Several hundred people gathered at a Mass at Westminster Cathedral in London, in thanksgiving for the beatification of Franz Jägerstätter on 21 November. Those attending included the Austrian Ambassador in London Dr Gabriele Matzner, from Austria Dr Erna Putz – a biographer of Franz Jägerstätter and Gotlind Hammerer, vice president of Pax Christi Austria and Pax Christi partners from the ecumenical and interfaith networks.  

During the Mass, celebrated by Pax Christi’s Bishop Malcolm McMahon, members of the congregation heard Bruce Kent, a vice president of Pax Christi reflect on the witness of Franz for today.  He said:  

“I move at once to the wise words written recently by Bishop Schwarz of Linz and Bishop Scheuer of Innsbruck. Their perspective is the future. They do not want Jägerstätter to be seen as quaint piece of history - as happens in the case of quite a few Saints. This is what they said:

'It is your situation that is being dealt with here, it is your motivation that is at issue, it is your God that is under debate. What part does sacrifice play in your own life? How seriously do you take the question of whether there is something in your life so big that you would, if necessary, be willing to die for it?' In other words. when does the time come for all of us to have to say 'No'? Our 'NO' here in Britain will not lead to an execution. But it will cost promotion, popularity even some loss of liberty and certainly hard work. Why?  The world we live in today is in many respects out of step with the world of the Gospels. The two Kingdoms do collide in values and life styles.” 

Pax Christi hosted a reception following the Mass at which the Austria Ambassador, Dr Gabriele Matzner spoke, reminding those present of the political reality in Austria in the late 1930s:

“The Catholic leadership in Austria did not openly oppose the illegal annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938. Cardinal Innitzer did not welcome Hitler in person, but he recommended that Austrians accept the fait accompli. Most did, in the farcical referendum staged by the Nazis in already occupied Austria, in April 38, and from which 8% of the population were excluded beforehand.

But, very soon, with the onslaught of anti-Catholic Nazi politics, many Catholics, including Innitzer, changed their minds. In October 1938 at least 7000 young Catholics marched against the regime in the centre of Vienna, shouting "Christus ist unser Führer", "Christ is our Leader". It was and remained the largest demonstration ever against Hitler in the German realm, since he came to power in Germany 5 years earlier. It was brutally quashed.  Ladies and gentlemen, motives to resist mass violations of human rights are manifold. Some are religious. Whatever the spiritual sources, self-sacrificing demonstrations of decency such as  Jägerstätter's deserve our greatest admiration. They should inspire others, especially world leaders, to prevent situations in which choices of life or death have to be made by decent human beings."

Pax Christi hope that schools and parishes will  make the life and witness of Franz Jägerstätter a focus for reflection on Christian peacemaking in the year ahead and will provide resources materials to support this work.

Copies of the newly published Franz Jägerstätter Martyr: A Shining Example in Dark Times by Erna Putz is available in hardback from Pax Christi priced £10.00 plus postage

Bruce Kent's speech here

Ambassador Matzner's speech here

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