“This period of persecution surged during the Spanish Civil War, but the harassment began much earlier. In an interviev with RomeReports.com Vicente Cárcel Ortí, one of the privileged few with access to the Vatican Secret Archives from that time period, called it one of the most ruthless persecutions of Catholics in history. “Since 1931, there was a covert practice of forbidding Catholic newspapers from publishing, of not allowing funeral processions on the streets, or forcing people to remove any religious objects from public view. It was certainly the greatest persecution number-wise in all of Western Europe, practically since the Roman Empire.”

Watch this gallery of pictures from the beatification ceremony.

Congregation of the Mission

✠ Rev. Amado García Sánchez ✠ Rev. Andrés Avelino Gutiérrez Moral ✠ Rev. Antonio Carmaniú y Mercader ✠ Rev. Fortunato Velasco Tobar ✠ Rev. Gregorio Cermeño Barceló ✠ Rev. Ireneo Rodríguez González ✠ Rev. Leoncio Pérez Nebreda ✠ Bro. Luis Aguirre Bilbao ✠ Bro. Narciso Pascual Pascual ✠ Rev. Pelayo José Granado Prieto ✠ Rev. Ricardo Atanes Castro ✠ Bro. Salustiano González Crespo ✠ Rev. Tomás Pallarés Ibáñez ✠ Rev. Vicente Vilumbrales Fuente

Daughters of Charity

✠ Sr. Andrea Calle González ✠ Sr. Carmen Rodríguez Barazal ✠ Sr. Concepción Pérez Giral ✠ Sr. Dolores Úrsula Caro Martín ✠ Sr. Estefanía Irisarri Irigaray ✠ Sr. Estefanía Saldaña Mayoral ✠ Sr. Gaudencia Benavides Herrero ✠ Sr. Isidora Izquierdo García ✠ Sr. Joaquina Rey Aguirre ✠ Sr. Josefa Gironés Arteta ✠ Sr. Josefa Laborra Goyeneche ✠ Sr. Josefa Martínez Pérez ✠ Sr. Juana Pérez Abascal ✠ Sr. Lorenza Díaz Bolaños ✠ Sr. Maria Asunción Mayoral Peña ✠ Sr. Maria del Rosario Ciércoles y Gascón ✠ Sr. Maria Luisa Bermúdez Ruiz ✠ Sr. María del Pilar Nalda Franco ✠ Sr. María Dolores Barroso Villaseñor ✠ Sr. María Severina Díaz-Pardo Gauna ✠ Sr. Martina Vázquez Gordo ✠ Sr. Melchora Adoración Cortés Bueno ✠ Sr. Micaela Hernán Martínez ✠ Sr. Modesta Moro Briz ✠ Sr. Pilar Isabel Sánchez Suárez ✠ Sr. Ramona Cao Fernández ✠ Sr. Victoria Arregui Guinea

Association of Miraculous Medal

✠ Dolores Broseta Boner

Mr. Thio concludes his Circular addressing all Society members:
“We would encourage and urge all Conferences and Councils to recite the new Canonisation Prayer faithfully and fervently at your meetings invoking the blessing of a miracle to honour Blessed Frederic’s holiness as a saint.
«Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete» (John 16:24)”

READ FULL TEXT OF THE CIRCULAR
CZYTAJ TĘ WIADOMOŚĆ PO POLSKU

PRAYER FOR THE CANONIZATION
OF BLESSED FREDERIC OZANAM
In the hope of obtaining a miracle through his intercession

Lord,

You made Blessed Frédéric Ozanam a witness of the Gospel, full of wonder at the mystery of the Church.

You inspired him to alleviate poverty and injustice and endowed him with untiring generosity in the service of all who were suffering.

In family life, he revealed a most genuine love as a son, brother, husband and father.

In secular life, his ardent passion for the truth enlightened his thought, writing and teaching.

His vision for our society was a network of charity encircling the world and he instilled St Vincent de Paul’s spirit of love, boldness and humility.

