheless worked at the Viennese ice skating club as a night porter
during this period. Anna was from Landegg near Baden in Lower
Austria. Both parents were devout and faithful Catholics, but it was
especially Anna who instilled in her son a great trust in God, an unshakeable
faith and a deep piety.
Before the birth of her son Anna Kern's thoughts
turned often to the child growing in her womb, the fruit of marital love.
In these days of anxious expectation, a desire grew in her heart to make a
pilgrimage to a Marian shrine to seek the Virgin Mother's Blessing, protection
and intercession for her baby. She went to Maria-Enzersdorf and knelt
before the shrine in prayer as only an expectant mother can pray, remaining
there for a long time, filled with trust and faith in God. It was at this
time that she made a promise: should the baby be a boy, she would entrust
him to the Blessed Mother in the hope that she would implore her Son Jesus to
call the boy to the priesthood. Anna promised for her part to educate the
child in piety and instill in his heart a profound respect and love for the priestly
calling.
This prayerful promise was made by a Christian mother
who knew that God's help begins where human abilities end. Anna would
depart from this life before seeing her prayer answered in the ordination of
her son to the priesthood, although she did live to see him enter the
seminary. On her deathbed in 1919 she happily told her son about her
promise at Maria-Enzersdorf and thanked God that it was soon to be
fulfilled. Francis Kern was truly blessed to be the son of such a mother.
Chapter 3:
Early Childhood
Francis spent the early years of his childhood at home
with his family. He was naturally subject to the same childish faults as
other children. At age two he once asked his busy mother where his sister
was. She answered abruptly, "In the Church." The next
thing she knew, her son had disappeared and was nowhere to be found in the
house. Rushing into the street, she saw him gleefully gazing at the
fascinating objects in a store window which had distracted him on the way to
look for his sister. As his mother approached, he turned and said
innocently, "Look Mommy!" The relieved mother gathered him up
into her arms, carried him home, and corrected him accordingly.
There were two golden threads present at the beginning
of his life which continued to the end: his childlike joy in the Divine
Liturgy and his love of prayer. He and his mother, a good teacher of
prayer, attended Mass together during the week. This had its
effect. One Christmas when he was about four or five he received a train
set and a toy horse. When his mother asked him if he was happy with the
gifts, little Francis sadly shook his head and said no. His surprised
mother asked him the reason, and he responded that he had really wanted
"an altar with candlesticks and candles and flowers." He
received a play altar shortly thereafter and was overjoyed.
Also about this time there was an incident which shows
how his youthful piety was united to a sober common sense. A friend of
his, Aloysius Benesch, injured his ankle through carelessness. Little
Francis reproached him saying, "Be careful, Your Guardian Angel can't
always keep you out of harm's way." When the condition of Aloysius'
foot grew worse and the doctors declared that it would have to be amputated,
little Francis lingered so long in church praying for him that his parents grew
worried over his late return home. But to the astonishment of Aloysius'
doctors the foot healed so completely that he was later even cleared for active
military service.
Chapter
4: The Call of
the Lord
Francis made his first confession in the third grade
and received his first Holy Communion in his fourth. During these years
he would kneel at his small altar for long periods of prayer and was already
freely making sacrifices for the love of God. At age eleven, in 1908, he
was confirmed on the feast of Pentecost. He received this sacrament with
such devotion that his sponsor was moved to tears at the sight. His
classmates also noticed his piety and, not able to understand, they often made
fun of him. Francis bore this patiently and even persuaded several of
them to join him on occasional visits to church.
The pious little Francis was also a bright student who
excelled in school. It became increasingly clear, especially to his good
mother, that God had given him the necessary talents to be a priest. It
therefore came as no surprise when he entered the junior seminary in Hollabrunn
and studied at the public gymnasium (the college preparatory liberal
arts school from the fifth through the twelfth grade).
A new chapter in his life began with his entrance into
the seminary in September of 1909, at age eleven. He loved this time in
the junior seminary and often talked about it in later years with face
aglow. Since the seminary had its own chapel, Francis and the Savior now
lived under the same roof. The young seminarian was frequently drawn to
the chapel where he often found himself the only person spending time with the
Lord. Francis' perseverance and commitment to his encounters with the
Lord developed into the grace of profound prayer, a special gift given to
devout and faithful souls.
Francis had a strong devotion to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary. He prayed the rosary daily and began
to recite the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin when he entered the
upper grades at the gymnasium. He received Jesus in Holy Communion
every day as the Bridegroom of his soul, and grew strong in the life of prayer
and virtue. During his personal prayer before the tabernacle, Francis
came to understand that real love expresses itself in renunciation and
sacrifice. With the seed of sacrifice thus planted, it only took time to
grow into the concept of atonement. This took concrete form in the
offering of his body to the Lord through a vow of virginity at age
fourteen. Because of his young age, his spiritual director only permitted
him to make a temporary vow for one year. A year later, shortly after his
fifteenth birthday, he received permission to make the vow for life on April
21, 1912. Francis also joined the Third Order Franciscans at this time in
order to imitate the poverty and self-denial of his baptismal patron, Saint
Francis of Assisi.
Francis' sincere faith and piety led him to fulfill
his obligations conscientiously and directed everything he did. Just as
an abundance of underground water pushes up into a natural spring, providing
clear, fresh water, the joy and happiness of his pure heart overflowed in his
daily life. Francis was one of the happiest young men among his
peers. His sense of humor was a positive reflection of his sunny,
childlike soul. He was never boring or downcast, and he hardly ever
missed a joke or jest, often having the funniest and craziest ideas
himself. At the same time he took great care not to insult or hurt
anyone.
Francis' love for paying in church grew with
time. During times of communal prayer, he loved to use the God-given gift
of his clear, ringing voice to sing and pray. On account of his great
love for the Mass and Christ's Eucharistic presence, his favorite job in the
seminary was to work as sacristan and take care of all the vessels and
vestments and the decoration of the altar and chapel. In a nutshell, he
was a young man who loved God's house and became an intimate friend of
Jesus. This love governed his whole life and never deteriorated into
superficial sentimentality. Francis' joyful love expressed itself in
genuine kindness and a special horror of doing others harm.
Francis could have ended up like so many others,
living an insignificant or mediocre life. But when Christ's call reached
his expansive, glowing heart, he responded generously to the call of his Divine
Master. The Lord called into the streets and neighborhoods of Vienna,
into the crowds and confusion, and this little boy responded. He left
father and mother and trustingly followed the call to become Francis Alexander
Kern, the seminarian.
Chapter
5: The Call of
the Emperor
At this time there was a monumental disturbance in the
world's political sphere. The vast Austro-Hungarian empire creaked and
groaned at its foundations, threatening to collapse. It was clear,
despite its show of strength and grandeur, that it was in imminent danger of
dissolution. In Sarajevo the first shots thundered, setting off a world
war. In Vienna only one thought held the minds of men: to fight for the
emperor and the fatherland.
Francis was filled with patriotic zeal and reported
for military duty on October 15, 1915, with the 50th infantry in
Salzburg. He was eighteen. In January he was transferred to
southern Austria, and on May 15, 1916, he was sent to the southern border to
fight on the Italian front. With only a few days to say good-bye before
facing the prospect of death on the battlefield, he left home a day early in
order to keep a prior commitment to make a holy hour in the chapel of
Vöcklabruck. He arrived in Schlunders at 1:30 a.m. and got a short
night's sleep before rising to find the church. "Immediately I was
attracted to a beautiful, charming little church. There my Beloved, whom
I desire to serve, resides."
Francis was a soldier of the emperor, but ultimately
he wished to serve the most exalted Master possible, the King of Kings and the
Lord of Lords Himself. As God's soldier first, he served the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass in spite of the mockery and ridicule of his
comrades. As a faithful servant of the emperor, he was not ashamed to
wear his military uniform while performing this sacred service. His faith
and convictions were deeply rooted in his soul and built on solid rock.
The fickle winds of human respect did not ruffle his feathers. Francis
knew what he wanted and what he stood for, and he pursued this with all the
strength of his being.
On one occasion Francis injured his knee while on
military duty. The would became infected and required surgery.
"After they cleaned the infected wound, they sewed it back together.
During the operation I turned my thoughts to the suffering Savior. Glad
to be able to offer Him a little suffering, I did not feel much
pain." After the operation he had to remain in bed for a few
days. His greatest trial was not being able to go to Mass and receive
Communion. When First Friday came around he won over his superior by his
persistence and Holy Communion was brought to him.
Once he regained is health, Francis put all of his
effort into preparing for the approaching feast of Corpus Christi (the
feast of the Body and Blood of Christ). Getting a head start, he went
through the countryside asking the people for donations of flowers, especially
roses. He used the flowers to decorate the procession route and one of
the outdoor altars. He went to bed on the eve of the feast very tired but
happy: "By noon I was already exhausted. This was the first time I
got really tired in the service of the Most Blessed Sacrament."
Francis the soldier knew how to serve both God and
Emperor at the same time. He offered his heart to God. And it would
not be long before he sacrificed his physical health and his young life itself
for the Emperor's cause as well.
Chapter 6:
His "Friend" Death
Sitting down to his diary at the battle front, Francis
conversed with a rather unusual "friend," brother death:
"You are the great friend of humanity, my dear companion and
brother. Among us soldiers you are loved very little. Not
understanding why you exist, few want to meet you face to face. It seems
a well-kept secret that you are the one who will lead us into blessed
eternity. In reality only those dread you in whom the love of God and His
commandments has grown cold, who have banished sanctifying grace from their
hearts by their vices, crimes and sins, thereby inviting Satan into their
souls. Those who grow strong in grace and the love of God, closely
following the Savior during their short sojourn on earth, love you and call you
their brother and dear friend. And when you arrive to greet them, you
lead them to the fulfillment of their heart's desire: Jesus, and the company of
the heavenly host.
"My dear and longed-for friend, it is when we
renounce all the goods of this world, even our very bodies, that you are able
to bear us with ease and swiftness to the ineffable reward of everlasting
life. No longer weighed down by the things of this life, we can
completely forget them and rejoice in the superabundance and glory of the
beatific vision. Thank you for this service of yours, this gift, in
return for such a small sacrifice on our part.
"Although I am only a miserable sinner, I would
very much like to call you my friend and brother. Even though I have
offended God, I have also loved Him as fervently as my weak heart is
able. Having offered Him all my abilities and my very life, and entrusting
myself entirely to Him, I place my hope in His gracious mercy and
forgiveness.
