Martyr (1910-1945)
His life
+ Josef was born to a pious farm family in Bolzano, Italy.
+ As a young man, he was devoted to Saint Vincent de Paul and Blessed Frederic Ozanam and, inspired by their example, he became a member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in 1932. In 1937, he became presider of the Society’s Bozano division.
+ Beyond his direct care for the poor, Josef became a vocal advocate for them and was a member of Catholic Action.
+ Josef joined an anti-Nazi group—the Andreas Hofer Bund—in 1939.
+ He married Hildegard Straub on May 26, 1942; the couple welcomed a son, Alberto, in 1943.
+ In 1944, Josef was drafted into the German army. On October 4, he announced that his faith prevented him from taking the oath of loyalty and obedience to Hitler.
+ Josef was imprisoned for his opposition and beliefs and was sentenced to be executed in the Dachau concentration camp; he died of dysentery on a train on route to the concentration camp on February 24, 1945.
+ Blessed Josef Mayr-Nusser was beatified in 2017.
For prayer and reflection
“Today we must show the masses that the one leader who alone has the right to complete unlimited authority as our guide is Christ.”—Blessed Josef Mayr-Nusser
Spiritual bonus
On this day we also remember Blessed Marco De’Marconi. A religious brother in the now-extinct Order of Hermits of St. Jerome, he was known for intense dedication to prayer. He died at the age of thirty in 1510. Devotion to Blessed Marco was confirmed by Pope Saint Pius X in 1906.
Prayer
Almighty and merciful God, who brought your Martyr blessed Josef to overcome the torments of his passion, grant that we, who celebrate the day of his triumph, may remain invincible under your protection against the snares of the enemy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(from The Roman Missal: Common of Martyrs)
Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.
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