His prophetic social vision appears in every aspect of his short life, together with the radiance of his virtues.

We thank you Lord, for those many gifts and we ask, if it is your will, the grace of a miracle through the intercession of Blessed Frédéric Ozanam.

May the Church proclaim his holiness, as a saint, a providential light for today’s world!

We make this prayer through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

MODLITWA O KANONIZACJĘ
BŁOGOSŁAWIONEGO
FRYDERYKA OZANAMA
w nadziei uzyskania cudu za jego wstawiennictwem

Panie,

uczyniłeś Błogosławionego Fryderyka Ozanama świadkiem Ewangelii,
podziwianym w tajemnicy Kościoła.

Zainspirowałeś go do pokonywania ubóstwa i niesprawiedliwości oraz obdarzyłeś go niestrudzoną hojnością w służbie wszystkim cierpiącym.

W życiu rodzinnym, objawił najprawdziwszą miłość
jako syn, brat, mąż i ojciec.

W świecie, żarliwa walka o prawdę oświecała jego umysł, pisma i nauczanie.

W naszym Stowarzyszeniu, które uczynił siecią miłosierdzia oplatającą świat, zaszczepił ducha miłości, pokory i odwagi,
dziedzictwo św. Wincentego a Paulo.

W każdym aspekcie jego krótkiego życia, pojawia się prorocza wizja społeczeństwa, jak również dowody heroiczności jego cnót.

Dziękujemy Ci Panie, za te liczne dary i prosimy, jeśli taka jest Twoja wola,
o łaskę cudu za wstawiennictwem bł Fryderyka Ozanama.

Niech Kościół głosi Jego świętość, jako świętego, opatrznościowe światło dla dzisiejszego świata!

Modlimy się o to przez Jezusa Chrystusa, Pana naszego, Amen.

She was born on April 23, 1734 in Metz as eighth of fifteen children in her family. On her 21st birthday she entered the Company in the Motherhouse in Paris. As a Daughter of Charity she profoundly dedicated her life to the service of the poor and sick organizing the first hospital in Dax. She was its first Director and Superioress of the community. Captured during the French Revolution and convicted for refusal of taking Civil Constitution oath of  loyalty. Guillotined on the square in Dax almost 105 years after St. Vincent de paul was born in nearby village of Berceau (presently Berceau St. Vincent de Paul). Her martyrdom was recognized in 2011 when Pope Benedict XVI approved it in special decree. This act opened the path to beatification.

The Arena de ville was filled with the faithful long time before the ceremony. “The enthusiasm of the crowd, comprised of many French and Spanish young people (including many among in the Vincentian Marian Youth movement, i.e., Juventud Mariana Vicenciana), along with the pride of the local community in hosting this event was evident.”, as later Fr. John Maher CM reported. The altar covered with flat roof was built on the big square podium in the center of the arena against the main entrance. A picture of Sr. Marguerite was placed behind the alter highly elevated. Through this entrance, where usually bulls are running in for the encounter with matadors, the celebrants came in long procession and later the gifts were brought during the offertory. There were some 5,000 attendants in the grandstands around the arena. In the special sectors in front of the altar a large group of handicapped and sick were present, many of the on moving chairs.

Hundreds of young people were present, too. Some groups of them came in pilgrimage from Berceau of St. Vincent de Paul, where they have special vigil service on Saturday evening. Many of youth is preparing for participation in the World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain in August. At the end of the Mass the Bishop of Aire and Dax formally sent them out for the WYD. Among participants there were about 900 Daughters of Charity from France, Spain, Italy and Central Europe as well as some representatives of their communities in distant countries like Congo or Philippines.

watch video from the beatification Mass
(courtesy of French KTO Catholic TV)

watch photo gallery from the Beatification Mass
(based on KTOTV direct broadcast)

Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation of the Causes of Saints, a special envoy of Benedict XVI was presiding in the ceremony. He was assisted by Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran, Prefect of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religion Dialog and the Archbishop Luigi Ventura, Papal Nuncio in France. Another fifteen bishops, mainly coming from South-West region of France were concelebrants, too. Also present were Rev. Gregory Gay CM, Superior General of the Congreation of the Mission and the Company of the Daughters of Charity, Rev. Patrick Griffin CM, Director General of Daughters of Charity, Rev. John Maher CM, Office of Communication Director in the General Curia and Visitors of French Vincentian Provinces, Rev. Ellie Delplace CM (Paris) and Rev. Jean Yves Leboeuf CM (Toulouse). Dozens of other clergy (ca. 150) attended, too including numerous diocesan priests of Aire-Dax Diocese led by their Bishop Msgr Philip Breton.

There were State officials taking part in the celebration, too. The government of the Republique Francaise was represented by Mr. Michel Mercier, Guardian of the Seal, Minister of Justice and Liberty. Regional administration was represented by Mr. Evence Richard, Prefect of the Prefecture des Landes and Mr. Gabriel Bellocq, Mayor of Dax was representative of municipality. At the end of the Mass Sr. Evelyne Franc DC, Superiores General of the Daughters of Charity introduced all those official in her speech when she gave thanks for their arrival and participation in the festivity.

At the beginning of the celebration people gathered in the Arena danced in the rhythm of two very popular folk pieces “Paquito Chocolatero” and “Vino Griego” which usually “bandas” perform during popular festivals in Dax. The whole Congregation applauded “ola” frequently. White scarves with Sr. Rutan’s signature printed on were seen tied around necks of many participants, mainly Daughters of Charity.

According to the Rite of Beatification, at the beginning of the liturgy a short biography of the one “loved the Church and thus decided to give her life, to to remain faithful to Her” and “who dedicated her whole life to the service of the poor and sick she shed her blood for the Christ” was read by the Bishop of Aire and Dax Dicoese, Msgr Philip Breton. The Vicar General of the Diocese, Rev. Bernard Hayer and Sr. Evelyne Franc DC were standing behind him during his intervention. Next on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI Cardinal Amato read the act of beatification. He delivered a short homily, too.

[all photo credits: Jean Pierre Muller/AFP/GettyImages]

Fr. John Maher CM, Director of the Communication Office in the Curia, who was present at the celebration reported for Famvin.org, “the liturgy managed to incorporate the Mass for Trinity Sunday with traditional hymns as well as newly composed prayers and songs honoring Sr. Marguerite. At times, the crowd and choir broke out into spontaneous local songs and chants enlivening both the liturgy and the participants. When, as part of the beatification rite, the portrait of Sr. Marguerite was unveiled, prolonged cheers and camera flashes gave the liturgy an exciting “rock star” quality.” (read his complete report)

In a message after Angelus prayer, the Holy Father, who was celebrating a Mass in San Marino on Sunday, mentioned the beatification saying, “I am happy to recall that today in Dax, France, Sister Marguerite Rutan, Daughter of Charity, has been proclaimed blessed. In the second half of the 18th century she worked with great commitment in the hospital in Dax, but in the tragic persecution following the Revolution, she was sentenced to death for her Catholic faith and fidelity to the Church.” And continued in French “I participate spiritually in the joy of the Daughters of Charity and of all the faithful who, in Dax, are taking part in the beatification of Sister Marguerite Rutan, luminous witness of the love of Christ for the poor.”

The KTO TV channel prepared a short video bringing closer the person of Sr. Marguerite Rutan DC, and talking about preparation to beatification and presenting spots of some places where she was during her stay in Dax and other spots from Berceau St. Vincent de Paul a place were the Saint was born. Those pictures are worth to watch even if the narration is in French only.

