REFLECTION: A homily on Franz Jaegerstaetter

by Rev. Pat Madden-Greco
Pastor, St. Benedict and St. Lucy parishes, Grambling, LA

I don’t think I have told you the story of Franz Jaegerstaeter. He lived in the village of St. Radegund in the late 1930’s. When the Nazis joined Austria to Germany, all the young men in the village were drafted into the army except Franz.

He refused to serve. He talked to his parish priest. He did not feel that joining the Nazi army was the right thing to do. The priest told him he had the right to defend his country. But something just did not feel “right” to Franz.

After he was arrested, three more priests – prison chaplains – all told him the same thing.

The true nature of evil is subtle. It uses a “patriotism,” love for our country — a virtue! — to convince us to do things against the will of Christ…

To read the rest of this homily, click here.