Today Carmelites celebrate the memory of St Titus Brandsma, Carmelite, academic, mystic, journalist and martyr.

Carmelite Communications has produced a limited edition A4 Book commemorating the first anniversary of the Canonisation of St Titus Brandsma. Order your copy today to avoid disappointment.

The 15th of May marks the first anniversary of the canonisation of our brother Titus Brandsma, canonised along with nine other holy men and holy women, by Pope Francis in St Peter’s Square in 2022. The memory of that celebration and the days that surrounded it still live in the minds and hearts of thousands of people all around the world. It was particularly moving for all of us who had the blessing of being in Rome when the event was taking place.

To commemorate the first anniversary of the Canonisation of St Titus Brandsma, we have created a new St Titus Brandsma Desktop Wallpaper that can be downloaded for free in 1920x1080 at:
https://carmelites.org.au/desktop-wallpaper

St Titus, a Dutch Carmelite priest, was noted for his resistance to the Nazis, for which he was arrested and transported to Dachau concentration camp, where he died in 1942. He was canonised in 2022. Fr Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm. (an expert on Brandsma, based in Madrid), delivered the lecture at Trinity College, Dublin.

A conference on Titus Brandsma will take place at Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands on October 3-6, 2023. The program brings together scholars from various parts of the world who will present on the multi-faceted life and work of Brandsma. The number of participants is limited to 30, providing an opportunity for all to become involved in the discussions.

According to the latest issue of America, a monthly magazine published by the American Jesuits, Pope Francis has expressed “full support” for naming St Titus Brandsma “a patron of journalists.”

In his homily at the Thanksgiving Mass celebrating the Canonisation of St Titus Brandsma, Fr Paul Cahill (Prior Provincial) called Titus Brandsma, 'a gift to the world, the Church and the Carmelite Order'. "Throughout his life, whilst exercising and sharing his intellectual gifts through his studies and his teaching, preaching and writing, he was also down to earth, connected with people in their everyday struggles, and keen to assist them in whatever practical ways that he could," Fr Paul said. Read Fr Paul's homily below.

Carmelites, Lay Carmelites, parishioners, students, parents and staff from Whitefriars College, and those for whom Titus Brandsma holds a special place in their lives, gathered at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Middle Park (VIC), yesterday (31 July) for a Thanksgiving Mass celebrating his Canonisation. Students from Brandsma House at Whitefriars College joined the Entrance Procession carrying the relic of Titus Brandsma, the Brandsma House banner and a typewriter and camera. Joel Savy, House Vice Captain welcomed the assembly and gave a personal reflection on Titus Brandsma at the beginning of Mass. Students, staff and parishioners shared the readings and Prayers of the Faithful. Fr Paul Cahill (Prior Provincial) presided. In his homily, Fr Paul called Titus Brandsma, 'a gift to the world, the Church and the Carmelite Order'. "Throughout his life, whilst exercising and sharing his intellectual gifts through his studies and his teaching, preaching and writing, he was also down to earth, connected with people in their everyday struggles, and keen to assist them in whatever practical ways that he could," Fr Paul said.

80 years ago, on 26 July 1942, St Titus Brandsma was fatally injected with carbolic acid in the hospital of Dachau Concentration Camp. The hospital was notorious for medical experiments carried out on inmates.

The Carmelites warmly invite you to celebrate the Canonisation of St Titus Brandsma and mark the 80th anniversary of his martyrdom at Mass on 31 July 2022 in Sydney and Melbourne. Masses will be held at

10.00am Sunday 31 July at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 4 Bennett Street, Wentworthville, NSW 2145

10.30am Sunday 31 July at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 210 Richardson Street (cnr Wright St), Middle Park, VIC 3206

pdf Download the flyer for Wentworthville (706 KB)       |      pdf Download the flyer for Middle Park (928 KB)

Following his arrest in January 1942 Titus Brandsma was imprisoned at Scheveningen for 7 weeks. Later he would be taken to Amersfoort and Cleve before being transported to Dachau Concentration Camp in June 1942. In his next prisons, circumstances would not be so pleasant, but his days at Scheveningen may have been God’s blessing as a spiritual preparation for what was to come.

pdf Titus Brandsma: A Tale of Two Cells (4.91 MB)

Join Fr Roderick for this short video of highlights from the Canonisation Mass. Fr Roderick is the Parish Priest of one of the Titus Brandsma parishes in the Netherlands.

As a University Professor with a specialty in Philosophy, Titus Brandsma would have been acutely aware of the ideas and propaganda circulating in neighbouring Germany during the 1930’s. The Nazi party promoted a broad spectrum of basic principles which enshrined raw power and violence, especially at the expense of the weak. One can only rise to the top of a struggle by stepping on those inferior people below. In such a mindset, Christianity was ridiculed for its care and attention to the poor, sick, elderly, and handicapped.

pdf Titus Brandsma: Clash of Ideas (4.81 MB)

The 20th century was dominated by a series of crises, including 2 World Wars, the rise of National Socialism, wide-spread poverty and racial and religious discrimination. In this article, Sanny Bruijns, O.Carm., looks at how Titus Brandsma responded to the unfolding crises of his day, and how he faced his own personal crisis after his imprisonment in January 1942.

pdf Titus Brandsma: Responding to Crisis (151 KB)

As a philosopher, Titus was an ‘ideas man’. But truth for him was no mere idea. Truth was ultimately a reality, a person, Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life (Jn 14:6). Titus had been locked up, imprisoned, but the truth was setting him free. Truth was a person. It had a face which Titus had before him. The face of Christ. And, for Titus, the act of looking at the image of Jesus in his cell was not one-sided. It was based in friendship. It was a look that was returned, from the Beloved to the one loved, a gaze that travels back and forth in mutual understanding, support, and love.

Fr Simon Nolan, OCarm, unfolds 5 things about truth in the life and writings of St Titus Brandsma.

pdf Titus Brandsma teaches us about truth (276 KB)

During his homily at the Canonisation Mass, Pope Francis said, ‘We have turned holiness into an unattainable goal. We have separated it from everyday life, instead of looking for it and embracing it in our daily routines, in the dust of the streets, in the trials of real life and, in the words of Teresa of Avila to her Sisters, “among the pots and pans”.

Carmelite Communications has produced a limited edition set of 6 cards commemorating the Canonisation of St Titus Brandsma. You can order individual cards or the whole set. Suggested donation to help with costs: $2 per card or $10 per set, including postage. Order your cards today to avoid disappointment.

Our Lady held a special importance for Titus Brandsma throughout his life. As a young boy Titus became familiar with various Marian practices including the rosary which the Brandsma family prayed on a daily basis. This Marian devotion would last a lifetime for Titus who even in prison organised several rosaries for himself when his one was taken from him.

In addition, Titus became familiar with the idea that we find Jesus by going through Mary. With Mary as a mother and as a sister, he followed Jesus on his way to the heavenly father.

pdf Titus Brandsma: Mary, the Mother of God (6.42 MB)  

Join local celebrations in Australia and Timor-Leste for the Canonisation of Saint Titus Brandsma: