BL. STEFAN GRELEWSKI, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 9 MAY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY

Saints celebrated on the 9th of May

Prayer to the Angels and the Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.

BL. STEFAN GRELEWSKI, PRIEST AND MARTYR

⬅️ 108 Martyrs of World War II

As a priest of the diocese of Radom, Poland, Father Stefan Grelewski did not let his chronic poor health deter him from undertaking a wide range of apostolic labours, particularly devoting himself to the spiritual needs of young people and the relief of the poor.

APOSTOLIC LABOURS

He was also zealous to promulgate the faith by means of the written word, founding and editing a monthly journal, ‘Prawda Katolicka’ (Catholic Truth), and authoring many publications that addressed religious and social issues.

His acute and sensitive understanding of people helped him to lead souls to God.

"CATHOLIC TRUTH"

In the autumn of 1939, the Nazis invaded Poland, and began a persecution of Poland’s Catholics. On January 24, 1941, Father Grelewski was arrested together with his younger brother, (Blessed) Kazimierz Grelewski, who was also a priest.

THEY ADMINISTERED THE SACRAMENTS TO EACH OTHER

They were sent first to the concentration camp of Oswiecim, Poland, and then to the German death camp of Dachau. The two brothers prayed together and prepared for death by administering the sacraments to each other. Father Stefan Grelewski died on May 9, 1941, from torture he had suffered while being interrogated.

“The lowly will rejoice in the Lord even more and the poorest exult in the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 29:19)