"My dear brother! When you are sent to
escort me to my true Homeland, don't bother sending your heralds to alert me to
your imminent arrival. Just hold out your hand and lift me up without
delay. I will be ready to follow you with joy to my beloved
Bridegroom whenever you come -- even today or right now.
Thank you for granting my request and for your kind service. Salve
Frater! (Greetings, Brother!)
Only a cheerful, determined and pure heart could
express such sentiments. Indeed, the virtue which Francis' cheerful soul
loved most was purity of heart. Five years had passed since he solemnly
promised to be pure, and his ongoing prayer before the tabernacle gave him the
strength necessary to resist temptation and to reject vigorously all the
vulgarity spewed forth in his presence by his comrades. Purity of heart
radiated from his whole being and made a deep impression on everyone.
Someone who knew him at this time wrote: "Even now it brings me joy to
think of that innocent young man. His bright, brilliant eyes and his
childlike countenance shone with a yearning for the things of God."
The pure of heart do not fear death; for them death means life. Blessed
are the pure of heart, for they will see God (Mt. 5: 8).
Chapter 7:
Holy Week Begins
A sea of light, created by dozens of candles, covered
the altar in Saint Blase's Church in Salzburg, Austria, on New Year's day,
1916. Christ was enthroned on the altar for the devotion known as the
"forty hours." Among the faithful adorers a soldier kept watch
before the Holy of Holies. He asked a favor from the King of Kings and
his request was heard. Francis Alexander Kern asked to be showered with
suffering.
* * *
On Sunday, September 10, 1916, at 4:30 a.m., a shower
of bullets rained down upon the earth. The Italians attacked and weakened
the forces of the empire, though they did not prevail. Francis and his
platoon took refuge in a cave. They had to leave its protection to bring
ammunition to the outpost at 10:00 p.m. One of the soldiers of the platoon
was mortally wounded and Francis related, "I found him, alas, when he was
already at the point of death and I only had enough time to say the prayers for
the dying. I was very sorry I did not arrive sooner. What a sad
thing. The artillery is very heavy, and I will have to go to the outpost
tonight. God be with me!"
The next day, following his night mission to the
outpost, he made a brief entry in his diary: "I was hit by a bullet:
my lung and liver were wounded." It was a simple entry, but a life-changing
event.
Francis dragged himself back to his platoon and
checked in seriously wounded and exhausted. It took two days to get him
to a hospital and by then the wound was infected and oozing bloody pus.
He had a high fever. In the midst of his agony he sang: "Trust
my soul, confidently trust in the Lord. He helps those who trust in
Him. In trial and distress our faithful God will protect you."
The doctors, nurses, and other patients in the room could not restrain their
tears when they heard this man at the point of death singing his unwavering
trust in God. This day a new chapter in the life of the
seminarian-soldier began: his personal Holy Week.
For nine months Francis vacillated between life and
death. To reduce the infectious flow, he underwent a first surgery to
remove a large piece of one of his ribs. The head-nurse, Princess
Schönburg, related how moved she was by Francis' example of patience and
faith. Francis was promoted to second Lieutenant and given the silver
medal for his bravery.
God chastises the son whom He loves (cf.
Proverbs. 3: 12, Hebrews 12: 6; and Revelation 3: 19). Francis loved God
with his whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. In turn, God loved
Francis dearly and sent him painful suffering to purify him like god refined in
the furnace. In the midst of his pain, Francis felt that he was being set
free from the bonds which tied him to earth. In this newfound freedom he
began to mount swiftly to the summit of perfection.
On one occasion the military chaplain came to Francis'
bedside and remarked, "Lieutenant, it looks as if the time of your death
is drawing near. Be ready." Mustering all his strength,
Francis cried out as loud as he could: "No! I don't want to die!
I won't die, I will become a priest!" This young
soldier had an incredible determination to ascend the steps of the altar and
offer the Eucharistic sacrifice. Only then would he be content to sing
with the venerable old Simeon: Now, Master, you may let your servant go in
peace (Luke 2: 29).
Chapter 8:
A Seminarian Again
By October of 1917, Francis was discharged from the
military for reasons of health. Despite his weakened condition he could
not rest while his heart still longed for the priesthood. He returned to
the seminary in Vienna, where he penned the poetic sentiment:
O Seminary, my alma mater dear;
Where peace and joy remain ever near
And hearts are enflamed by God's presence, clear.
Perceiving that all the hardships and sufferings he
had endured up to this point in his life were meant as a preparation for the
priesthood, he wrote: "I have suffered. But I couldn't be happier,
just like one feels after having done a good deed. Now I can enter the
holy realms of the priesthood at least somewhat purified. It has been good
for me to get a small taste of the common things in ordinary life, for I have
truly seen how little joy is found in them. On the other hand, in spite
of scorn and contempt, I have learned how beautiful it is to be enrolled in the
school of the Divine Heart."
Right from the start his fellow seminarians were fond
of Francis. His spirits remained high in spite of all that he had
suffered as a wounded soldier. Unlike the souls where God is not present
with His sanctifying grace, Francis' peaceful soul was filled with an abundance
of light, generosity, and joy. The war had caused many to fall upon
difficult times. Food was strictly rationed. Francis, who had very
little himself, still found ways and means to alleviate the nee of
others. He regularly gave away his ration of bread, and he even used his
disability pension to help his needy fellow seminarians.
The war continued to rate on all sides and the number
of those encountering brother death mounted. As the empire
gasped its final breath, every capable man was called by the commanding voice
of the emperor to the battlefield. The serene walls of the seminary could
not protect the students from this mandatory summons. Once again
Lieutenant Kern was obliged to postpone his priestly studies and enter the
cause. Francis wore his roman collar under his military uniform to remind
himself constantly who he was and where he was headed. Nothing could
suppress his vehement desire to become a priest.
Chapter
9: The
Changing of the Guard
The war finally ended in 1918 and the Austro-Hungarian
Empire collapsed, leaving in its wake many nations lying around like fallen
trees after a violent storm. These nations which had belonged to the
empire for centuries, now grew discontent and thirsted for freedom and
independence from one another. Considering the instability generated by
the war, it did not take much to set the process in motion.
The same revolutionary forces which separated nations
after the fall of the empire also attacked the Rock of Peter on which Christ
had built his church with the promise The gates of the netherworld shall
not prevail against it (Matthew 16: 18). This was particularly true
in the newly established "Czechoslovakia," where excessive greed,
passion, and nationalism led even priests and religious to abandon the Church
of Jesus Christ and to cooperate in the founding of an independent Czech
"national church." These disciples of Christ disregarded the
inevitable fate of those who separate themselves from His Church and turned
their attention to the building of a merely human, national organization.
One of the first leaders of the new "church"
was a Norbertine canon named Isidore Bogdan Zahradnik, from the monastery of
Strahov in Prague (the abbey where the body of St. Norbert has rested since
1627). Isidore had pledged his loyalty to the Savior as a member of the
Norbertine Order and vowed to give himself entirely as a priest and
religious. He now disregarded the words of St. Norbert, his Order's
father and founder, who said, "Remain here, you who have promised
stability in this sacred place, bearing without aversion the continual yoke of
God's service" (from the Sermo Sancti Norberti). Isidore
abandoned his religious community and the Roman Catholic Church, taking many
others along with him. The media immediately pounced on the story and
published the news far and wide. The enemies of the Church rejoiced in
this victory and used it as grist for their propaganda mills: a
fallen-away priest and religious was worth his weight in gold to them.
When the news of Isidore's defection reached Francis'
ears in Vienna, he was very much affected. His impassioned love for Jesus
caused him to grieve for the great offense his Lord suffered and also called
forth compassion for the unfortunate schismatic priest. Francis' peace
was disturbed by a new storm brewing in his soul, a storm which consistently
grew stronger and more powerful. The incident troubled him all the more
since as a soldier, he was now habituated to strict discipline, duty, service
and loyalty. These concepts were no longer mere words to Francis, but
sacred obligations. This priest had betrayed his sacred vows!
As the interior storm increased in his soul, so did
the interior voice of his heart, until it called out to him commanding loudly
and clearly "Throw yourself into the breach! Take the place of the
deserter!" Francis made his decision on the spot: he would
make atonement by taking the place of the one who had abandoned his post.
He would step into his place as a loyal soldier of Christ and atone for all the
harm he had caused.
Francis understood right from the start what such an
offering meant. His decision soon took concrete shape when he offered
himself to the Norbertine Order which Isidore had deserted. When Francis
learned that the Order was especially devoted to the Mother of God, he was all
the more anxious to enter. He prepared himself for lifelong suffering,
certain that Christ would accept his offering. And later on, when his
sufferings were practically unbearable, he never regretted the total gift of
himself as a sacrificial soul.
Francis brought his desire to his spiritual director
without delay. This prudent priest, Father Karl Handlos, decided to test
Francis' resolve and did not let him enter right away. He did not want
Francis to regret this as a rash action later in life and he wanted to see if a
little time would strengthen and solidify this unique call. A year later,
convinced that it was God's will, Father Handlos gave Francis his blessing to
enter the Norbertine Order as a sacrificial soul. After a year of holding
back and repeating in his heart, "Non in commotione, Domine" ("Not
in the whirlwind, Lord," but in calm) (cf. I Kings 19: 11), Francis
was now permitted to step into the vacated position of Isidore and offer
atonement to God through complete loyalty and immolation.
Chapter 10:
Our Lady of Geras
The Norbertines are also known as the
"Premonstratensians" after the location of their mother abbey in the
valley of Prémontré, France. This priestly Order is dedicated to the
solemn celebration of the Liturgy and the chanting of the Divine Office and is
known for its devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Virgin Mother of
God. The Order also focuses on life in common for its priests, pastoral ministry,
and the education of youth.
The Norbertine abbey of Geras is nestled in a forest
far from the hectic pace of the world (about a four-hour walk from Horn and not
far from the border of the Czech Republic). The abbey was founded by
count Ulrich of Pernegg in 1153 with Norbertines who came from Steinfeld in
Germany). The abbey's church was elevated to the rank of a Minor Basilica
in 1953.
In 1947 Isfrid Franz, a former abbot of Geras, wrote
in his book, The History of the Monastery in the Forest District: Geras
Pernegg: "Poverty is plentiful in the history of our abbey.