And another short video based on information from official website of the beatification (narrated in French, too):

More about Blessed Sr. Marguerite Rutan DC:

• Homily during the thanksgiving Mass for the beatifiaction, June 20, Berceau St. Vincent de Paul by Fr. Patrick Griffin CM
• A great life in nutshell – biography
• Towards the beatification – the investigation process
• Sister Marguerite Rutan today
• Official beatification website (English, French, Spanish)

The liturgical commemoration of the Blessed Marguerite Rutan DC will coincide with the memorial of Blessed Maria Magdalene Fontaine DC and Companions, Martyrs of Arras – June 26. (In 2011 it will be omitted because of Sunday)

The story began on the night of July 18-19, 1830. In those times it was the vigil of the feast of St Vincent de Paul (in old liturgical calendar). A child (perhaps her guardian angel) awakened Sister Catherine Labouré, a novice in the community of the Daughters of Charity in Paris, and summoned her to the chapel. There, St. Catherine stopped near the chair, used by the priest in the sanctuary. She then heard a sound similar to the swish of a silk dress. Catherine hurried to the knees of the Blessed Virgin who was sitting on a chair. The Virgin Mary spoke with her for several hours. “I then bounded to the steps of the altar, knelt and let my hands rest on the knees of the Blessed Virgin”, St. Catherine said later in her words, “there I spent the most pleasant time of my life. It would be impossible for me to describe what I experienced. The Blessed Virgin told me how I should conduct myself with regard to my confessor and many other things.” Mary told her  she would give Catherine the mission.

On November 27 1830 at 5:30 pm, during meditation, St. Catherine saw a picture of the Blessed Virgin. (It was the place where presently a statue of Virgin on the Globe is located). “I saw the Blessed Virgin, standing, dressed in white; she was of medium height and her face was so beautiful that it would be impossible for me to describe that beauty.” – said Catherine Laboure… Standing on a half-globe holding in her hands a small golden globe: her feet crushing a serpent. Coming from the open hands of the Blessed Virgin were beautiful rays of light and at that same moment St. Catherine heard a voice saying: «These rays are symbols of graces that Mary obtains for people ».

Then an oval formed around the apparition and Catherine saw emblazoned in a semi-circle this invocation, until then unknown: « O Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to you » written in gold letters. Streaming from rings on Mary’s fingers as she held the globe were many rays of light. Mary explained that the rays symbolize the graces she obtains for those who ask for them. However, some of the gems on the rings were dark, and Mary explained that the rays and graces were available but did not come because no one had asked for them.

Then the picture turned and St. Catherine saw on the reverse side: the letter M surmounted with a little cross and below it the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Catherine then heard these words:« Have a medal made on this model. Those who will wear it with confidence will receive great graces ».

The website of the Chapel of Our Lady of Miraculous Medal
in Paris offers a virtual guided tour of the chapel

One day in December 1830, she does not give the precise date, Catherine had the third vision of Mary. During meditation, Catherine again heard the rustling sound, this time from behind the altar. The same image of the medal was present near the tabernacle, slightly to the back of it. But this time vision was changed showing our Lady standing on a globe with her arms now outstretched and with the dazzling rays of light still streaming from her fingers. Again, an inscription: O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you was framing the picture. The vision turned and showed the design of the reverse side of the medal. Twelve stars encircled a large letter “M” (standing for Mary) from which arose a cross. Below are two hearts with flames arising from them. One heart is encircled in thorns and the other is pierced by a sword.

On the the third apparition Virgin Mary repeated the mission she gave to Catherine in November: « Have a medal made on this model. Those who will wear it with confidence will receive great graces ». The other mission on request of Mary was to have a Confraternity of the children of Mary established. St. Catherine reported all this visions and instructions she was given to her spiritual director and confessor, Fr. Aladel. However, he was not receptive to the message and forbade her to think about it which severely shocked her. Faithful to confessor’s request she did not reveal that she received the Medal until soon before her death 47 years later. On January 30, 1831, Catherine finished her novitiate and received the habit of the Daughters of Charity. The next day she left rue du Bac for the Hospice of Enghien at 12 rue de Picpus at Reuilly, in a poverty-stricken area on the east side of Paris, where she would serve the poor throughout 46 years quietly and unknown.

