Titus Brandsma maintained frequent contact with his younger brother Henry, who was one year younger. In their childhood, they both studied at a small Franciscan seminary in Megen. After graduating, Titus went to the Carmel, while Henry remained faithful to the Franciscans. Henry later recalled that no one wrote letters with a more vivid interest in each other's everyday lives than Titus. Here we present the full text of Titus's last private letter, written while he was still free, less than three weeks before his arrest and imprisonment.
Nijmegen, December 31, 1941
Dear Henry,
I extend my warmest wishes for the New Year. May God bless you, your work in Drachten, and especially the sisters. Let us remain united in the communion of saints. May our Lord grant you the joy of God's children. I am very sorry to hear that you are troubled by nerves again, as you write. Live peacefully, fully trust in the Lord and His grace. Whatever happens, He is always and everywhere with us. Confide in His providence calmly.
As for the cigars you asked about, it is not so easy. I’ve traveled the whole country, but cigars, dear brother, are becoming rare, especially the cheap ones. You won't find them anywhere, but I will keep that in mind.
On Tuesday, I lectured at the Catholic Academy in Rotterdam about Father Brugman (1). Yes, I am a bit crazy about him. From there, I went to The Hague. And this morning (2), I stopped by Utrecht to see the archbishop regarding the press. On Friday and Saturday, I must visit various editorial offices of Catholic newspapers to establish a clear position that needs to be maintained regarding the current issue (3). I will travel across the whole country and look for cheap cigars, but I cannot promise anything. I’ve managed to get some tobacco, but you probably have that as well.
Regarding the hospital (4) you wrote about with certain concerns, it is indeed very difficult for you. I firmly hope that our Lord will find some surprising solution. It will be alright again. He has everything in His hands.
Please convey to Father Elpidius (5) that the conference planned for January, in which he was supposed to speak, has been postponed to Pentecost after consulting with the pastor. I think he will be glad, as he hasn’t had everything ready yet.
I wish everyone a happy new year. My health serves me well. But you can probably guess that from how I’m trudging from place to place.
In Christ,
Your Titus O.Carm.
(1): Johannes Brugman OFM /ca. 1400–1473/, an outstanding poet and eloquent preacher; author of two biographies of St. Lidwina of Schiedam /1380–1433/; died in Nijmegen.
(2): December 31, 1941 was a Wednesday. The Feast of the Mother of God, Thursday, January 1, Titus spent in a festive manner with his community; it was presumably their last peaceful gathering together. On Friday, January 2, he began visiting editorial offices, and was arrested and imprisoned on January 19.
(3): The "current issue" and the visit to Utrecht's Archbishop de Jong pertained to the occupiers' directives that Catholic newspapers had to publish Nazi announcements (which they had thus far refused).
Dutch bishops had long maintained a consistent stance against national socialism. As early as 1936, they banned Catholics from joining the Dutch National Socialist movement. A year later, they found support in the encyclical Mit brennender Sorge (With Burning Concern), in which Pius XI described national socialism as "provocative neo-paganism," "denial of the church," and "manifest apostasy from faith." A few months after the occupation of the Netherlands (1940), they declared membership in the National Socialist movement a grave sin, "even if joining the party was not motivated by agreement with its ideology, but material benefit. Neither coercion nor fear of repression is a sufficient reason to join."
The occupiers sought to control various institutions. They gradually imposed their administration on Catholic unions, the Catholic Farmers' Union, or the Federation of Catholic Teachers. The bishops always acted the same: they called upon members of all these organizations to withdraw from them under the threat of excommunication. In the case of the press (in a country where more than a third of the population identified as Catholic), they could not act differently: they forbade Catholic newspapers from "publishing announcements of the Dutch National Socialist movement, if they value the Catholic spirit of their newspapers. And this even under the threat of heavy fines or the closure or liquidation of the newspapers." Titus was tasked with personally informing the editorial offices of Catholic newspapers of this decision, which became the immediate cause of his arrest.
(4): The hospital managed by the Franciscans probably found itself in trouble.
(5): Probably Fr. Elpidius Bruna OFM, Titus's collaborator in Frisia Catholica.
(compiled from the second volume of the collected works of Titus:
Titus Brandsma, Letters to the family, 2021;
and from the book by A. M. Sicari: Saints of Carmel, KNA 2011)
