Saint Who?
Saints Who Faced Persecution
Blessed Antón Martín Slómšek
Bishop († 1862) Feast: September 24
Antón was born into a large, poor family in what is now Slovenia and was ordained a priest when he was twenty-four years old. He served as a chaplain, parish priest, and school principal, and he was greatly loved for his humility, preaching, and zeal. Then he was named a bishop.
For many decades, the Slovenian people had been under the control of the Austrian empire, and the Slovenian language and culture had been suppressed. Newspapers, magazines, and books were not available in Slovenian, and their cultural history and practices were ignored and discouraged. The few schools that existed did not educate students in their native language, so most Slovenians were illiterate.
Antón gradually and peacefully brought an end to this not-so-subtle persecution of Slovene culture through his lifelong emphasis on education. He reformed and built many schools, and he wrote numerous books, essays, and even songs to educate both adults and children. He also helped to improve relations between Catholic and Orthodox believers in the region. Not only did he bring about an almost 100% literacy rate, he re-evangelized an entire people. Antón helped Slovenians become aware of God’s presence to them through their history, through an emphasis on living a moral life, and through an attitude of respect for all peoples.
Holy Spirit, inspire our culture and family life
with a love of God today.
