Karl Barth
Karl Barth (1886-1968) was one of the best know Protestant theologians during World War II. He was ordained a minster of the Swiss Reformed Church in 1909. From 1911 to 1921, Barth was a pastor in Safenwil near Zurich. At that time, he was devoted to the liberal theology of his day, based on the optimistic belief in the crucial association between God and humanity. Barth preached a theology of God's word in Jesus Christ as declared by Saint Paul.
In World War II, Barth became a pastor in Safenwil. He wrote the first version of his commentary The Apostle Paul's Epistle to the Romans. In 1935 Karl Barth lost his position as professor in Bonn and was forced to leave Germany. This happened because he refuse to swear a pledge to Hitler. Then he became professor at the University of Basel.
Karl Barth (1886-1968) was one of the best know Protestant theologians during World War II. He was ordained a minster of the Swiss Reformed Church in 1909. From 1911 to 1921, Barth was a pastor in Safenwil near Zurich. At that time, he was devoted to the liberal theology of his day, based on the optimistic belief in the crucial association between God and humanity. Barth preached a theology of God's word in Jesus Christ as declared by Saint Paul.
In World War II, Barth became a pastor in Safenwil. He wrote the first version of his commentary The Apostle Paul's Epistle to the Romans. In 1935 Karl Barth lost his position as professor in Bonn and was forced to leave Germany. This happened because he refuse to swear a pledge to Hitler. Then he became professor at the University of Basel.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born on February 4, 1906. He was a teenager when he decided to be a pastor and theologian. In 1927 he graduated from the University of Berlin at the age of 21. He wrote many reports on how Christians should participate in politics. As Hitler was rising into power, Bonhoeffer went to the US where he was amazed by the faith that was shown in the churches. He went back to Germany in 1931; he saw how the people’s faith was getting low and all of their devotion was going to Hitler and the Nazi party. Bonhoeffer was the first to broadcast against Hitler. He believed that Hitler would bring hardship instead of peace.
He left for the US once more, but went back to see if his church had been shut down. He soon joined a group that would come up with ways to get rid of Hitler. He did not regret what he had done. Bonhoeffer was arrested on April 5, 1943. He would still spread the word of God in prison. On April 9, 1945 he was hanged in a concentration camp,.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born on February 4, 1906. He was a teenager when he decided to be a pastor and theologian. In 1927 he graduated from the University of Berlin at the age of 21. He wrote many reports on how Christians should participate in politics. As Hitler was rising into power, Bonhoeffer went to the US where he was amazed by the faith that was shown in the churches. He went back to Germany in 1931; he saw how the people’s faith was getting low and all of their devotion was going to Hitler and the Nazi party. Bonhoeffer was the first to broadcast against Hitler. He believed that Hitler would bring hardship instead of peace.
He left for the US once more, but went back to see if his church had been shut down. He soon joined a group that would come up with ways to get rid of Hitler. He did not regret what he had done. Bonhoeffer was arrested on April 5, 1943. He would still spread the word of God in prison. On April 9, 1945 he was hanged in a concentration camp,.
Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII was born as Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli in 1881. He was the pope for only five years, 1958 - 1963, but everyone called him ‘Good Pope John.’ He was a parish priest and seminary professor from 1904 to 1925 in Bergamo, Italy, and he was appointed archbishop and papal nuncio to Bulgaria, and he later served as apostolic delegate to Turkey by Pope Pius XI in 1922- 1939. Roncalli was made primate of Venice and a cardinal in 1953. While he was nuncio, he distributed documents for Jewish refugees that wanted to enter Palestine. Roncalli negotiated with the Queen of Bulgaria, seeking for her help to protect the Jews.
He said,“This is the Mystical Body of Christ” once he saw a newsreel of the death in Bergen- Belson. He granted some 120 private audiences to Jewish individuals and groups who were connected with the dignities of a state visit. All through the year 1959, Pope John XXIII protected the Jews and turned some of their enemies away. He was given a Torah scroll to show gratitude for the Jewish lives he had saved during the Holocaust and he replied,"We are all sons of the same heavenly Father. Among us there must ever be the brightness of love and its practice.
Pope John XXIII was born as Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli in 1881. He was the pope for only five years, 1958 - 1963, but everyone called him ‘Good Pope John.’ He was a parish priest and seminary professor from 1904 to 1925 in Bergamo, Italy, and he was appointed archbishop and papal nuncio to Bulgaria, and he later served as apostolic delegate to Turkey by Pope Pius XI in 1922- 1939. Roncalli was made primate of Venice and a cardinal in 1953. While he was nuncio, he distributed documents for Jewish refugees that wanted to enter Palestine. Roncalli negotiated with the Queen of Bulgaria, seeking for her help to protect the Jews.
