Blessed Emilian Kovch

Priest and Martyr

Emilian Kovch, was born in The Ukraine on August 20, 1894, in Kosmach near Kosiv. His, was a family that had produced several priests. His father, was Father Gregory Kowcz, a Greek Catholic parish priest. Blessed Emilian completed school in Lviv, and then from 1905 to 1911, he studied theology in Rome. In 1911 he married Maria-Anna Dobrzynska, and the next year he was ordained a priest.

There was a war between Poland and the Ukraine, which was a multi-sided war that saw seven different nations take the battlefield. In this war, Father Emilian served as a military chaplain from 1919-1921. He had said at the time, “I know that the soldier on the front line feels better when he sees the doctor and the priest also there . . You know, lads, that I am consecrated, and a bullet doesn't take a consecrated man easily.” He was captured, held prisoner briefly, and then released and appointed parish priest at Peremyslany, a small town 30 miles from Lviv.

His activity then was devoted to parish life. He cared for the spiritual, material and physical needs of his parishioners. He organized Eucharistic congresses, bought shoes and books for poor children, supported local cooperative movements and the Ukrainian independence movement. This brought him attention from the local Polish administration, who searched his house over 40 times. He was fined and imprisoned in a monastery. He and his wife had six children of their own, and many times gave shelter to orphans as well.

Father Emilian's support of independence for Ukraine did not mean that he had animosity towards the Polish people. After the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact of 1939, and Stalin's invasion of the west Ukraine and eastern Poland, he severely scolded some of his parishioners for looting Polish homes, and he prevented further thefts. He said to them, “I thought that I had taught you to be good parishioners..now I am ashamed of you before God.”

Father Emilian organized help for Polish widows and orphans. In the first two years of Soviet occupation, the secret police murdered or deported over 300,000 persons from west Ukraine. In 1941 mass arrests were carried out in Peremyslany, including Father Emilian and two of his daughter's. Miraculously, they escaped just as the Nazi invaders reached their town, but, as Father Emilian Kowcz celebrated his first Mass back in his parish, the news arrived that all of the other prisoners had been killed by the retreating communists.

Many of the Ukrainian people hoped that Hitler would liberate them from the Bolshevik oppressors, and grant them some measure of independence, but, those hopes were short lived. Father Emilian urged the young people to not become involved in criminal deeds and to resist the urging of anti-semitism by the Nazi's and their newly formed police force under Nazi control.

Father Emilian never ceased to condemn publicly the deeds of the Nazi Fascist regime, which treated the Slavs as sub-human and began deporting them to German factories and labor camps.

The treatment of the Jews became a very serious matter. A detachment of the SS drove some Jews into a local Synagogue, and began throwing firebombs inside with the intention of burning them alive. Somehow made aware by some Jews of what was taking place, Father Emilian, along with some of his parishioners, rushed to the Synagogue, and blocked the doors preventing the Nazi's from throwing more firebombs inside. Fluent in German, Father Emilian shouted at the Nazi's to go away, and by another miracle, they did. Father Emilian and the parishioners then went into the already burning building, and saved as many as possible.

The Jews were the majority of the population of Peremyslany, and any attempt to save Jewish lives en masse from the Nazi's was impossible. Some of the Jewish population came to Father Emilian asking for baptism, in the hope that would save them from Nazi extermination, and he catechised and baptised them, at first individually. As the Nazi persecution became more intense, a group representing 1,000 Jews came to Father Emilian asking for baptism. Father Emilian then consulted Archbishop Andrei Sheptytsky (who was sheltering over 1,000 Jews himself) as to what action to take. As time was getting short, on his return, Father Emilian then administered a short catechesis and mass baptism.

This was entirely against Nazi law, but, Father Emilian ignored their warnings, and further, after the closing of the ghetto, he applied to the Nazi's for permission to enter the ghetto to baptise any who desired it. The records indicate that the newly baptised Jews formed their own Christian community even within the ghetto. Father Emilian even wrote a letter to Adolph Hitler denouncing the Nazi crimes!

The Nazi's could not allow such activity to go unpunished, and so in December 1942, Father Emilian Kowcz was arrested, imprisoned, and interrogated by the Gestapo. During interrogation, Father Emilian admitted to baptising Jews, and refused to sign a document saying he would not do so in the future, even if it was contrary to Nazi law. The record of this interrogation still exists and says in part:

Officer: "Did you know that it is prohibited to baptize Jews?"

Fr. Kovch: "I didn't know anything."

Officer: "Do you now know it?"

Fr. Kovch: "Yes."

Officer: "Will you continue to do it?"

Fr. Kovch: "Of course."

Unable to get compliance from Father Emilian, the Gestapo sent him to Majdanek concentration camp in Lublin. There, Blessed Father Emilian Kowcz brought comfort to his fellow prisoners, no matter what their race, no matter what their faith. He saw his situation as a mission and a Gift from God, as well as a responsibility to be fulfilled. He would celebrate the Liturgy in a corner of the barracks. When his daughters and other family members attempted to secure his release he wrote these words to them:

“I thank God for His goodness to me. Apart from heaven, this is the one place where I wish to remain. Here we are all equal: Poles, Jews, Ukrainians, Russians, Latvians and Estonians. Of all these here I am the only priest. I cannot even imagine how it would be here without me. Here I see God, who is the same for us all, regardless of our religious distinctions. Perhaps our churches are different, but the same great and Almighty God rules over us all. When I celebrate the Divine Liturgy, they all join in prayer. . .

They die in different ways, and I help them to cross over this little bridge into eternity. Is this not a blessing? Isn't this the greatest crown which God could have placed upon my head? It is indeed. I thank God a thousand times a day for sending me here. I do not ask him for anything else. Do not worry, and do not lose faith at what I share. Instead, rejoice with me.

Pray for those who created this concentration camp and this system. They are the only ones who need prayers . . May God have mercy upon them.”

Father Emilian's health began to deteriorate and after Christmas 1943, he became seriously ill from stomach problems he couldn't hide. He was sent to the camp “hospital” where it was well known by his fellow prisoners that healing treatment was extremely rare, and that the Nazi “doctors” helped speed death along by injection or starvation. Father Emilian was last seen by his fellow prisoners in the spring, but, afterwards, they did not know what became of him. It was not until 1972 that his daughters managed to obtain his death certificate, where the records indicate that he died of infection and inflammation to his right leg that blocked circulation. Some records also indicate that he was gassed and burned in the ovens of the Majdanek concentration camp. Father Emilian Kowcz died on March 25, 1944.

On the night before his death, he wrote the following to his family:

“I understand that you are trying to get me released. But I beg you not to do this. Yesterday they killed fifty people. If I am not here, who will help them to get through these sufferings? They would go on their way to eternity with all their sins and in the depths of unbelief, which would take them to hell. But now they go to death with their heads held aloft, leaving all their sins behind them. And so they pass over to the eternal city.”

Blessed Father Emilian Kovch through his example of faith and courage, showed all what Love of Christ, Faith in Christ, and Hope in Christ is, and how that love, faith, and hope is to all people, no matter who they are, or what their station in life.

On September 9, 1999, Blessed Emilian Kovch was recognized as a Righteous Ukrainian by the Jewish Council of Ukraine. 

Copyright © 2006 Steve Smith. All rights reserved.

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Saint Jane Frances de Chantal

Jane Frances Fremyot was born to a noble family in the year 1572. Unfortunately for the infant Jane her mother died very young and so it was left to her father, Benigne to raise her alongside her other siblings. Though, Jane's mother died so tragically her Father raised all his children with a devout love for their Faith, and so he instructed his children diligently with sound Church Teachings from a very young age.

Jane lived a typical life for a lady of her peerage and soon caught the eye of many notable young men of the region, but a marriage for Jane was arranged by her father to the very suitable Baron Christopher de Chantal in 1592.