Watch the presentation of the story of life of St. Catherine Labouré DC

After careful investigation, Fr. Aladel obtained the approval of Mgr. de Quelen, Archbishop of Paris, and on June 30, 1832, the first medals were struck and with their distribution the devotion spread rapidly. One of the most remarkable facts recorded in connection with the Miraculous Medal is the conversion of a Jew, Alphonse Ratisbonne of Strasburg, who had resisted the appeals of a friend to enter the Church. M. Ratisbonne consented, somewhat reluctantly, to wear the medal, and being in Rome, he entered, by chance, the church of Sant’ Andrea delle Fratte and beheld in a vision the Blessed Virgin exactly as she is represented on the medal; his conversion speedily followed. In 1836, a Canonical inquiry undertaken in Paris declared the apparitions to be genuine.

Fr. Aladel fulfilled the second request of Virgin Mary as well. On February 2, 1840 he established first group or sodality of children from Daughters of Charity schools in Paris. Later on June 20, 1847, Fr. Jean Baptiste Etienne CM, Superior General, obtained from Pope Pius IX the privilege to erect in each house of the Daughters of Charity a pious confraternity, dedicated to Mary Immaculate, made up of young girls attending their schools or workrooms, with all the indulgences attached to a similar society established for its students at Rome by the Society of Jesus. This confraternity adopted the Miraculous Medal as its badge, and the members, known as the Children of Mary, wear it attached to a blue ribbon.

The Brief of Pius IX of September 19, 1876, permitted the admission into this association of young girls not attending the schools or workrooms of the Daughters of Charity. Leo XIII confirmed these privileges by the Briefs of May 21, 1897, August 2, 1897, and April 29, 1903. The statistics of 1897 gave one hundred thousand living members throughout the world, four hundred thousand having been registered from the date of the first canonical erection, in Paris, 19 July, 1847. From the same date to 1908, forty thousand were registered in the institutions of the Daughters of Charity in the United States alone.

As the cult of the Miraculous Medal spread rapidly throughout the world on June 8, 1905 Pope Pius X has internationally recognized the Association of Miraculous Medal and in 1909 approved its charter. There are two Associations of Miraculous Medal in the United States. The original purpose of the Central Association was to spread devotion to Mary Immaculate by encouraging devotion to Mary under her title of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.

In March of 1915, Father Joseph Skelly CM established the Central Association of the Miraculous Medal in Germantown, Philadelphia, PA. Three years earlier Father Skelly, received a special assignment from the Provincial of theUS Eastern Province of the Congregation of the MIssion to raise funds for the construction of a Minor Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey. He placed a small Medal in each appeal letter that he mailed to raise funds for the Minor Semniary. So generous was the response brought through the intercession of Mary Immaculate that Father Skelly felt some special mark of gratitude to Our Lady was in order. After prayer and consultation, it was decided to form – in March of 1915 – The Central Association of the Miraculous Medal (CAMM) with Father Skelly as its first Director. Fr. Skelly died in 1963.

In 1918 another Association was established by the US Western Province of the Congregation of the Mission at Saint Mary’s of the Barrens Seminary, Perryville, MO. At first it was operated by the Vincentian seminarians under the direction of their religious superior. Soon the Association expanded and was given its own director, staff, and office space. The first director was Father Joseph Finney, C.M. He served from 1924 until his death in 1962.

On 23 July, 1894, Pope Leo XIII, after a careful examination of all the facts by the Sacred Congregation of Rites, instituted a feast, with a special Office and Mass, of the Manifestation of the Immaculate Virgin under the title of the Miraculous Medal, to be celebrated yearly on November 27.

To learn more about Miraculous Medal devotion Association of Miraculous Medal in the United States visit websites of

Miraculous Medal Shrine in Philadelphia

National Shrine of the Miraculous Medal in Perryville

You may find interesting the international website of the Association of Miraculous Medal where number of formation materials and documents can be found.

