Some Definitely Non-PC Saints for Today

I am refering to the Friars Minor Nikola (Nicholas) Tavelić, Deodat of Rodez, Stephen of Cuneo & Peter of Narbonne who were martyred on 14 November 1391 in Jerusalem. Their Cult was recognized by the Franciscan Order in the 15th century. In 1889 Pope Leo XIII confirmed only the cult of Nicholas Tavelic, the leader, who had great reverence in his native Yugoslavia. It wasn't until 1966 that Pope Paul VI confirmed the cult for the other three Franciscan Martyrs. On 21 June 1970 Pope Paul VI declared them saints.

So why do I say they would be non-PC saints for today? Well rather than tell you myself, I will share part of the 2nd reading from the Franciscan proper for the Office of readings for their feast.

Nicholas & his confreres consulted at great length how to gain a rich harvest in the Holy Land at Jerusalem by winning for God souls whom the devil was trying to seize.

. . . . .

Then on 11 November 1391, the feast of St. Martin, about the 3rd hour they decided to carry out systematically what they had long desired. They set out together each one carrying a treatise written in common Italian & Arabic & 1st made their way to the temple of Solomon but were stopped as they sought to enter.

They were then brought to the residence of the Qadi where they took out the treatises they had written & proceeded to read them. The Qadi then addressed the 4 men in these words: "Have you spoken as sensible men in possession of your wits while you read, or did you act like mad men straying from reason & out of your minds? Were you sent by your Pope or some Christian king?" Calmly & discreetly, with great zeal for the faith & an ardent desire for salvation the 4 friars replied: "We have not been sent by any man, but by God who deigned to inspire us to point out to you the truth & the way to salvation because Christ says in the Gospel 'He who believes & accepts baptism will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned'."

Thereupon the Qadi asked them: "Are you willing to recant & become Saracens & escape death? If you do not you must die." They replied in a clear voice: "Under no conditions will we recant. For the sake of the truth & the Catholic faith we are ready to die & to endure every torture because all we said is holy, Catholic & true." Upon hearing this, the Qadi & his council pronounced the death sentence.

This sentance had hardly been pronounced when all the Saracens present shouted loudly: "They must die." They beat them with whatever they could get ahold of till the friars fell to the ground as if dead. This happenned about the 9th hour & because of the popular outcry people remained there until midnite.

They were then taken to prison & continuously tortured.

At last on the 3rd day they were taken to the street where criminals were customarily executed. In the presence of the Emir & Qadi with an immense number of Saracen soldiers standing by with unsheathed swords, with a huge fire burning the friars were asked to recant & thus escape death. They replied: "It is our determination to proclaim to you that you must be converted to faith in Christ & be baptized. be certain that for the sake of Christ & our faith we fear neither death nor fire hear on earth."

When the Saracens who were standing there heard this they were seized with frenzy, rushed upon them with savage fury & hacked them into such pieces with their swords that no appearance of a human body remained. The severed pieces were thrown into the fire but were not consumed. Throughout the whole day the crowd stood arround the specticle & carried wood for the fire until midnight.

For those who don't get it, the Saracens were Muslim. The Qadi is a judge ruling in accordance with the sharia, Islamic religious law. The Emir was the governor of Jerusalem. What was called the temple of Solomon was actually the Mosque of Omar in Jerusalem.

Do I have to say anything more? Or do you get my point about them being non-PC & thus an example for us to emulate when it comes to standing up for our faith as well as evangelizing?

PS I suspect that if they were up for canonization today instead of 40 years ago the reaction from certain groups would be similar to that of those who (wrongly) oppose the canonization of Pope Pius XII.