Marija Belošević is the current president of the Internazionale Union of Cattolica Esperantists (IKUE) which counted Fr. Titus Brandsma of Oss, Netherlands, among its early members. Aware of Fr. Titus’ upcoming canonization, Mrs. Belošević has been using digitized records and magazines from IKUE to research Fr. Titus’ connection to the language of Esperanto and to her Catholic organization which promotes it. Her research indicates that the Dutch professor was very involved with Esperanto earlier than previously thought.
Today’s very international city of Aia in the Netherlands hosted the Second Congress of the International Association of Catholic Esperantists on August 14-18, 1911. During that congress, a work group was formed to draw up an ecclesiastical (theological) dictionary in the Esperanto language. In the list of the 12 members of the work group is the name of Titus Brandsma.[1]
Naturally, the largest number of the members of this work group were professors and pastors in the Catholic Church. It is worth noting that the work group for the dictionary contains names of a number of experts in the Esperanto language. Most of these were active before the First Congress of the organization. That Congress was held in Paris in 1910 with some of the pioneers of the Esperanto movement attending.
It was already known that Fr. Titus celebrated a Mass in Esperanto in 1913. It was long thought that this liturgical celebration was his first activity in the Catholic Esperanto movement. However, this recent research by Mrs. Belošević proves that he started at least two years earlier, in the first half of 1911 or perhaps even before.
Studying old copies of the magazines Espero Katolika and Nederlanda katoliko, which are now digitized, Marija Belošević found a list of new members up to July 15, 1911 [Nederlanda Katoliko (n. 8/1911)]. In the section “Ordinary New Members” there is the listing for “Pro. Dr. Titus Brandsma, Klooster der Karmelieten, Oss.”
The name of the Carmelite saint is also found in the 1926 annual, the first of the group’s annual publications, as well as in those of 1928, and 1931/1932. His name is also listed in the annuals of the organization for 1937 and 1938.
The 1911 listing is the first known mention of Fr. Titus in connection to the Association of Catholic Esperantists. When one became a member of the Dutch Association one automatically became a member of the International Association of Catholic Esperantists.
The Internazionale Union of Cattolica Esperantists (Internacia Katolika Unuigo Esperantista in Esperanto) is a lay organization of the Catholic Church with an office in Rome. It strives to apply Christian ideals to everyday life and the spread the Gospel by means of Esperanto. The organization takes as its charge the command given in the Gospel of Mark: “Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Gospel to all creation.” (Mk 16:15)
There is a similar organization for Protestant Christians, Kristana Esperantista Ligo Internacia (KELI). The language Esperanto has many ties with the Christian Churches. The first book translated into Esperanto was the Old Testament. The magazine Espero Katolika (Catholic Hope) first appeared in 1903.
The Catholic Church continues to be closely networked with the movement as well. Pope John Paul II used Esperanto as one of the languages in his annual Urbi et Orbi blessing. Vatican Radio continues broadcasting programs in Esperanto regularly. Catholic or Ecumenical International Congresses are held almost every year. Because it is an officially recognized liturgical language, Catholic religious services continue to be held in Esperanto.
The first issue in 2018 of the Carmelite journal The Sword, Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral, O. Carm., the co-vice postulator for Fr. Titus Brandsma’s cause for canonization, published an article on Blessed Titus and the Esperanto language. The article explores the origins of the language as well as Fr. Titus’ promotion of its use and its value to him.
In recognition of the canonization of its famous member, the IKUE is preparing a prayer card with the official prayer for the canonization in Esperanto.
[1] Questa informazione l’ho trovata nella rivista “Espero Katolika” n. 78/1911.
Sankta Titus Brandsma Carmelite Preĝo
Dio de paco kaj justeco,
malfermu niajn korojn al amo
kaj al la ĝojo de la Evangelio
eĉ meze de sennombraj formoj de perforto
kiuj subpremas la dignon de niaj fratoj kaj fratinoj,
plenigu nin per Via graco,
por ke, samkiel sankta Titus Brandsma,
tenere, povu ni vidi preter la hororoj de malhomeco
kaj kontempli vian gloron
kiu brilas en la martiroj de ĉiu epoko,
kaj tiel iĝi viaj aŭtentaj atestantoj en la nuna mondo.
Amen
(traduzione: Marija Belošević)
Download the Prayer in Esperanto here