Nevertheless, in our eight-hundred years of existence God has blessed us in His
good pleasure by continually sending young men to pledge their lives to Him at
the House of Holy Mary of Geras. Through their faithful lives and
hard work, God has always extended His helping hand to us. This abbey has
hidden a few saints within its walls: the happy result of the religious
life." Although the abbey, which was once totally destroyed, was no
stranger to suffering, it never ceased to experience the powerful protection of
Mary, who lovingly cared for her house at Geras. There is even a
miraculous statue above the main altar of the church known as "Our
Blessed Lady of Geras."
The history of this statue goes back to 1517 when
Martin Luther began to preach a "new gospel," which swept across
Germany like a storm wind. A frenzy of "evangelical
freedom" took hold of the people and led them to interpret the
articles of faith as they wished. The German nobility played an important
leadership role in this movement and succeeded in poisoning the peasants with
pamphlets ridiculing and mocking the Catholic faith and its priests.
Abbot Paul Linsbauer was the spiritual head of Geras
at this time. He was both a powerful leader and a spiritual father
entirely loyal to the Church. In the year 1520, with devotion to the
Blessed Mother threatened by the errors spreading on every side, he erected the
statue of her above the main altar that remains a jewel of the abbey church to
this day.
Confusion and disaster continued to spread and it
seemed that there would never again be peace. The Thirty Years War
raged. Exactly a century after the erection of the statue, in January of
1620, a group of thirty men on horseback from nearby Raabs plundered the
abbey. The drove all 545 sheep away, took everything of value, and set
the abbey and its church on fire. The fire spread to the nearby village
and raged for days, leaving everything in ruins. Thos priests who were
able escaped with a few possessions to Drosendorf. Everyone else was
taken captive and never heard from again. Geras was dealt what appeared
to be a fatal blow. With the village plundered and torched, and the
monastery and its land destroyed, all hope seemed lost.
The five years of desolation that followed saw a few
glimmers of hope when the Catholic Reformation began to make a
difference. Emperor Ferdinand was able to take back the Protestant
strongholds one by one. Also at this time five of the priests who escaped
Geras returned to the ruins. They begged for their bread, with the sky as
the roof over their heads. When they began the work of clearing the
rubble from the church, they were amazed to discover that the carved wooden
statue of the Blessed Mother was still completely intact above the ruins of the
former altar. She had been placed there by the abbot 105 years
earlier. The abbey and its church rose again from the ashes with her
protection and help.
The annals of the abbey relate that during the time of
Abbot Peter Herkard (1632-1650) pilgrimages were revived to honor the Blessed
Virgin at the request of the emperor. During the reign of the next abbot,
John Westhaus (1650-1674), the annals state: "The Catholic Reformation saw
a triumphant marching forth of priests, including the Norbertines, who
conducted missions throughout the land. The abbey of Geras became a
center of spiritual renewal, especially in regard to devotion to the Blessed
Mother. The abbot loved the Blessed Virgin with a special love, and her feasts
were celebrated with extra solemnity. The venerable statue of Mary was
now honored as miraculous because of all that it had survived. Great
numbers of faithful came to honor her, especially on her principal local
feast of the Visitation (celebrated on July 2 at that time)." It was
in such an abbey, in such a church, in accord with God's beautiful plan of
providence, that Francis Alexander Kern, the priest of atonement, would find
his niche.
Chapter 11:
A New Man, A New Life
Although Francis had never been to Geras and had no
previous connection with the abbey, he knew it was God's will for him to enter
Geras the moment he heard of its existence from a friend. He left his
beloved Vienna behind and became a novice, receiving the white habit of the
Order from Abbot Emilian Greisl. The reception of the religious habit is
the putting on of a "new man." No external remnant of the
"old man" of the world is to remain, not even his name. Francis
received the new religious name "James" after the Norbertine martyr
St. James Lacoupe, who was hung to death by Calvinist pirates in 1572.
James focused primarily on his spiritual life during
the novitiate year. He wrote to his sister that the novitiate was a great
comfort to him, because he had never before found the time to enter into a
sustained dialogue with Jesus. Throughout the intensive year of spiritual
training, James was exposed to the fundamental themes of religious life,
including death to self and separation from the world. The novitiate also
introduced the young novice to the history of the Order and the spirit of its
holy fathers, Saints Augustine and Norbert. James implored the Blessed
Virgin of Geras to help him grow in the life of perfection during this year and
took special joy in decorating the altars of the abbey church where her
miraculous image was enshrined.
James' abbot later wrote of him: "Having a strong
devotion to the Sacred Heart, the concept of atonement was deeply rooted in
James' soul. He strengthened this idea by joining the Society of
Sacrificial Souls. These souls gave themselves without reserve to the
will of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The promised to accept all physical
and spiritual sufferings sent by the Divine Heart in a spirit of humble
repentance."
James professed his first vows on October 20, 1921,
promising poverty, chastity and obedience for three years. On the
occasion the abbot noted in his sermon that profession confirms the calling to
the community life which has been tested in the novitiate. He compared
James to a newly lit candle on account of his exemplary practice of
virtue. James, for his part, professed his vows with utter sincerity
and joyfully offered his entire self to God - intellect, will, heart, and
body - in the abbey of Geras. As he knelt before the altar, he was
happier than he had ever been. And he went on to live these vows fully
and faithfully until his dying breath.
Abbot Emilian sent James back to his hometown after
his profession to complete his theological studies at the University of
Vienna. The "little boy" from Vienna had completed the first
stage of his ascent to the holy mountain.
Chapter 12: "I
Will Go Unto the Altar of God"
Only one thing remained for James now, the summit of
happiness and the fulfillment of all his desires: the holy priesthood.
After completing the necessary studies, James was ordained to the priesthood on
July 23, 1922, at Saint Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. He knelt
prayerfully before Cardinal Archbishop Friedrich Gustav Piffl, who laid hands
on his head while the Savior Himself impressed an indelible mark on His newest
priest's soul. James' longing was satisfied at last as he realized the culmination
of so many sacrifices and prayers. His heart sang joyfully to the Lord,
Who lovingly looked upon His newest priest. James was now, in the literal
sense, father, and alter Christus (another Christ).
August 1, 1922, was the day scheduled for James' first
offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. For the newly ordained priest
it was the fulfillment of an intense and sustained yearning, and the crown of
momentous struggles and suffering. Abbot Emilian permitted James to
celebrate the solemn Mass at the sister's convent in Vöcklabruck, where he
first visited in 1915. James had been received there with generous
hospitality, long before he knew of the abbey at Geras. The sisters
rejoiced in his visits and always treated him as a son.
James himself, out of gratitude to the Sisters and
people of the village, had earlier procured a precious reliquary for the
church's altar and installed a new lighting system which highlighted the
reliquary and the altar. The Sisters and villagers now responded by
adorning the church splendidly for his first Mass. Excitement ran high as
everyone prepared to welcome the young priest. Even though he had no
roots or relations here, the village had come to know and love him. They
arrived for the celebration decked out in their full folk costumes, with a
spontaneous outpouring of love and honor.
Abbot Emilian arranged to have James driven the day
before the Mass in a wagon bedecked with white flowers. His room
resembled a rose garden. The night before the celebration he was haunted
by a familiar concern, wondering whether he would live till the day of his
first Mass. He had often prayed, "Dear God, let me live to offer the
Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at least once." At the last minute, just
before Mass, he vomited blood. But he overcame his frail body with a
fierce will and holy enthusiasm and celebrated the Mass without incident.
Everyone present was profoundly struck by the noble beauty and holy grandeur of
this pure, devout priest celebrating his first Mass. One non-Catholic in
attendance said, "Only love can accomplish such things." James
himself later wrote of this day, "My first Mass was filled with
jubilation. It was like Palm Sunday and Jesus' entry into
Jerusalem. Now I am entering my Holy Week."
Chapter 13:
In the Lord's Vineyard
In addition to making reparation, there was a further
motive for James' choice of the Norbertine Order. His humility drew him
to a quiet, inconspicuous position where he would be little noticed. This
corresponded well with the life of the Norbertines at Geras, who devoted
themselves to the care of the simple, modest people in the local
villages. Father James now willingly accepted any and every hardship in
order to minister to these people and lead them to God.
As a deacon, James had already preached his first
public sermon in the Basilica of Our Lady of Geras on July 11, 1922 (at that
time the principal feast of Saint Norbert). A few days after his first
Mass he preached in the small pilgrimage church of Mary of the Snows by
Drosendorf. He also preached frequently in the abbey's basilica where the
number of those who came to hear him grew steadily.
Fr. James was often called upon to preach in the
churches of the outlying villages. He readily accepted, even though he
knew he could have a violent hemorrhage at any moment. He took his
pastoral obligations seriously and traveled to these various churches in good
weather and bad, in Fall and Winter, despite the fact that he frequently spat
blood. He was often forced to sit down exhausted during the Mass.
But the deep faith and fiery devotion with which he celebrated the Sacred
Mysteries were clearly evident and moving.
James was an excellent preacher. Everything he
said came from the heart, springing forth from his deep faith. He had a
great gift for awakening the sleeping faith of his listeners, as evidenced by
the fact that so many souls who heard him were touched to seek reconciliation
with God and the Church and the number of those in line for his confessional increased.
James would not let bad weather or other hardships
interfere with his visits to local schools to teach religion. He
zealously lived out the words of Jesus, Let the children come to me (Matthew
19: 14). His whole heart went out to them, seeking to plant the seed of
God's word in their hearts and nurturing them as they grew. Father James
did not limit himself to the scheduled class times, but spent much of his own
free time with the children and even organized a Marian group to lead the
children to Jesus through Mary. He also gave generously of his time to
help form young men into fervent Catholics and good citizens, organizing them
into a Catholic association for this purpose.
James exemplified genuine Christian love of neighbor
through his compassionate care for the sick. He was often found consoling
the suffering and praying with the infirm. If he was called to administer
the last rites, no distance was too far and no hour too late. In spite of
his own weak health, he hurried along, praying with a strong voice along the
way in the company of those who joined him.
James most beloved task, however, was brining lost
sheep back to the Father's fold through the ministry of the confessional.
He devoted himself to each person with great love and earnestly sought to
reconcile each one with God. He refreshed many tired, weary souls and
reconciled many sinners. James would often pass by a particular image of
"the silent priest of Prague," Saint John Nepomuk, while out
walking. This saint had died as a martyr for protecting the seal of
confession. Every time James saw the statue on a bridge near the abbey he
prayed, "Lord, You may take everything else from me, but give me
souls." Only in heaven will it be known just how many people received
the balm of God's mercy from his hands and returned to the love of God through
his priestly ministry of reconciliation.