He said,“This is the Mystical Body of Christ” once he saw a newsreel of the death in Bergen- Belson. He granted some 120 private audiences to Jewish individuals and groups who were connected with the dignities of a state visit. All through the year 1959, Pope John XXIII protected the Jews and turned some of their enemies away. He was given a Torah scroll to show gratitude for the Jewish lives he had saved during the Holocaust and he replied,"We are all sons of the same heavenly Father. Among us there must ever be the brightness of love and its practice.
Maximillian Kolbe
In 1941, a Polish priest named Maximillian Kolbe was arrested by the German police. Maxillian was sent to Auschwitz, a prisoner camp. In July, 1941, three prisoners disappeared from the camp and as a rule, ten men from the group were chosen to be killed. The men were selected to die, but one was crying for his wife and children. Maximillian offered to take his place so the man could stay with his wife and kids.
The ten men were sent to an underground bunker to be starved. Every day St. Maximillian offered Mass and heard confessions. After two weeks, St. Maximillian and three others were still alive and Maximillian was the only one in stable condition. In order to clear the bunker, they injected Maximillian and the others with carbolic acid. He was cremated on August 15, which is his feast day.
In 1941, a Polish priest named Maximillian Kolbe was arrested by the German police. Maxillian was sent to Auschwitz, a prisoner camp. In July, 1941, three prisoners disappeared from the camp and as a rule, ten men from the group were chosen to be killed. The men were selected to die, but one was crying for his wife and children. Maximillian offered to take his place so the man could stay with his wife and kids.
The ten men were sent to an underground bunker to be starved. Every day St. Maximillian offered Mass and heard confessions. After two weeks, St. Maximillian and three others were still alive and Maximillian was the only one in stable condition. In order to clear the bunker, they injected Maximillian and the others with carbolic acid. He was cremated on August 15, which is his feast day.
Joszef Mindszenty
Joszef Mindszenty, original name, Joszef Pehm (March 29, 1892 to May 6, 1975), was a Roman Catholic clergyman who was uncompromising opponent of communism and fascism in Hungary for more than five decade in the twentieth century. He was politically active from the time of his ordination as a priest in 1915. He was arrested twice as an enemy of totalitarian government in 1919 and 1944, the year in which he was consecrated as a Bishop of Veszprem. In 1945, he was appointed prince-primate of Hungary and archbishop of Veszprem.
In 1946, he was made a Cardinal. His refusal to allow the Roman Catholic schools of Hungary to be secularized prompted the communist government to arrest him in 1948 and convict him in 1949 of treason. Sentenced to life imprisonment, he was set free in the uprising of 1956.
Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein was birth name) was a brilliant philosopher, but she stopped believing in God at the age of fourteen. She was born a Jew, but left when she was fourteen. When she was older, she read Saint Teresa Avila’s autobiography. It inspired her so much that she got baptized and joined the Catholic Church. She had a job at a college as a philosophy professor, but she left it to become a nun. She modeled Saint Teresa Avila by becoming a Carmelite.
She chose the name Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. She lived there for two years, until the Nazis occupied the Netherlands. In revenge to the Dutch bishops for condemning the Nazi party, they imprisoned all Jews and all Jews that converted to Catholicism. Saint Teresa was one of these people. Also imprisoned was her sister, Rosa, who was a convert also. They were taken to Auschwitz. On August 9, 1942, they both died together in a gas chamber. Teresa was canonized on October 11, 1998 by Pope John Paul II.
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein was birth name) was a brilliant philosopher, but she stopped believing in God at the age of fourteen. She was born a Jew, but left when she was fourteen. When she was older, she read Saint Teresa Avila’s autobiography. It inspired her so much that she got baptized and joined the Catholic Church. She had a job at a college as a philosophy professor, but she left it to become a nun. She modeled Saint Teresa Avila by becoming a Carmelite.
She chose the name Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. She lived there for two years, until the Nazis occupied the Netherlands. In revenge to the Dutch bishops for condemning the Nazi party, they imprisoned all Jews and all Jews that converted to Catholicism. Saint Teresa was one of these people. Also imprisoned was her sister, Rosa, who was a convert also. They were taken to Auschwitz. On August 9, 1942, they both died together in a gas chamber. Teresa was canonized on October 11, 1998 by Pope John Paul II.