Being that her husband worked at the royal court this left Jane to raise their children and to also care for their estate, which she did with great common sense. But Jane did not spend her time in managing her home or socialising she also encouraged all her servants to attend daily Mass alongside her and also undertook to help the poor in her region. She also instructed her cook to serve anyone who came to her door looking for food and that none must be turned away for as she said, "Who was she to turn away God's creatures?"

But tragedy intervened when Jane's husband Christopher was killed during a shooting accident, which left Jane alone to bring up her children and care for their estate on her own. The sorrow of losing her husband was a defining moment for Jane as lost in her grief she would walk for miles and would also go riding to try and escape her sense of deep grief. There seemed nothing anyone could do to help her during this difficult time as Jane mourned her beloved husband.

So God instead took direct action in the life of this faithful woman when He allowed her to receive a vision and in this vision she saw a Priest and then Jane heard these words, "This is the man beloved of God and among men into whose hands you are to commit your conscience." Jane was at first perplexed at such a statement and a little in awe that something like this could happen to one as humble as herself.

But upon hearing these words Jane decided to take a vow of chastity for the remainder of her life. And as she searched for new meaning in her life and a new direction Jane also read books on the spiritual life to help guide her in the direction upon which God wished for her to take.

Jane would also find herself not free from personal trouble as her grieving Father in Law demanded that she and her children come to live with him as he threatened to disinherit her and her children if Jane disobeyed him! For the death of his beloved son had left her father in law feeling embittered and angry at just about everyone! Jane did not wish to harm her children’s inheritance so she did as her father in law had bid and left to live in his home at his estate in Monthelon. But life was not the same for Jane and she could not recapture the domestic bliss she had once enjoyed with her beloved husband. Things were not made easier by having to endure the envy of the housekeeper and the enmity of her father in law, but through all this Jane looked towards God and grew strong in her Faith.

But Jane was steely in matters of Faith and so continued to go to daily Mass and practice the corporal works of mercy to the needy. She also taught her children and also the members of staff who had children the Faith, which had given her such strength to endure the unendurable. And her compassion for the poor and sick also reached out to the lepers who she allowed to attend Mass though at a distance, for Jane recognise that all were in need of God's assistance most especially the despised in society.

This love that Jane had for the poor was inherent in her very being, she did not give to the poor from feelings of sentimentality but because she recognised Jesus in the suffering. Even though Jane had been raised in fine conditions and had a retinue to maids and cooks to look after her, still Jane’s heart was with the poor to help them in a practical sense.

But it would be in 1604 that Jane's life would change forever never to be the same, as she was encouraged by her father in law to hear a Priest deliver the Lenten sermons in the Dijon region. The sermons were given by the Bishop of Annecy, namely Bishop Francis de Sales. For when the young Bishop stepped out it was here that Jane recognised the Priest she had seen in her vision, she was awestruck! And it was here that a life long spiritual friendship would be forged between two souls who were in love with God. Bishop Francis then became Jane de Chantal’s spiritual director, what a privilege and an honour as both of these great Saints lived to fulfil God's Will in their lives. As Francis de Sales wrote to Jane about their friendship, "I think that God gave me to you; every hour makes me more sure of it; that is all I can say. Commend me to your guardian angel." And so began this Holy friendship between two God fearing souls.

It was also during this time that Jane felt a strong call to live a Religious life and she shared this ideal with Francis who commended her on her vocation but also cautioned to be patient as her children still needed her attention at home. But the calling that Jane felt never left her so she prayed to God so that she would always do His Will and not her own and also under guidance from Bishop Francis, Jane waited patiently.

So it was in 1607 that Jane told her family of her decision to enter the Religious life, while her family objected strongly Jane under the guidance of her friend and spiritual director Bishop Francis held firm, though it was difficult for her to endure. But Francis also explained to Jane's family that the Order she would join would not be cloistered but would work amongst the poor and sick. But it was in 1610 that Jane along with several other women began to live the spirituality of her and Bishop Francis Order of the Visitation of Our Lady, which would become known as the Salesians in time.