Chapter 14:
The Priest of Atonement
The course of Blessed James' life on earth was running
swiftly to its conclusion. The closer he drew to his end, the more his
sufferings intensified. In a penitential spirit, he offered everything to
God.
James caught a cold in the confessional at Eastertime
which made him cough and spit up blood severely. He still preached on the
first of May, but he hemorrhaged violently the day after and this episode was
soon followed by another. At the same time his chest wound became
infected again, discharging pus and becoming so bad that he was taken to the
hospital on August 10, 1923. Some of his ribs had to be removed.
Due to the weak condition of his heart, the surgery was done without
anesthesia. James endured the horrific pain for two hours, during which he
bit through a towel without making a sound. Although the pain was
incredible, when the surgeon told James that he would have to take out a fourth
rib after he had removed the first three, James jokingly apologized for being
so much trouble.
As soon as he was able to get up again, James visited
the other patients in the hospital to bless them. He consoled them with
compassionate humor and made them smile. The heroism with which he
endured his suffering was astonishing. A Sacred Heart Sister from Vienna
who took care of him at this time said she was deeply moved and edified by
James' piety, patience, virile spirit, humility, and sincere gratitude.
Following the surgery and his moderate recovery he
went to Southern Tyrol to spend the winter recouperating. James hoped to
return to his pastoral duties at the abbey in the Spring and worked hard to
regain his health during the winter at the Marian hospice in Meran. He
won the hearts of the sisters and other patients during this time of convalescence
through his constant cheerfulness and childlike piety. Even as a patient
in the hospital he could not remain idle and always sought to minister to
immortal souls.
In his first letter from Meran he mentioned that the
chapel was only a few steps from his room A few weeks later he wrote,
"I am very happy each day that I am able to pray part of the Divine Office
again. To pray the whole Office at this time would be too difficult and I
have to avoid all exertion. But being allowed to serve at the altar every
day and to have the Savior for a neighbor is the crowning of all that is good
and beautiful. It is a glorious compensation for the little suffering
that I bear."
Christmas shed a ray of hope and he was delighted with
the modest celebration prepared by the sisters. He did not pass up the
opportunity to say a few words, turning everyone's hearts to the Infant
Jesus. He later wrote in his diary, "After dinner the two large
folding doors of the hall opened and a magnificent Christmas tree shone brightly.
Little girls dressed as angels performed a fitting Christmas play in front of
the crib. After we sang Christmas songs I said a few words about the
peace and joy of Christmas. On Christmas Day I celebrated the three Holy
Masses without any ill effects on my health. I gave a ten-minute sermon
at Mass on New Year's Day.
James continued to recuperate slowly over the next
months. Even though it must have been a great strain for him, he sang a
High Mass and preached on Easter Sunday. He wrote, "I was very
happy. Even if I, a young priest, have to sit with my hands in my lap to
rest as needed, it is still a great consolation after all the bitter hours of
being sick."
James headed home to Geras in late Spring with his
health and strength satisfactorily restored. He stopped on the way in
Salzburg to visit his aunt. She later wrote of his stay, "When
Father James visited on his way from Meran for a day and an evening, I had to
change the dressing on his wound twice. He said that if I didn't get
nauseated and it wouldn't bother me too much he would appreciate me changing
the dressing. I was shocked when I saw how the pus flowed from his wound
like sewage from a sewer pipe, and I said, 'You poor, poor martyr!' He
replied with great earnestness, 'I'm not poor. Don't you know that in
every age God always needs some people to do the work and others to
suffer? If the Savior appointed me to suffer, then I am ready to do it as
long as it is His will.'"
These sentiments were reminiscent of Jesus in the
garden of Gethsemane when He prayed in His agony, Father if you are
willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done (Luke
22: 42). James Kern was willing to continue suffering as long as Jesus,
the Eternal High Priest of Atonement, desired. The suffering Lord on the
cross was his model and strength. "Lord, Thy will be done, and let
the pain be just as much as you will. Lord, Thy will be done - even if it
seems to hurt too much at times."
Chapter 15:
"In Everything Give Thanks"
Saint Joseph is beautifully praised in the simple
words of Saint Matthew's Gospel as vir justus, "a just man" (cf.
Matthew 1: 19). The same could be said of James Kern, who practiced the
virtue of justice to a heroic degree. He always strove to be faithful to
God, observing the commandments, the precepts of the Church, and the duties of
his state in even the smallest details. He never took the credit for
himself, recognizing the work of God's grace in all aspects of his life.
He honored the Blessed Virgin Mary with childlike devotion and chose St. Joseph
and St. Jude as special intercessors. He also had a great reverence for
the angels and saints.
James was always faithful to the Church by
conscientiously observing her commandments, teachings, and discipline. He
consistently respected the rights and dignity of his fellow man. Whenever
he gave his word he was anxious to keep it. On one occasion he told his
sister, "Mimi, you know that I had to take an oath to do my duty and
put my life on the line as a soldier for the fatherland. This applies now
even more since I received the unspeakable blessing of the priesthood. I
made a solemn promise and am ready at any moment to give my life for God."
Above all else James was immensely grateful to God for
His many kindnesses and did whatever he could to lead others toward the
recognition of the need for giving thanks to God. During his stay at
Meran he met a convert from Denmark who gave him a litany of thanksgiving
composed by another convert, a Danish priest. The prayer was entitled
A Litany of Abundant Thanksgiving to God (cf. Appendix III,
below). It was a magnificent prayer of gratitude to God for His wondrous
gifts of nature and grace. James was deeply touched by the litany.
He had often wondered how best to cultivate sentiments of thanksgiving in
souls. His innermost desire was that all living things give praise to
God. Hence, he had ten thousand copies of the litany published. But
God would call him from this world before he was able to distribute it.
Chapter 16:
His Last Sermon
Upon his return to Geras, James took up the care of
souls once again as much as his health permitted. He was able to do so
for only a short time before his health deteriorated again. He continued
to preach as long as he still had a little strength left. He preached his
last sermon on July 20, 1924, at the celebration of the priestly jubilee of the
bishop of the diocese of St. Pölten. James preached on the virtue of
loyalty to the Church and her supreme shepherd. He had a firm and
profound love for the Church and an understanding of her as the sole guide to
the Savior and eternal salvation. It is noteworthy that this was his last
sermon before he was silenced by his incredibly painful sufferings.
As the sermon drew to an end he declared, "Either
we remain loyal to our bishop, and thus to Christ, or we flirt with dissent and
the fires of hell. My dear friends, if you are willing to accept Jesus'
teaching of the unadulterated truth and live by it, then remain with us.
If you are willing to acknowledge Jesus Christ as your shepherd and high
priest, first seek His priestly blessing of reconciliation before you bring your
gift to the altar. Then you belong here; you may remain with us. It
is here that the Eternal High Priest prepares His banquet and invites you to
His table.
"My dear friends, if you desire to practice moral
heroism as soldiers of the Holy Spirit, the arsenal stockpiled with courage and
perseverance for the spiritual combat is to be found only here. In union
with the Church here on earth you will find the successor of the chief of the
apostles. And when you die, you will find the eternal Shepherd of your
souls in heaven Who will give you, His chosen ones, the crown of life.
"If however your ear delights in falsehood, in
the poisonous whisperings of the modern paganism which says, 'There is no God,
no hereafter, and no sin,' if this is the tune you prefer, then get up
quickly and leave this place (cf. John 13: 27), for you do not belong
here. What are you looking for here? You were made to be temples
and soldiers of the Holy Spirit, yet you desecrate yourselves, your immortal
souls, by obstinately living a sinful life. Get off the narrow road which
leads to life. Go out and take the wide, comfortable, and easy road where
you can follow your every whim. But know without doubt that you will be
accompanied by those whom you dread and yet deserve - the devil and all his
minions."
This was James' final ascent to the pulpit in his
beloved abbey church. He would soon ascend to a much higher pulpit above
the clouds! His health failed. Once again there was a large amount
of pus in his chest wound. He was taken to the hospital in Vienna for
another surgery in September during which four more ribs were removed.
This did not take care of the problem, and another surgery was scheduled as
soon as he regained a little strength. The servant of God predicted that
he would not awaken after this final surgery.
Chapter 17:
Home to God
As his last moments on earth drew near, the
twenty-seven year-old priest and religious prepared for his homecoming.
This time of preparation, leading up to the next surgery on October 20, 1924,
was both the climax of his sufferings and the greatest unfolding and flowering
of his noble soul and its generous willingness to sacrifice.
In addition to severe bodily pain, spiritual suffering
became James' companion. One day during this period he admitted,
"Now all consolation is gone." He added immediately,
"Since it is God's will, I am not sad about it." Eight days
before his death a good friend came to visit him and noticed that his
ever-cheerful expression suddenly changed. A shadow slipped over his
face. "I took his hand," the friend later wrote, "and
asked him what he was thinking." James replied, "It is so
difficult. It was easier to endure before, but now it is almost
impossible. All the reasons I had been giving others and myself have
begun to lose their force of persuasion." A short pause ensued
during which the friend was trying to think of something consoling or
encouraging to say. Then James continued with tears filling his eyes, "This
is happening only because God's love permits it and because I love Him so
much."
During the first surgery it was discovered that his
pleura (the membranous sacs enveloping the lungs which reduce the friction of
the lungs during respiration) were entirely black and infected. In spite
of the unbearable pain this caused him (especially when he breathed), James
remained calm, quiet, and self-controlled. He never expressed any
personal needs or took any painkillers. He wanted to bring his sacrifice
free and unsullied to its consummation. He took whatever nourishment was
given him without being fussy or particular, never indicating what he wanted to
eat, though he must have had special needs due to his high fever and intense
pain. No one knew if what they had given him agreed with him.
James' consistent cheerfulness amazed and edified the sisters who cared for him
and everyone else who happened to see him during this time.
IN a great irony of providence, Monday, October 20,
1924, the day scheduled by his doctors for his surgery, was also the day he was
slated to make his final profession of vows in the Norbertine Order.
Unable to change the day of the surgery, he had to postpone making his solemn
vows and content himself with renewing his temporary vows shortly before the
operation. Days earlier he had told one of the sisters, "I will be
celebrating the day of my profession in heaven." Two days prior to
the operation he told his aunt, "I will not awaken from the surgery on
Monday." And on Sunday evening he said "Tomorrow at this time I
will see the Blessed Mother and my Guardian Angel."
That evening, while a sister was preparing the small
altar on which he would receive Holy Communion before the surgery, he asked
her, "Would you please be kind enough to prepare everything beautifully,
because the last communion should be celebrated as solemnly as the first.