Jeżeli interesuje Cię działalność Stowarzyszenia Cudownego Medalika w Polsce zapraszamy na stronę APOSTOLATU MARYJNEGO.
Bardzo dokładny opis kaplicy Objawień Cudownego Medalika przy Rue du Bac w Paryżu można znaleźć w witrynie SIÓSTR MIŁOSIERDZIA PROWINCJI KRAKOWSKIEJ

Aby obejrzeć ten film w wersji polskiej przejdź do kanału FAMVIN.ORG-POLSKA na YouTube

[story based on:
Chapel of Our Lady of Miraculous Medal,
New Advent Encyclopedia and again,
AMM and CAMM]

70 years ago

Rev. Joseph Slupina CM (Józef Słupina) was born on March 4, 1880 in Królewska Huta (until 1922 – Königshütte, since 1934 Chorzow), diocese of Katowice, Upper Silesia, Poland. He entered Congregation of the Mission in then Province of Krakow on November 11, 1898. He took his permanent vows on November 27, 1900. Ordained priest in St. Vincent de Paul Church (Kleparz House) Krakow, Poland on January 20, 1906. After the ordination he worked in Krakow (Kleparz), Tarnow (Holy Family Parish) and Lviv (then part of Poland).

In 1909 came to the United States accompanying the Visitor of Krakow, Fr. Kasper Slonimski CM who was visiting the Polish Vincentian mission in the United States established in 1905 in New Haven, Connecticut. While conducting the mission in St. Stanislaus Parish, Erie, PA he became, together, with Father Ignasiak, pastor of St. Stanislaus and other Confreres Fr. Goerge Glogowski CM, Fr. Paul Waszko CM and Fr. Anthony Mazurkiewicz CM, the co-founders of the St. John Kanty College Association, which initiated establishment of later St. John Knaty Prep and mission house in Erie, PA (closed in 1982). When the college was opened in 1912 Fr. Slupina became Director of mission team stationed in Erie. He hold this post successfully and eagerly until 1921.

After return to Poland he became chaplain in Daughters of Charity house in Przeworsk (diocese of Przemysl) and later was sent to Lviv again as catechist and organist. From 1927 he was Prefect of the church in Lviv. In 1929 moved to Vilnius and was appointed Mission Team Director (as he was in Erie, PA)which was located in that house before WWII.

After return to Krakow was assigned to Kleparz House and appointed chaplain at Montelupich Prison (7 Montelupich Street), Krakow and at run by Daughters of Charity St. Lazare hospital in Krakow (15-17 Kopernika Street, presently part of Jagiellonian University Hospital complex) and chaplain of St. Nicholas church (near the hospital). Finally, he was given responsibility of the Prefect of St. Vincent de Paul Church at Kleparz which he hold with great zeal and dedication until being imprisoned. He was known of his ministry in the confessional and as a good homilist. Always cared about church decorations. For long time Fr. Joseph was Director of the Association of the Children of Mary (today known as Vincentian Marian Youth).

After the World War II broke up he stayed in Krakow. On July 15, 1940 he was arrested among the group of other Vincentians from Kleparz House suspected of patriotic and anti-German activity manifested by spreading of illegal booklets. They were held into Gestapo’s Montelupich Prison. There, he was interrogated and tortured regularly by Gestapo officers. He prayed continuously. According to witnesses, he never left the rosary from his hands.

Seven weeks later, early in the morning of August 30, 1940 a large group of prisoners was moved to transitional concentration camp in Podgorze, the southern quarter district of Krakow. First prisoners were washed and deloused in the bath. Next lead to railway station. 550 prisoners were packed in cattle wagons, 80 people in each. Fr. Joseph predicted something wrong might happen. The day before, August 29, he asked his Confrere, Fr. Francis Malinowski to hear his confession. He seemed to be aware of upcoming death. After the confesson he said: “It seems to me this was the last confession in my life. Oh, God. If it were possible, I would like to take the last sacraments. But I know,these Sacraments are granted only to the dying. However, who knows what else might happen to us and if we ever would be able to receive this religious solace at all”. In this day he recited the rosary more earnestly, what returned attention of a number of other prisoners.