The friendship that was founded between Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal lasted for the rest of his life and Jane was deeply saddened at the death of her saintly friend, more sorrow was to follow with the death of her daughter and grandchild as well as her brother. During these difficulties Jane met with another holy man of God by the name of Vincent de Paul, they too forged a lasting friendship, as Jane continued to live out the spirituality of the Salesians.

Jane under the direction of Vincent de Paul lived as a Religious with other lay women of her time, but in time the Visitation Order would become more contemplative while still providing for poor women and the education of the poverty stricken.

The Order began by Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Jane de Chantal is still thriving to this day.

Jane de Chantal died in 1641.

Saint Jane de Chantal was Canonized in 1767 by Pope Clement XIII.

Some Quotes

"Hold your eyes on God and leave the doing to him. That is all the doing you have to worry about."

"We should go to prayer with deep humility and an awareness of our nothingness. We must invoke the help of the Holy Spirit and that of our good angel, and then remain still in God's presence, full of faith that he is more in us than we are in ourselves."

"There is no danger if our prayer is without words or reflection because the good success of prayer depended neither on words nor on study. It depends upon the simple raising of our minds to God, and the more simple and stripped of feeling it is, the surer it is."

"We must never dwell on our sins during prayer. Regarding our offences, a simple humbling of our soul before God, without a thought of this offence or that, is enough...such thoughts act as distractions."

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

The Conversion of Saint Paul

The Golden Legend

The Conversion of Saint Paul

Of the Conversion of Saint Paul and of the name of conversion.

Conversion is said of convertor, I am turned, or is as much as together turned from sins and evils. He is not converted that shriveth him to the priest of one sin and hideth another. It is said conversion, for Saint Paul this day was converted to the faith leaving his vices. Why he is said Paul, it shall be said afterward.

Of the Conversion of Saint Paul.

The conversion of Saint Paul was made the same year that Christ suffered his passion, and Saint Stephen was stoned also, not in the year natural, but appearing. For our Lord suffered death the eighth calends of April, and Saint Stephen suffered death the same year, the third day of August and was stoned. And Saint Paul was converted the eighth calends of February. And three reasons been assigned wherefore the conversion of Saint Paul is hallowed more than of other saints.

First for the ensample, because that no sinner, whatsomever he be, should despair of pardon when he seeth him that was in so great sin to be in so great joy. Secondly for the joy, for like as the church had great sorrow in this persecution, so had she great joy in his conversion. Thirdly, for the miracle that our Lord showed when of one so cruel a persecutor was made so true a preacher. The conversion of him was marvellous by reason of him that made him, and of him that ordained him, and of the patient that suffered it. By reason of him that made him to be converted, that was Jesu Christ, which showed there his marvellous puissance in that he said: It is hard for thee to strive against the alle or pricks; and in that he changed him so suddenly, for anon as he was changed he said: Lord what wilt thou that I do? Upon this word saith Saint Austin: The lambs slain of the wolves have made of a wolf a lamb, for he was ready for to obey, that tofore was wood for to persecute. Secondly, he showed his marvellous wisdom. His marvellous wisdom was in that he took from him the swelling of pride in offering to him the inward things of humility and not the height of majesty. For he said I am Jesus of Nazareth, and he called not himself God ne the son of God, but he said to him, take thine infirmities of humanity and cast away the squames of pride. Thirdly, he showed his pitiful debonairty and mercy, which is signified in that that he that was in deed and in will to persecute, he converted, how be it he had evil will, as he that desired all the menaces and threatenings, and had evil purpose; as he that went to the prince of priests; as he that had a joy in his evil works that he led the christian men bound to Jerusalem. And therefore his journey and voyage was right evil, and yet nevertheless by the mercy of God was he converted. Secondly the conversion was marvellous of him that ordained it, that is of the light that he ordained in his conversion. And it is said that this light was dispositive, sudden, and celestial, and this light of heaven advironed him suddenly. Paul had in him these vices. The first was hardiness, which is noted when it is said that he went to the prince of the priests, and as the gloss saith, not called, but by his own will and envy that enticed him. The second was pride, and that is signified by that he desired and sighed the menaces and threatenings. The third was the intent carnal, and the understanding that he had in the law, whereof the gloss saith upon that word: I am Jesus, etc. I God of heaven speak, the which thou supposest to be dead by the consent of the Jews. And this light divine was sudden, it was great, and out of measure, for to throw down him that was high and proud, into the ditch or pit of humanity; it was celestial, because it turned and changed his fleshly understanding into celestial, or it may be said that this ordinance or disposition was in three things; that is to wit in the voice crying, in the light shining, and in the virtue of puissance. Thirdly, it was marvellous by the virtue of the suffering of the patient, that is of Paul in whom the conversion was made. For these three things were made in him withoutforth marvellously, that it is to wit, that he was beaten to the earth, he was blind and fasted three days, and was smitten down to the ground for to be raised. And Saint Austin saith that he was smitten down for to be blind, for to be changed, and for to be sent; he was sent to suffer death for truth. And yet saith Saint Austin, he that was out of the faith was hurt for to be made believe, the persecutor was hurt for to be made a preacher, the son of perdition was hurt for to be made the vessel of election, and was made blind for to be illumined, and this was as touching his dark understanding.