Tomorrow I will receive my last communion and celebrate my solemn profession in
heaven." Then he asked her to bring his white religious habit and see
to it that everything was fittingly arranged. He explained how the habit
was to be put on so that he would be properly dressed in his coffin. The
sister was deeply moved by the calm and matter-of-fact manner with which he
said this.
A holy joy shone on his face as he serenely resigned
himself to God's will in the hours before his death. Before being wheeled
into surgery he blessed his relatives, benefactors and friends. As he was
wheeled away he called out happily, "I will not return!" In
fact, he did not. During the surgery, after the hospital chaplain had
given him the Last Rites and the Apostolic Blessing, James died as he foretold.
The priest of atonement's life on earth was
over. But his work for souls was to continue. From heaven he
accomplishes what he could not during his short life on earth. He
continues to lead souls, many souls - to Jesus!
Chapter 18:
In the Cemetery of Geras
The body of the servant of God, dressed in his white
Norbertine habit, was brought to the morgue of Vienna's General Hospital where
the first funeral rite was celebrated on Wednesday, October 22nd, at 1:30 p.m.,
in the presence of many priests and lay people. His body was then taken
back to the community he so dearly loved, his home at Geras, where he had
become a religious and initiated his holy mission as a priest of atonement in
the Norbertine Order.
The widely read Christian daily newspaper Reichspost
noted that there was a large turnout for the burial of this beloved and
respected young priest. The solemn Requiem Mass was celebrated
by Abbot Emilian Greisl at 10 a.m. on October 25th. Many of his Catholic
Fraternity brothers were present. some of them were pall bearers while
others carried their Fraternity banner. In addition to all the priests
who traveled to attend his funeral, a representative of the Cardinal-Archbishop
of Vienna was also present. Gathered together in more of a triumphal
march than a funeral procession, the people of Geras and the surrounding
villages accompanied the body on its last pilgrimage to the abbey's section of
the beautiful forest cemetery. James was buried above a confrere who
had died sixty years earlier and a brick vault was placed over the
casket. On the plaque in the cemetery wall the image of a chalice with a
host was engraved with the words: Hic Requiescunt: R. D. Adalbertus
Pelikan, O.Praem., 1784-1864, R. D. Jacobus Franciscus Kern, O.Praem., 1897,
def. 20. Octobris 1924, miles laesus (Here rests: Father Adalbert Pelikan,
Norbertine, 1784-1864, and Father James Francis Kern, Norbertine, [born] 1897,
died the 20th of October 1924, having been wounded as a soldier).
Chapter 19:
A Reputation for Holiness
James Kern was already spoken of as a saint during his
lifetime. This was the case all the more after his death and his
reputation for holiness has grown ever since. As a child he was called
"one of God's favored children," "an angel," and "a
little saint." At the archdiocesan minor seminary in Hollabrunn his
fellow students respected his practice of the virtues. Those with whom he
fought in the First World War called him their "guardian angel" and
their "intercessor with God." Among his fellow seminarians in
Vienna there were also some who considered him a saint.
Many of the confreres at the abbey of Geras,
especially the abbot, regarded him as God's chosen one and a special child of
St. Norbert and his Order. James was a "holy person and holy
priest" to the sisters in Vöcklabruck. The people of Geras and the
nearby region referred to him as "the saintly Father James."
Probably those who witnessed his heroic sufferings firsthand were the most
convinced that they had a saint among them. To obtain his relics, a
number of priests and sisters took parts of the ribs which had been removed in
the surgery and enshrined them as belonging to a "priest who died with a
reputation for holiness."
One of James' priest-friends wrote a short summary of
his life and published it in the Wiener Kirchenblatt. He wrote:
"The life of the deceased can be a model for everyone: for some, he is a
model in which to find consolation and strength; for others, a stimulus and
inspiration for more intense and fervent love; and for others, perhaps, an
urgent call to interior contemplation." He continued, "Those
who had a close glimpse into his life and intimate contact with him know with
certitude that he lived a holy life." In conclusion he stated,
"This holy priest is an example of virtue that shines for us and, during
our difficult and trying hours, inspires us with courage, strength,
consolation, and love."
In summary, James epitomized that priestly holiness so
dear to the heart of St. Norbert. Everyone who knew him was certain that
he was a saint, and this sure knowledge continued to spread throughout the
countryside and the world.
Chapter 20:
Thirty Years Later
As the years slipped by, the abbots of Geras were
approached repeatedly to initiate the beatification process, but other more
immediate needs kept interfering. It became necessary to place everything
in God's hands, entrusting the cause of James Kern directly to Him when more
practical earthly matters took precedence. The first of these was
economic in nature. Shortly after James' death the abbey ran into serious
financial trouble. Emilian Greisl, the abbot who had received James into
the order and a man of silent modesty and deep spirituality, struggled to
handle this difficulty properly, but his well-meaning attempts fell short and
he resigned two years later in 1926.
Ludolph Rudisch, elected abbot in 1927, only lived
three years and never had the time to initiate the beatification process.
Friedrich Silberhauer was elected abbot in 1931 and reigned for a long time
(until 1952), but he endured the destruction of the Second World War, during
which the abbey itself was confiscated by the Nazis in 1940 and the community
was driven away. For five years the buildings were used as a resettlement
camp, and were extensively damaged by the end of the war.
In 1947 Isfrid Franz, then pastor of Eibenstein on the
Thaya and later elected abbot of Geras, wrote in his book The History of
the Monastery in the Forest District, Geras-Pernegg, "The flames of
distress are blazing high out of the old monastery, just as long ago the flames
burst through and consumed the old abbey church. Yet the statue of the
Madonna remains steadfast and smiling. This time too, Mary will help us
overcome the destruction and woe. Once again a grateful community will
gather to celebrate on her altar a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the honor and
everlasting praise of God."
Thirty years elapsed before James' beatification
process was introduced. Only when Cardinal Theodore Innitzer, the
archbishop of Vienna, joined with the other petitioners did Abbot Isfrid Franz
promise to take the necessary steps. The year was 1955 and the
announcement of his intention met with great joy and delight.
Chapter 21:
The First Step Toward Canonization
On Wednesday, September 26, 1956, the first step
toward canonization was taken: James' body was exhumed. The
chronicler relates that after receiving the necessary permission, the abbot,
several priests, and two doctors opened the vault and beheld his wooden coffin
with the brass plaque inscribed, "Reverend James Kern, died 20 Oct. 1924
in his 28th year." When the wooden coffin was touched it fell apart
to reveal the pewter coffin beneath. Through the window of the pewter
coffin they were able to see its contents clearly. One of the priests who
had known James well exclaimed, "This is he! Yes, it is he!"
On opening the pewter coffin it became impossible to
lift the skeleton out in one piece, first of all because the bones fell apart
when the coffin was opened and also because the lower portion of the coffin was
completely corroded. There were remnants of some skin and hair on the skull and
some flesh on the bones. His funeral cross and some of his clothes were
still intact. His right hand (the one he used to bless), was still
connected to his lower arm and totally preserved to the wrist including the
tendons and nails. The effect of his chest surgeries was evidenced by the
missing ribs.
The doctors found all the bones of the skeleton intact
with the exception of a single ankle bone. They wrapped them in a white
linen cloth and placed them in an oak coffin. The coffin was secured with
screws and sealed tightly with a crosswise band and the seal of the
abbey. The original brass plaque was transferred to the top of the
crosswise band. After the abbot closed the windows of the cemetery
chapel, he blessed James' remains, locked the door from the outside and affixed
his seal on the door.
The following Sunday, the 30th of September, the
relics were transferred to the abbey church. After verifying the seal on
the door of the cemetery chapel, the abbot opened the door. The new oak
coffin was placed on a flower-adorned bier and carried by the abbey's
seminarians to the front of the cemetery chapel where the abbot blessed
it. A long procession made its way to the basilica, composed of choir
boys followed by the clergy of various ranks, then the abbot and his assistants
robed in black vestments, and finally the seminarians with the bier.
Members of the Catholic Fraternity to which James had belonged and the union of
all Catholic fraternities in Austria also accompanied the bier. Although
the transfer was little publicized, many came from far and wide including
government officials, religious sisters, and a large number of the lay faithful.
When the procession entered the basilica a phenomenon
occurred that has no natural explanation. A bright ray of light streamed
out of the tabernacle and remained until the bier came to rest inside the
church. When the solemn pontifical Requiem was completed, the
coffin was placed in the basilica's rear wall on the left side next to the door
and was blessed. His fraternity placed a band of its colors on the
coffin, and over the vault the abbot placed a stone plaque inscribed,
"Here lies the servant of God, James Kern, born 1897, died 1924."
Chapter 22:
The Priestly Hand of Blessing
There is something extraordinary about the consecrated
hands of a priest. The Christian people, respecting and loving these
hands, know that they must ask the Lord to provide many consecrated hands "lest
the praises cease at Your altars; lest the light before Your tabernacle burn
out; lest the sacrifice upon the consecrated altar stone discontinue; lest Your
people lack preachers of Your will, shepherds of Your way, and mediators of
Your grace."
The totally preserved right arm and hand of James Kern
did not so much surprise people as increase their devotion to the one whom they
already considered a saint. Was it pointing to heaven once again to
exhort, inspire, and warn, crying out for conversion and pointing the way?
The notes written by James with the same hand just
before his ordination to the subdiaconate read "What is a soul? It
is greater than the whole realm of nature and so magnificent that, if necessary
and possible, the Savior would be crucified and put to death for it all over again.
The Lord honors and values a soul so highly that, not wanting servitude and
forced love, He never violates its free will by force.
"Each of us has to save his own soul first.
If we lose this opportunity we will never have it again. Living only one
life, there is only one life in which to save our soul. And all is lost
if our soul is lost!
"God's creatures, by their very existence, point
to the God who made them. The wonderful laws of nature, arranging
everything so beautifully, glorify their Creator who must be all the more
beautiful. Placing everything in the service of God and of love of
neighbor, we must serve God in His creation.
"It is possible to make good use of created
things without getting trapped and lost in them. However, if anything
leads to sin or is used sinfully, it must be avoided. Never make use of
God's creation to cut yourself off from Him, even when trials come. Some
things we must suffer and endure patiently: our neighbor, work, sickness,
cloudy days, trouble, and distress. When I die I will not say that
creation is bad. Instead I will say what God has said at the end of the
six days of creation: . . . and everything was very good (Genesis 1:
31).
