[vc_row type=”vc_default”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Dear brothers and sisters!
On February 22, 79 years will have passed since the death of Archbishop Eduard Profittlich in the Kirov prison camp. Certainly, we cannot hope that this is the last anniversary of the Archbishop’s death before his beatification. But we have reason to hope that this is one of the last before the conclusion of his beatification process, and that the Catholic Church in Estonia will not have to wait long for the moment when one of its members is counted among the blesseds and saints of the Catholic Church for the first time. Therefore, on the eve of this anniversary, we can particularly thank God for Archbishop Profittlich’s fidelity, which was fidelity unto death. His sanctity is not limited only to his death for Christ, but extends to all his work, words, personal example, and virtues that Estonian Catholics were able to see and witness. And what is even more important: the purpose of beatification is not only to recall the virtues and heroism of our predecessors, but to remind us that every Christian, without exception, is called to holiness, and that holiness is concretely possible in the life of every Christian.
Therefore, I encourage you to remember the Servant of God Eduard Profittlich in your prayers and thoughts. The Church encourages us to seek the intercession of those who have already departed from us, even more so when they have responded particularly well to God’s grace during their lifetime. By asking for his intercession through reading Archbishop Profittlich’s prayer card or novena, we certainly do not turn less to God; on the contrary, we act in a way pleasing to God, for we give Him glory for those people to whom He has granted the grace to live a holy life. We certainly have many needs and reasons to plead and pray for the whole world now, but since the Archbishop sacrificed his life out of love for Estonia and Estonian Catholics, it is natural that we turn to him precisely when we pray for Estonia, for the Catholic Church in Estonia, and for all that we need here. If a person has loved the Catholic Church in Estonia so much on earth, it is natural to think that this love will grow even greater in heaven.
I am very grateful to those who are willing to send a written testimony of their recourse to Archbishop Profittlich’s intercession to the postulator for the beatification process of Archbishop Profittlich. This is one of the important elements of the beatification process. I am also very grateful to all who help us cover the costs of this process. Such processes last a long time (18 years already in the case of Archbishop Profittlich) and are extremely thorough, and therefore quite costly. Currently, we are actively working in Tallinn as well as in Rome on the so-called positio, which means the compilation of the summary of the process materials – on the basis of which the final decision on beatification will be made.
Through the intercession of Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, we pray that the approaching Lent may fill our hearts with grace, and that this prayer, with God’s help, may grant us health of both body and soul.
Bishop Philippe Jourdan[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]