Saint of the Month - March 2012: Blessed Maria Restituta Kafka

Bl. Maria Restituta Kafka

A Courageous Witness of Faith

Memorial: March 30th

The events of World War II and the atrocities committed by Hitler’s Third Reich are a terrible darkness for our period of modern history. But shining brightly in the midst of all the smoke, chaos, and destruction were many souls of exceptional virtue, whose valiant examples of faith could not be extinguished by the evil around them… and, who through the generous sacrifice of their own blood, gave powerful testimony to the light of Christ and the truth of the Gospel message. One such soul was Bl. Maria Restituta Kafka, a nun whose smile and spirit of joy were easily contagious.

Originally named Helene Kafka, she was the daughter of a humble shoemaker from Brno, Czech Republic; she was born on May 1, 1894. Prior to entering into religious life Helene trained and worked as a nurse, which prepared her for when she joined the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity in 1914. She received the religious name of “Sr. Maria Restituta”, or simply Sr. Restituta, partly after an early Church martyr.

The Joy of God's Love!

The first 25 years of Sr. Restituta’s religious life were fairly uneventful with nothing by way of the extraordinary to report… she diligently fulfilled her duties as a highly skilled nursing sister in a hospital in Vienna, Austria, and earned a reputation for being charitable towards the poor, full of laughter, and very down-to-earth. According to an account, her usual way of winding down after a long day’s work was to head to her favorite tavern where she always ordered a serving of stroganoff, followed by a tall mug of beer to wash it all down! When the Nazis took control of Austria in April 1938, rather than keeping silent, Sr. Restituta became a vocal opponent of their regime, even going so far as to publicly call Adolf Hitler a “mad man”.

After a new wing was added in the Viennese hospital where she worked, Sr. Restituta hung crucifixes in every room, which drew the unwanted attention of the Nazis. The Nazis, who frowned on any exterior expressions of faith, ordered the immediate removal of the crucifixes, but Sr. Restituta firmly refused to comply with their demand. Being a woman of faith, she believed that an important part of healing the body was to treat the soul, as well, and she wasn’t about to deprive her patients of the hope they received from the visible symbol of salvation. Consequently, she was taken into custody by the Gestapo in 1942 and eventually sentenced to death for, “…aiding and abetting the enemy in the betrayal of the fatherland and for plotting high treason.”

While awaiting the fulfillment of her sentence, Sr. Restituta continued to practice charity by caring for sick prisoners and spiritually preparing those who were facing a similar fate as herself. Her exemplary conduct impressed many people, including those who had influence with the Nazis… Sr. Restituta was offered the opportunity to save herself if only she would renounce her religious vocation, but yet again, she firmly refused to comply with the Gestapo’s demands.

On October 28th, 1942, Sr. Restituta was guillotined, thus earning for herself the illustrious Martyr’s Crown. The Nazis hurriedly dumped her remains in a mass grave hoping to stifle any hopes of having her honored as a Martyr, but the Lord willed otherwise. Sr. Resituta’s faith and courage were not forgotten by her people, but rather her memory and courageous example continued to be revered in Austria. The Church officially recognized her Martyrdom by Beatifying her in June 1998.

A Reflection

“I have lived for Christ; I want to die for Christ”.  ~ The last words of Bl. Maria Restituta Kafka

A Short Prayer

Lord, in the face of growing Christian persecution, grant us the same Faith and Courage that you instilled in Bl. Maria Restituta.  Amen.