At about 1400 the train stopped in the field over a mile from Auschwitz Concentration Camp. This was one of the earliest mass transports to KL Auschwitz I. The first one with 780 people took place on June 14, 1940 from Gestapo Prison in Tarnow. Together with Fr. Slupina were Fr. Malinowski and Fr. Jedrychowski (also recognized as WWII martyr). The prisoners were herded and beaten, urged like wild animals. Some SS-men were riding bicycles herding the prisoners ahead of them. Prisoners had to run a trot to keep up. Especially elderly and obese men were mistreated and Fr. Joseph was among them. He was dressed in cassock, reciting rosary all the time.

On arrival to the Nazi Concentration Camp weakened by suffering and severe conditions, tired and exhausted Fr. Joseph Slupina felt down on his shoulders right at entrance to the Camp. A SS-man named Palicz jumped with two feet on his chest, which broke down with a clatter. On the iron wheelbarrows he was taken to gathering place. It was roll-call ground for checking in new arrivals. They made him stand alongside other Vincentianpriests. Fr. Malinowski managed to grant him absolution at the hour of death. A few minutes later, Fr. Joseph ended his life. Fr. Malinowski was badly beaten for his help. The next day the body of late. Fr. Slupina was burned in the camp crematorium.

Fr. Joseph Slupina CM was a great worshiper of Mary Immaculate and her Son Jesus Christ. Up to the last moment he turned out to be a faithful son and worshipper of Mary – died with a rosary in his hand. He died in priestly attire. By his death, until the end he testified of his faithfulness – the faithfulness to God, the Church, the priesthood of Christ, the Vincentian vocation.

On September 17, 2003 in Krakow, a Diocesan inquest of eleven Polish Vincentians, martyrs of World War II, toward beatification was initiated. Fr. Joseph Slupina is in this number. The Visitor of Province of Poland Very Rev. Arkadiusz Zakreta CM is the vice-postulator of the case.

Priests from the Province of Poland of the Congregation of the Mission, martyrs of WWII, Servants of God are:

• Rev. Joseph FLORKO CM, died in KL Bergen-Belsen on February 25, 1945
• Rev. Hieronim GINTROWSKI CM, shot in the forest near Bydgoszcz on November 1, 1939
• Rev. Michael JACHIMCZAK CM, put into death by lethal injection at KL Dachau on January 30, 1941
• Rev. John JEDRYCHOWSKI CM, killed by toxic gas in KL Dachau on May 6, 1942
• Rev. Norbert KOMPALLA CM, killed by toxic gas in KL Dachau on December 1, 1942
• Rev. Adam MALUSZYNSKI CM, died during evacuation of KL Mittelbau on January 31, 1945
• Rev. Joseph SLUPINA CM, trampled to death on arrival to KL Auschwitz on August 30, 1940
• Rev. Peter SZAREK CM, executed at Stary Rynek square in Bydgoszcz on September 9, 1939
• Rev. John WAGNER CM, shot in the forest near Bydgoszcz on November 1, 1939
• Rev. Leon WIECKIEWICZ CM, died exhausted by slave work and illness in KL Gross-Rosen on August 4, 1944
• Rev. Stanislaus WIOREK CM, executed at Stary Rynek square in Bydgoszcz on September 9, 1939

Prayer for Beatification

Allmighty God, You show your paternal love in any time, and in the world distracted by struggles and dissension You make man capable of forgiveness and reconciliation. Martyrs of the faith are symbol of victory of fidelity over defection and the triumph of love over hatred. Thus, we ask You give us your blessing during the inquest of Martyrs of World War II. Let the martyred death of your servants from the Congregation of the Mission, starred into suffering and risen from the death Christ and their introduction to the glory of altars will be a gift of your never ending love, source of strength in faithful submission to Your Will and the declaration of participation in the final triumph of good over evil. We ask for this, Good Father through Christ, the crown of Saints and Our Lady, the Queen of Martyrs. Amen.