Blessed Clemens August Cardinal von Galen /1878–1946/ was one of the most prominent opponents of Hitler's regime. In January 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed Reich Chancellor, and in October, Clemens became bishop in Münster, choosing the motto "Nec laudibus nec timore" – that is, "neither by praise nor by fear" shall I be shaken, separated from God. In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI declared him blessed, and we commemorate his memory on the day of his death, March 22.
“For us Christians, there remains only one way to fight: to bravely, actively, and unwaveringly resist! … We must be strong, we must not give in! At this moment, we are the anvil, not the hammer. … Go to the blacksmith and ask him to explain to you how it is: What is shaped on the anvil gains its form not only from the hammer but also from the anvil. The anvil cannot and should not return blows – it must only remain in its place and be firm. If it is strong and hard enough, the anvil will ultimately outlast the hammer. No matter how hard the hammer strikes, the anvil remains in place and does not budge. It will serve for a long time to give shape to what is crafted upon it.”
Blessed Clemens August, pray for us!
(Clemens August Cardinal von Galen /1878–1946/, sermon from July 20, 1941)
