Grzegorz Bolesław Frąckowiak

Blessed Grzegorz (Gregory) Bolesław Frąckowiak
Born July 18, 1911
Lowecice, Poland
Died May 5, 1943 (Aged 31)
Dresden, Germany
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church
Beatified 13 June 1999, Poland by Pope John Paul II

Fray Grzegorz (Gregory) Bolesław Frąckowiak (July 18, 1911 – May 5, 1943) was a Society of the Divine Word martyr. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 13 June 1999 as one of the 108 Polish Martyrs of World War II.

Life

His early life was austere and serene, despite poverty, this did not hinder him from reaching his aspirations and ambitions in life. Because he cannot afford secondary education and as well as seminary schooling later, in 1927, he took the order of being a Missionary brother (and later fray) and he was sent to Gorna Grupna where the novitiate of the SVD was based and there he met fellow martyrs Aloysius Liguda and Stanisław Kubista. He continued in his studies as he was being instructed and taught in the novitiate. After a year of postulancy, he took his temporary vows and received his habit, on 1930. He then became the principal bookbinder of the novitiate. He also wrote the daily spiritual exercises that would be undertaken by his fellow aspiring novitiates, and even took care of the food preparations. In 1938, he was ordained as a fray (monk).

In 1940, when the novitiate was invaded and when the whole members in it were transported to concentration camps, Gregory escaped. He went to Jarocin, and undertook underground religious ministry and created an editorial "For you, Poland", however, the German knew the secret group, and the group was hunted down and members captured. He was captured, with some members, but he ask the blame to fell on him, liberating some of the members. He was then tortured and imprisoned in Fort VII. He was then transferred to Dresden in 1943, where he was beheaded by guillotine, May 5, 1943, after secretly writing a letter to his family. He was thrown in an unmarked grave.

References

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