"At the hour of our death heaven's door will
either be opened or bolted shut. In the latter case we have forged the
bolt by our sins. Any unrepented venial sin is incompatible with the love
of God and prepares us at the very least for a long stay in purgatory.
Venial sins act like a poison which little by little, dose after dose,
endangers the health of the soul. Sickening and weakening the soul to the
point of infirmity, venial sins pave the way to mortal sin."
In our own age it seems that we have forgotten the
message of James' beseeching, outstretched hand. His hand continues to
gesture, pointing us toward heaven. This priest of atonement still has a
mission to accomplish.
Chapter 23:
God Needs Men!
James Kern, whose life we have sketched, does not rest
even after death. He continues interceding for us and guiding us from
heaven by the shining example of his life: a life of sacrifice and renunciation
in a world of selfishness and self-indulgence. In order to reach his
destination of life with God in heaven, he lived his life on earth following
the two-fold path of sacrifice and zeal for souls. He always sought to
avoid the confusion and despair of life here below, setting his heart on the
dazzling heights alone.
Whenever a soul seeks to draw near to God it is a
feast day of the spirit! An hour for celebration! This little book
is meant to be a thunderous pealing of bells, a crying out to the souls who
read it, an urgent invitation to join in the joy of the feast. It is
personally addressed to you, the reader, to the noblest place in your heart and
soul. Blessed James Kern, the priest of atonement, like an experienced
mountain guide, leads the way to the heights for any who desire to
follow. He calls out to you to follow him, to climb higher. Above,
up ahead, shine the beautiful white-capped peaks of purity, truth and
love: the life of the Norbertine canons. Below, behind you, lay the
valleys of indifference, lukewarmness, and self-love: a region from which it
would be difficult to reach even purgatory.
The sacrificial life of this young priest is truly a
fitting model for our times of selfishness and aversion to sacrifice. It
stimulates the life of grace in both young and old, that they might give
themselves more generously in service to God and man. About a year before
his death, while recovering in Meran, James wrote to his Abbot: "If I am
allowed to be even just a little wheel in God's plan for the world, then I
shall be exceedingly joyful." What a noble proposition: to be a very
small wheel in the plan of providence, drawing closer to God, leading and
drawing others always forward and upward, and always becoming more noble and
holy oneself! As Blessed James himself put it, "God always needs
people, some for work, and others for suffering." God also
needs you. God is also calling you. Seek Blessed James'
intercession and follow him to the heights.
Epilogue: A Blessed Witness to Priestly Fidelity
On a radiant first summer's day and Sunday morning,
June 21, 1998, Pope John Paul II arrived in Vienna's Heldenplatz (Heroes'
Square) to celebrate the beatification of James Francis Kern and two other
Austrians, Anton Maria Schwartz and Restituta Kafka. Referring to the
plaza in which tens of thousands had gathered for the joyful celebration, the
Holy Father exclaimed, "It is not the heroes of this world who have the
last word today here in Heroes' Square, but the heroes of the Church: the three
new Blessed. About sixty years ago, from a balcony which opens onto this
square, a man [named Adolf Hitler] proclaimed himself to be the salvation of
the people. The new Blessed bear a very different message:
salvation [Heil] is not found in any man. Rather, salvation [Heil] is
found in Christ, the King and Savior of the human race!"
Pope John Paul continued his words with a summary of
the life and deeds of Blessed James:
"James Kern came from a modest Viennese working
family. The First World War put a sudden end to his studies at the Minor
Seminary in Hollabrunn. A serious would suffered in the war made his
brief earthly existence in the Major Seminary and in the Norbertine monastery
of Geras a Holy Week, as he himself described it. Out of love for
Christ he did not selfishly cling to life, but consciously offered it for the
good of others. In the beginning, he wanted to become a diocesan
priest. But an event took place which caused him to change his
mind. When a Norbertine priest abandoned his monastery, following the
Czech national church which had just recently organized itself in separation
from Rome, James Kern discovered his true vocation in this sad event. He
wanted to repair the harm done by that religious. James Kern entered the
same Order in the monastery of Geras to take his place, and the Lord accepted
the offering of the 'substitute.'
"Blessed James Kern presents himself to us as a
witness of the fidelity to the priesthood. In the beginning it was the
desire of his childhood, manifested in his imitation of the priest at the
altar. Over time this desire matured. Through a process of painful
purification, the profound meaning of his priestly vocation became apparent:
to unite his own life to the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross and to offer it
in substitution for the salvation of others.
"May Blessed James Kern, who was both a vivacious
and serious student, encourage many young men to respond generously to Christ's
call to the priesthood. Blessed James' words then still have
relevance for us now: "Today more than ever we have need of authentic and
holy priests. Every prayer, every sacrifice, every effort, and every
suffering united to the right intention, becomes a divine seed which sooner or
later will bear its fruit." Thank you, Blessed James Kern, for your
priestly fidelity!"
Later that same day, as he led the pilgrims in the
prayer of the Angelus, the Holy Father added, "The three new Blessed
confided themselves and their prayers to the maternal intercession of
Mary. In order to fulfill different missions, all three said the 'yes'
which Mary gave as her response to the message of the angel. Blessed
James Kern said 'yes' in the face of sickness and suffering which came upon
him, notwithstanding his young age. May the three new Blessed be for all
of you a model and stimulus for saying 'yes' to whatever way God is calling
each of you to serve Him.
At the time of the beatification, the remains of
Blessed James were transferred from the tomb where they had rested since 1956
to a new memorial chapel on the abbey grounds. The bones were washed,
wrapped, and interred in a silver reliquary chest engraved with his name and
years of birth and death. It is here, in this chapel, that today's
pilgrim comes to experience uniquely the presence and intercession of the
priest of atonement once again.
Appendix I: Gallery
/ List of Illustrations [Note: This series of illustrations is being
scanned in and will appear in this publication no later than August, 2005]:
The steeple and bell tower of the abbey of Geras,
where Blessed James Kern entered the Norbertine Order and where his remains are
enshrined.
The shrine of Maria-Enzersdorf, where Anna Kern prayed
for the priestly vocation of her unborn son during her pregnancy.
Blessed James Kern as a small child.
Detail of Blessed James Kern as a small child.
Blessed James at age 11 in 1908, the year he was
confirmed and entered the Junior Seminary at Hollabrunn.
Blessed James as a soldier in the Imperial Armed
Forces.
The motherhouse of the Sisters at Vöcklabruck.
Blessed James in military dress uniform.
Blessed James in the Austrian Catholic youth
association "Amelungia".
Blessed James in the diocesan seminary of Vienna.
Isidor Bogdan Zahradnik, the apostate Norbertine
priest for whom Blessed James offered himself.
The miraculous statue of Our Lady of Geras
Abbot Emilian Greisl, who clothed Blessed James with
the white habit at the abbey of Geras
Modern-day Norbertines gathered in the cloister garden
of Geras
Blessed James on the day of his first Mass at
Vöcklabruck with Abbot Greisl, family members, and some of the Sisters of
Vöcklabruck
Depiction of the Norbertine Saints in the refectory of
Geras
The Marian Hospice at Meran where James spent the
winter of 1923 convalescing.
Ancient archways in the interior of the monastery of
Geras
Blessed James near the end of his life.
An ancient statue of the Madonna and Child in front of
the memorial chapel of Blessed James
A view of the abbey of Geras.
St. Norbert of Xanten (ca. 1080-1134), founder of the
Norbertine Order, archbishop of Magdeburg and champion of priestly holiness in
the spirit of the Gregorian reform of the clergy (painting from the Order's
Generalate House in Rome).
The memorial chapel which currently houses the relics
of Blessed James in a silver reliquary chest.
A painting of Christ blessing in the abbey of Geras.
Images on display at the beatification: (from left)
Blessed James, Blessed Restituta Kafka, and Blessed Anton Maria Schwartz.
Pope John Paul II receives the relic of Blessed James
presented during the Mass of beatification
The main entrance to the abbey church of Geras
Appendix II: Prayer
in Honor of Blessed James
Loving and
merciful Father,
We praise and
thank You
for showering the
world with light and love
through the life
and suffering of Your faithful priest,
Blessed James.
Through his
intercession
may our priests
grow daily in holiness of life.
Through our works
of humble penance and reparation,
may we help to
restore the balance
destroyed by sin
and infidelity
and come at last
to Your marvelous light
to share the
company of Blessed James
and all Your holy
ones.
We ask this
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Appendix III:
Litany of Abundant Thanksgiving to God
{Note: If
said with a leader, the congregation responds with the bolded/heavy script}
Let us give thanks
to the Lord our God
It is right to
give him thanks and praise.
It is truly
fitting and proper, right and profitable, that we should always and everywhere
give thanks to You, Lord, Holy Father, almighty and everlasting God.
Lord, have mercy
on us
Christ, have mercy
on us.
Lord, have mercy
on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously
hear us.
* *
*
God the Father of
heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son,
Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy
Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one
God, have mercy on us.
* *
*
Holy Mary, Mother
of God, lead our song of thanksgiving.
* *
*
For light, life
and all creation, we give thanks to you, O God (repeat this response
after each verse):
For the manger,
the cross, and the dawn of Easter...,
For the dove and
the seven flames of heavenly fire...,
For the revelation
of the mystery of Yourself, the Most Holy Trinity...,
For the Queen of
Heaven, Your Son's mother and ours...,
For the cleansing
waters of baptism poured over our heads...,
For those who
brought us into Your Church...,
For father,
mother, relatives and friends...,
For homeland,
government, and native tongue...,
For our daily
bread, our home, and our daily work...,
For consolation,
happiness, and protection in danger...,
For the works of
penance that You have given us...,
For the bitter cup
of suffering which makes us strong...,
For the anointing
of Confirmation which makes us soldiers of the Holy Spirit...,
For the sacrifice
of Christ's body and Blood...,
For the daily
nourishment of this heavenly bread...,
For Jesus dwelling
among us in the tabernacle...,
For healing and
strength in the sacrament of reconciliation...,
For the consoling
oil of the sick, which heals and redeems...,
For the power of
priests to call upon You...,
For the nobility,
honor and dignity of marriage...,
For the Church
which lifts us up and gathers us together...,
For Peter, holding
the keys of heaven in his hand...,
For Your
shepherds' royal priesthood...,
For religious
orders, the fruitful branches on the tree of Your Holy Church...,
For the perfect
proof of faith...,
For the hope of
beholding You face to face...,
For the privilege
of being able to love Your name and glory...,
For the assistance
of angels in this earthly battle...,
For the courage we
are given from the merits of the saints...,
For all the saints
who are interceding for us before Your throne...,
For the immaculate
purity of the Virgin Mary...,
For the Scriptures
and the teaching of the Magisterium...,
For all the
glorious victories of Your kingdom...,
For all the
illustrious feastdays of the Church...,
For hearing our
intercessions for the dead...,
For giving us an
immortal soul endowed with intellect...,
For ennobling our
will with freedom...,
For giving us a
will for doing good...,
For promising
eternal rewards for even the smallest of good deeds...,
For leading us
through life by Your kind providence...,
For shining Your
light in the darkness of the night...,
For letting Your
voice be heard even amidst the clouds of disappointment...,
For supporting us
with Your hand when the ground shakes beneath us...,
For the Sacred
Heart of Jesus...,
For all the graces
given us when we deserved only punishment...,
For the
resurrection of the dead...,
For the coming of
Christ on the clouds...,
For judging the
righteous in justice...,
For bringing the
proud to their knees...,
For calling us to
our true heavenly homeland...,
* *
*
Lamb of God, You
take away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, You
take away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, You
take away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.