Then in the three days that he abode thus blind, he was learned and informed in the gospel, for he learned it never of man ne by man, as he himself witnesseth, but by the revelation of Jesu Christ. And Saint Austin saith thus: I say that Saint Paul was the very champion of Jesu Christ, taught of him, redressed of him, crucified with him, and glorious in him. He was made lean in his flesh that his flesh should be disposed to the effect of good operation, and from forthon his body was established and disposed to all good. He could well suffer hunger and abundance, and was informed and instructed in all things, and all adversities he gladly suffered. Chrysostom saith: He overcame tormentors, tyrants, and people full of woodness, like as flies; and the death, the torments and all the pains that might be done to him, he counted them but as the play of children. All them he embraced with a good will, and he was ennobled in himself to be bound in a strong chain more than to be crowned with a crown, and received more gladly strokes and wounds than other gifts. And it is read that in him were three things against the three that were in our foremost father Adam, for Adam erected and addressed him against God our Lord. and in Saint Paul was contrary for he was thrown down to the earth. In Adam was the opening of his eyes, and Paul was on the contrary made blind, and Adam ate of the fruit defended, and Saint Paul contrary was abstinent of convenable meat.

Acts 9:1-22

In those days: Saul as yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, that if he found any men and women of this way, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. And as he went on his journey, it came to pass that he drew nigh to Damascus; and suddenly a light from heaven shined round about him. And falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? Who said: Who art Thou, Lord? And He said: I am Jesus Whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the goad. And he trembling and astonished, said: Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? And the Lord said to him: Arise, and go into the city, and there it shall be told thee what thou must do. Now the men who went in company with him stood amazed, hearing indeed a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. But they leading him by the hands, brought him to Damascus. And he was there three days without sight, and he did neither eat nor drink. Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision: Ananias. And he said: Behold I am here, Lord. And the Lord said to him: Arise, and go into the street that is called Strait, and seek in the house of Judas, one named Saul of Tarsus. For behold he prayeth. (And he saw a man named Ananias, coming in and putting his hands upon him, that he might receive his sight.) But Ananias answered: Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to Thy saints in Jerusalem. And here he hath authority from the chief priests, to bind all that invoke Thy name. And the Lord said to him: Go thy way, for this man is to Me a vessel of election, to carry My name before the gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name's sake. And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house, and laying his hands upon him, he said: Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus hath sent me, He that appeared to thee in the way as thou camest, that thou mayst receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight and rising up he was baptized. And when he had taken meat he was strengthened. And he was with the disciples that were at Damascus for some days. And immediately he preached Jesus in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. And all that heard him were astonished, and said: Is not this he who persecuted in Jerusalem those that called upon this name; and came hither for that intent, that he might carry them bound to the chief priests? But Saul increased much more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, affirming that this is the Christ.

Copyright © 2006 Steve Smith. All rights reserved.

Saint Paul the Apostle