As the world and the Church look back on the twenty years of the Papacy of Pope John Paul II, one of the striking statistics is the number of men and women from every part of the world whom he has beatified or canonized. There is no Holy Father in the history of the Church who has raised more people to the honors of the altar than this present pope.

Last Sunday, Pope John Paul canonized Edith Stein, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, the heroic Carmelite nun and convert from Judaism. This brilliant woman, a martyr of the terrible holocaust, suffered both because of her people and her faith. In the story of her life and journey, we all may find an example of God's faithfulness and love.

Today, however, I would like to talk about another holy person whose beatification earlier this month caused some controversy in certain parts of the media. Blessed Aloysius Stepinac, the heroic Archbishop of Zagreb during both the fascist and communist days of harsh control over the people of his land, died as a martyr, "having endured in his own body and his own spirit the atrocities of the communist system" in the words of Pope John Paul.

When Croatia became independent in 1941, as a result of the Nazi destruction of Yugoslavia, he rejoiced at this opportunity for the freedom of his country. Within less than a year, however, as he saw that the new government was just as hostile to human rights, he raised his voice clearly and valiantly against this new form of totalitarianism. He saved the lives of hundreds of Jews and other non-Catholics through his courage and his strong leadership.

Indeed, at the time of his show-trial by the communists who took over after the war, members of the United States Jewish community wrote, "This great man has been accused of being a collaborator of the Nazis. We Jews deny this. Stepinac was one of the few men in Europe who raised his voice against the Nazi tyranny, precisely at the time when it was most dangerous to do so."

Should he have seen at once that the new government was flawed? Holiness does not give a person infallibility and even saints can make bad judgements. What is clear in the life of Stepinac is that as soon as he realized the truth, he fearlessly fought for it even against those who had brought independence to his native land. As a young man, I remember the stirring witness of this great Churchman and I rejoice that he has been recognized as a Blessed Martyr of our times.

Men and woman are raised to the honors of the altar not so much by human decisions. Authentic miracles do not come from our willing them, but from God granting them. We wait with longing and anticipation for the miracles which will allow the Church to beatify many great and holy people. Cardinal John Henry Newman is an example. But God gives us saints according to His own schedule to serve as special examples for a particular time in history. Holiness and timeliness are both essential elements and all the preparatory work of many Church commissions must wait until the Providence of God makes the final decision through His almighty power.

This month God gave us two examples for our imitation. Thinking of them and thinking of you, I pray that each of us may come with faith to follow their paths to holiness.

"Thinking of You" 1998 article index