* *
*
Let us pray:
O God, through
Your holy Apostle you call us at all times and in all circumstances to give
thanks. We humbly beseech You for the grace to begin our thanksgiving
here on earth in such a way that we may bring it to perfection in heaven.
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.
Amen.
Appendix IV:
Chronology of Blessed James' Life
April 5,
1866: Anna Neidl, mother of James, is born in Landegg
July 6,
1866: Francis Kern, Sr. father of James, is born in Erdberg
April 11,
1897: James is born "Francis Alexander Kern" in Vienna
April 19, 1897: James
is baptized "Francis Alexander"
Pentecost,
1908: James receives the Sacrament of Confirmation
September 15,
1908: James enters the Junior Seminary at Hollabrunn
April 21,
1912: James takes a vow of virginity for life
October 15,
1915: James reports for military duty with the outbreak of WWI
January 1,
1916: During the forty hours devotion in the church of St. Blase in
Salzburg, James asks Jesus for the grace to be showered with suffering.
May 15,
1916: James is transferred to the Italian front.
September 10,
1916: James is seriously wounded in battle.
September 13,
1916: James finally reaches a hospital at Folgaria for treatment of his wounds.
October,
1917: James is discharged from the military for medical reasons and
returns to the seminary in Vienna.
January
1918: Isidore Bogdan Zahradnik, a Norbertine priest of Strahov in
Prague, apostasizes and works to establish a Czech "national church"
after the war.
January 8,
1920: The "Czech National Church" is officially founded.
September 14,
1920: The "Czech National Church" is officially recognized
by the state.
October 18,
1920: Francis Kern enters the Norbertine abbey of Geras where he
receives his religious name "James."
October 20,
1920: James makes his first profession of vows.
July 11,
1922: James preaches his first sermon as a deacon in the abbey church.
July 23,
1922: James is ordained to the priesthood in St. Stephen's Cathedral,
Vienna.
August 1,
1922: James celebrates his first Holy Mass at Vöcklabruck.
Eastertime,
1923: James catches a cold in the confessional that causes him to
hemorrhage.
August 10,
1923: James is hospitalized and has four ribs surgically removed.
Christmas,
1923: James convalesces in the Marian hospice at Meran.
July 20, 1924: James
preaches his last sermon.
September,
1924: James has four more ribs surgically removed.
October 20,
1924: James renews his vows, receives his last Holy Communion and
dies during surgery.
October 22,
1924: Solemn funeral rite for James is held at Vienna's General Hospital.
October 25,
1924: Solemn funeral rite for James at Geras.
September 26,
1956: James' body is exhumed as an initial step in introducing the
beatification process.
November 15,
1956: The petition to introduce James' cause is presented in Rome.
March 18,
1958: The cause for James' beatification is officially opened.
June 21, 1998: James is beatified by Pope John Paul II in Vienna's Heldenplatz.
Appendix V:
Bibliography of Blessed James Kern
Promulgatio
Decreti super Virtutibus in causa Beatificationis Servi Dei Jacobi Kern,
O.Praem. Analecta Praemonstratensia 73 (1997), pp. 136-139
Documentum in
causa Beatificationis Venerabilis Jacobi Kern. Analecta
Praemonstratensia 75 (1999), pp. 128-130
Litterae Abbatis
Generalis Herminegildi J. Noyens omnibus sodalibus Ordinis Praemonstratensis
occasione beatificationis Servi Dei Jacobi Kern, Sacerdotis professi Canoniae
Gerusenae. Analecta Praemonstratensia 75 (1999), pp. 229-230
DeBerdt, Olav,
O.Praem. Jacob Franz Kern O.Praem.: Heiligkeitsstreben in unserer
Zeit. Poppe Verlag: 1960
DeClerck, D.F. La béatification de Jacob Kern,
O.Praem. Analecta
Praemonstratensia (1999), pp. 133-136.
Fleischmann,
Kornelius. Diener Gottes Jakob Kern O.Praem. Styria: 1984.
Franz,
Isfrid. Geschichte der Waldvirtler Kosterstiftung
Geras-Pernegg. Geras: 1947
Hoekx, E. Jakob
Kern: Norbertijn van de Abdij Geras. Averbode: 1963.
John Paul II, Pope.
"Plant the Cross in your Life!" (homily given at the
beatification of Blessed James). L'Osservatore Romano (English Edition) n.
25, June 24, 1998.
Schulenburg,
Josef. "Jakob Franz Alexander Kern. Ein Beitrag zu einem
priesterlichen Lebensbild." Wiener Kirchenblatt, January 25/May 3,
1925.
Weidinger, Hermann
Josef. Sühnepriester Jakob Kern. Graz: 1960.
Weidinger, Hermann Josef. Jakob Kern - durch Leid zum Licht. Freunde der Heilkräuter, Karlstein/Thaya: 1999.
This book is dedicated in loving memory of Armando J.
Miranda, 1977-1996. A student of the Norbertines at St. Michael's Abbey,
Silverado, California, he admired their dedication, compassion and
prayerfulness.
This book is dedicated to the Norbertine Fathers by
James, Rosario & Sons; Image Realms Limited, Los Angeles, California,
90001, U.S.A.
Publication Credits:
This book has been reprinted online at www.premontre.org with the kind
permission of Abbot Eugene Hayes, of St. Michael's Abbey, as well as the
permissions of both the Translator, Father Hubert S. Szanto and Editor, Father
Norbert Wood.
SOURCE : http://premontre.info/Publica/Documents%20Page/Secondary/Doc-SEC-Kern.htm
Beato Jakob Kern Sacerdote premostratense
Martirologio Romano: A Vienna in Austria, beato
Giacomo (Francesco Alessandro) Kern, sacerdote dell’Ordine Premonstratense:
ancora studente, chiamato alle armi nella prima guerra mondiale e gravemente
ferito, si dedicò in seguito con ogni sollecitudine al ministero pastorale, che
esercitò per breve tempo, colpito da una lunga e inesorabile malattia, che egli
accettò con fortezza d’animo, in pacifica obbedienza alla volontà di Dio.
SOURCE : http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/91195
OMELIA DI GIOVANNI PAOLO II
21 Giugno 1998
1. "Chi sono io secondo la gente?" (Lc 9,18).
Questa domanda Gesù la pose un giorno ai suoi
discepoli in cammino con lui. Anche ai cristiani in cammino sulle strade del
nostro tempo Gesù pone la stessa domanda: "Chi sono io secondo la
gente?".
Come avvenne duemila anni or sono in un luogo
appartato del mondo conosciuto di allora, anche oggi di fronte a Gesù le
opinioni umane sono divise. Alcuni gli attribuiscono la qualifica di profeta.
Altri lo ritengono una personalità straordinaria, un idolo che attira la gente.
Altri ancora lo credono persino capace di aprire una nuova era.
"Ma voi chi dite che io sia?" (Lc 9,20).
La domanda è tale da non consentire una risposta "neutrale". E' una
domanda che esige una scelta di campo ed è domanda che coinvolge tutti. Anche
oggi Cristo chiede: voi cattolici dell'Austria, voi cristiani di questo Paese,
voi cittadini, uomini e donne, chi dite che io sia?
La domanda sgorga dal cuore stesso di Gesù. Colui che
apre il proprio cuore vuole che la persona che gli è davanti non risponda solo
con la mente. La domanda proveniente dal cuore di Gesù deve toccare i nostri
cuori! Chi sono io per voi? Che cosa rappresento io per voi? Mi conoscete
veramente? Siete i miei testimoni? Mi amate?
2. Allora Pietro, portavoce dei discepoli, rispose:
Noi crediamo che tu sei "il Cristo di Dio" (Lc 9,20).
L'evangelista Matteo riferisce la professione di Pietro più dettagliatamente:
"Tu sei il Cristo, il Figlio del Dio vivente!" (Mt 16,16). Oggi
il Papa, quale successore per volontà divina dell'Apostolo Pietro, professa a
nome vostro e assieme a voi: Tu sei il Messia di Dio, tu sei il Cristo, il
Figlio del Dio vivente.
3. Nel corso dei secoli la giusta professione di fede
è stata ripetutamente oggetto di affannosa ricerca. Sia ringraziato Pietro le
cui parole sono divenute normative.
Con esse si devono misurare gli sforzi della Chiesa
che cerca di esprimere nel tempo che cosa rappresenta Cristo per essa. Infatti,
non basta solo la professione con le labbra. La conoscenza della Scrittura e
della Tradizione è importante, lo studio del Catechismo è prezioso: ma a che
cosa serve tutto questo se alla fede cognitiva mancano i fatti?
La professione di fede in Cristo chiama alla sequela
di Cristo. La giusta professione di fede deve essere accompagnata da una giusta
condotta di vita. L'ortodossia richiede l'ortoprassi. Fin dall'inizio Gesù non
ha mai nascosto ai suoi discepoli questa esigente verità. Infatti, Pietro ha
appena pronunciato una straordinaria professione di fede, e subito, lui e gli
altri discepoli si sentono dire da Gesù ciò che il Maestro si aspetta da loro:
"Se qualcuno vuol venire dietro a me, rinneghi se stesso, prenda la sua
croce ogni giorno e mi segua" (Lc 9,23).
Com'è stato all'inizio, così continua ad essere ora:
Gesù non cerca solo delle persone che l'acclamino. Egli cerca persone che lo
seguano.
4. Cari Fratelli e Sorelle! Chi riflette sulla storia
della Chiesa con gli occhi dell'amore, scorge con gratitudine che, malgrado
tutti i difetti e tutte le ombre, ci sono stati e ci sono tuttora e dappertutto
uomini e donne la cui esistenza mette in luce la credibilità del Vangelo.
Oggi mi è data la gioia di poter annoverare nel libro
dei Beati tre cristiani della vostra Terra. Ciascuno di essi ha confermato la
professione di fede nel Messia mediante la testimonianza personale resa nel
proprio ambiente. Tutti e tre i Beati ci dimostrano che col titolo di
"Messia" non si riconosce solamente un attributo a Cristo, ma ci si
impegna anche a cooperare con l'opera messianica: i grandi diventano piccoli, i
deboli diventano protagonisti.
Non gli eroi del mondo hanno la parola oggi qui sulla
Heldenplatz, ma gli eroi della Chiesa, i tre nuovi Beati. Dal balcone che si
affaccia su questa piazza, sessant'anni or sono, un uomo ha proclamato in se
stesso la salvezza. I nuovi Beati portano un altro annuncio: la salvezza non si
trova nell'uomo, ma in Cristo, Re e Salvatore!
5. Jakob Kern proveniva da una modesta famiglia
viennese di operai. La prima guerra mondiale lo strappò bruscamente dagli studi
nel Seminario Minore di Hollabrunn. Una grave ferita di guerra rese la sua
breve esistenza terrena nel Seminario Maggiore e nel Monastero di Geras - come
lui stesso diceva - un Calvario. Per amore di Cristo egli non si aggrappò alla
vita, ma la offrì consapevolmente per gli altri. In un primo momento voleva
diventare sacerdote diocesano. Ma un evento gli fece cambiare strada. Quando un
religioso premonstratense abbandonò il convento, seguendo la Chiesa nazionale
ceca formatasi a seguito della separazione da Roma avvenuta da poco, Jakob Kern
scoprì in questo triste evento la sua vocazione. Egli volle riparare l'azione
di quel religioso. Jakob Kern entrò al posto suo nel Monastero di Geras e il Signore
accettò l'offerta del "sostituto". Il Beato Jakob Kern si presenta a
noi come testimone della fedeltà al sacerdozio. All'inizio era un desiderio
d'infanzia, che s'esprimeva nell'imitare il sacerdote all'altare.
Successivamente il desiderio maturò. Attraverso la purificazione del dolore,
apparve il profondo significato della sua vocazione sacerdotale: unire la
propria vita al sacrificio di Cristo sulla Croce e offrirla in sostituzione per
la salvezza degli altri.
Possa il Beato Jakob Kern, che era uno studente vivace
e impegnato, incoraggiare molti giovani ad accogliere generosamente la chiamata
al sacerdozio per seguire Cristo. Le sue parole di allora sono rivolte a noi:
"Oggi più che mai c'è bisogno di sacerdoti autentici e santi. Tutte le
preghiere, tutti i sacrifici, tutti gli sforzi e tutte le sofferenze unite alla
retta intenzione diventano seme divino che prima o poi porterà il suo
frutto".
6. Padre Anton Maria Schwartz a Vienna, cento anni or
sono, si preoccupò delle condizioni degli operai, dedicandosi in primo luogo ai
giovani apprendisti in fase di formazione professionale. Tenendo sempre
presenti le proprie umili origini, si sentì specialmente unito ai poveri
operai. Per la loro assistenza fondò, adottando la regola di San Giuseppe
Calasanzio, la Congregazione dei Pii Operai, tuttora fiorente. Il suo grande
desiderio fu quello di convertire la società a Cristo e di restaurarla in Lui.
Egli fu sensibile ai bisogni degli apprendisti e degli operai, che spesso
mancavano di sostegno e di orientamento. Padre Schwartz si dedicava a loro con
amore e creatività trovando mezzi e vie per costruire la prima "Chiesa per
gli operai di Vienna". Questo tempio umile e nascosto dalle case popolari
assomiglia all'opera del suo fondatore, che l'ha vivificata per ben
quarant'anni.
Di fronte all'"apostolo operaio" di Vienna
le opinioni erano divise. Molti trovavano il suo impegno esagerato. Altri lo
ritenevano degno della più alta considerazione. Padre Schwartz rimase fedele a
se stesso e intraprese anche passi coraggiosi. Con le sue petizioni per posti
di formazione professionale per i giovani e per il riposo domenicale egli
arrivò fino al "Reichstag", al Parlamento.
Egli lascia a noi un messaggio: Fate tutto il
possibile per salvaguardare la Domenica! Dimostrate che questa giornata non può
essere lavorativa, perché viene celebrata come giorno del Signore! Sostenete
soprattutto i giovani privi del lavoro! Chi procura ai giovani di oggi la
possibilità di guadagnarsi il pane contribuisce a far sì che gli adulti di domani
possano trasmettere ai loro figli il senso della vita. So bene che non ci sono
soluzioni facili. Per cui ripeto l'esortazione sotto la quale il Beato Padre
Schwartz ha posto tutti i suoi sforzi molteplici: "Dobbiamo pregare di
più!"
7. Suor Restituta Kafka non era ancora maggiorenne,
quando espresse la sua intenzione di entrare in convento. I genitori si
opposero, ma la giovane restò fedele al suo obiettivo di farsi suora "per
amore di Dio e degli uomini". Voleva servire il Signore specialmente nei
poveri e nei malati. Ella trovò accoglienza presso le Suore Francescane della
Carità per realizzare la sua vocazione nel quotidiano impegno ospedaliero,
spesso duro e monotono. Autentica infermiera, diventò presto a Mödling
un'istituzione. La sua competenza infermieristica, la sua risolutezza e la sua
cordialità fecero sì che molti la chiamassero suor Resoluta e non suor
Restituta.
Per il suo coraggio e il suo animo deciso essa non
volle tacere neanche di fronte al regime nazionalsocialista. Sfidando i divieti
dell'autorità politica, suor Restituta fece appendere in tutte le stanze
dell'ospedale dei Crocifissi. Il mercoledì delle Ceneri del 1942 venne portata
via dalla Gestapo. In prigione cominciò per lei un "Calvario" che
durò più di un anno, per concludersi alla fine sul patibolo. Le sue ultime
parole a noi trasmesse furono: "Ho vissuto per Cristo, voglio morire per
Cristo!"
Guardando alla Beata suor Restituta, possiamo
intravedere a quali vette di maturità interiore una persona può essere condotta
dalla mano divina. Essa rischiò la vita con la sua testimonianza per il
Crocifisso. E il Crocifisso conservò nel suo cuore testimoniandolo di nuovo
poco prima di essere condotta all'esecuzione capitale, quando chiese al
cappellano carcerario di farle "il segno della croce sulla fronte".
Tante cose possono essere tolte a noi cristiani. Ma la
croce come segno di salvezza non ce la faremo togliere. Non permetteremo che
essa venga esclusa dalla vita pubblica! Ascolteremo la voce della coscienza che
dice: "Bisogna obbedire a Dio piuttosto che agli uomini!" (At 5,29).
8. Cari Fratelli e Sorelle! L'odierna celebrazione
possiede una sua particolare connotazione europea. Accanto all'illustre
Presidente della Repubblica Austriaca, il Signor Thomas Klestil, ci onorano
della loro presenza anche responsabili della vita politica sia dall'interno che
dall'estero. Li saluto cordialmente e, attraverso le loro persone, saluto anche
i popoli che essi rappresentano.
Nella gioia per il dono che oggi ci viene fatto di tre
nuovi Beati, mi rivolgo a tutti i fratelli e sorelle del Popolo di Dio che sono
qui raccolti o sono collegati con noi per radio o televisione. Saluto, in
particolare, il Pastore dell'Arcidiocesi di Vienna, il Signor Cardinale
Christoph Schönborn, e il Presidente della Conferenza Episcopale Austriaca,
Mons. Johann Weber, come pure i Fratelli nell'episcopato che da vicino e da
lontano sono convenuti sulla Heldenplatz. Non posso poi dimenticare i numerosi
sacerdoti e diaconi, i religiosi, le religiose e i collaboratori pastorali nelle
parrocchie e nelle comunità.
Cari giovani! Un saluto particolare rivolgo oggi a
voi. La vostra presenza così numerosa è motivo di grande gioia per me. Molti di
voi sono venuti da lontano, e non soltanto in senso geografico... Ora però
siete qui: il dono della giovinezza che ha davanti a sé la vita! I tre eroi
della Chiesa appena iscritti nell'albo dei Beati vi possono sostenere nel
vostro cammino: il giovane Jakob Kern, che proprio attraverso la sua malattia
conquistò la fiducia dei giovani; Padre Anton Maria Schwartz che seppe toccare
i cuori degli apprendisti; suor Restituta Kafka, pronta a pagare pur di non
venir meno alla propria convinzione.
Essi non furono "cristiani fotocopiati", ma
ognuno fu in se stesso autentico, irripetibile, unico. Hanno cominciato come
voi: da giovani, pieni di ideali, cercando di dare un senso alla loro vita.
Un'altra cosa rende i tre Beati così attraenti: le
loro biografie ci dimostrano che le loro personalità conobbero una maturazione
progressiva. Così anche la vostra vita deve ancora diventare un frutto maturo.
Perciò è importante che voi coltiviate la vita in modo che possa fiorire e
maturare. Alimentatela con la linfa del Vangelo! Offritela a Cristo, a Lui che
è il sole della salvezza! Piantate nella vostra vita la croce di Cristo! E' la
croce il vero albero della vita.
9. Cari Fratelli e Sorelle! "Ma voi chi dite che
io sia?"
Fra poco professeremo la nostra fede. A questa
professione che ci colloca nella comunità degli apostoli e nella tradizione
della Chiesa, così come nella schiera dei Santi e dei Beati, dobbiamo
aggiungere anche la nostra risposta personale. L'incisività sociale del
messaggio dipende anche dalla credibilità dei suoi messaggeri. Infatti, la
nuova evangelizzazione prende l'inizio da noi, dal nostro stile di vita.
La Chiesa di oggi non ha bisogno di cattolici
part-time ma di cristiani a tempo pieno. Tali sono stati i tre nuovi Beati! Da
loro possiamo prendere le misure.
Grazie, Beato Jakob Kern, per la tua fedeltà
sacerdotale!
Grazie, Beato Anton Maria Schwartz, per il tuo impegno
per gli operai!
Grazie, suor Restituta Kafka, per la tua resistenza
alla moda del momento!
Voi tutti Santi e Beati, pregate per noi. Amen.
© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
