Biography of Scholastic Alfons Mańka OMI
Lisowice
Alfons Mańka was born on October 21, 1917 in Lisowice, near Lubliniec, as the son of Piotr and Karolina (née Sojka). He had many siblings, including an older brother who became a religious Brother in the congregation of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. His father Piotr was a railwayman by trade, but was engaged in pro-Polish activity in Lubliniec, for which he was sentenced to a concentration camp in Buchenwald during World War II, where he died on March 13, 1940. His mother, Karolina, passed away at age 85 on October 25, 1965. She is buried at the parish cemetery in Lubeck.
Alfons Mańka was baptized in the parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lubeck. There was a religious spirit within the Mańka family. Among other things, they prayed the Rosary together as a family. As a little boy, when he was alone in his room, he liked to spend his time praying on his knees. The Mańka family lived in a small rural village, so from an early age, Alfons was trained to work on the farm. Every Sunday, together with his parents and siblings, they walked to the parish church in Lubeck, 4 km away. During one severe winter, on his way to church, he fainted and collapsed onto the ground. He would have frozen to death there, if a man by the name of Mokros hadn’t found him. He took Alfons in and cared for him until he was strong enough to return home. Alfons was a very artistically gifted child. He liked to play the violin and to paint. Two of his drawings have survived to this day. One depicts two children, and the other his family home. In a religious spirit, he eagerly made pilgrimages with his parents and siblings to the nearby Marian shrines in Czestochowa and to Piekary Slaskie.
Lubliniec
After finishing elementary school at age 12, his parents enrolled him in secondary school in Lubliniec, where he studied from 1929-1934. He rode his bicycle to school. In Lubliniec, he had his first encounter with the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. At the age of 17, he decided to enter the Oblates Lower Seminary. He spent his Juniorate years there, from 1934 to 1937. He graduated from the Lower Seminary, passing the maturity exam. During his time at the Lower Seminary, he met Blessed Fr. Józef Cebula OMI, who was the superior of the Oblate community and the educator responsible for the Juniorate. At this time, the seminary was vibrant with life, and the number of candidates steadily increased from year to year.
In the 1935-36 school year, there were 260 students. It is written in the chronicle: “there were so many candidates that we had to create two classes for first year. General joy and contentment prevails among all, and the superiors and professors devotedly guide this missionary youth, who will one day become apostles of the pagans.” When mentioning “pagans,” the writer surely means the tribes of Africa or people from the ends of the earth. But instead, Alfons Mańka was sent to the “pagans” of Europe, German and Austrian Nazis, to testify about Jesus Christ among them, and to suffer a martyr’s death because of their hatred of faith. And it came quickly. In 1936, in the two oldest classes, military training exercises were introduced. This was not because of impending war, but instead in preparation for mission ad gentes, because “knowledge of the art of shooting helps missionaries very often”. In the spring of 1936, construction began on the Our Lady of Lourdes grotto in front of the school building. The work was completed on November 16, 1937, marked with a solemn Mass dedicating the cave. In December of 1936, the Assistant General, Father Pietsch OMI made a canonical visit to the Juniorate. In his report, he expressed his great impression of the Lubliniec youth. All of these events shaped the sensitive soul of Alfons.
The then-chapel of the seminary is currently part of the parish church of St. Stanislaw Kostka. The Oblates of Mary Immaculate not only cared for the education of the pupils, but also their religious formation, after all they were to become missionary priests. The cultural life also flourished in the small seminar. In addition to their mandatory education, the students could practice various musical instruments. Alfons played the violin. He had already studied at home, and since he was a child he knew he could not neglect the talent God had given him. The Juniorate had two orchestras: string, and wind. There were also two choirs. These artistic skills were put to use during solemn Masses, theatrical performances, and various other performances.
Blessed Fr. Józef Cebula OMI, during his time as superior in Lubliniec, which overlaps with the years Alfons was studying there, led with exemplary discipline based on fraternal love, created a familial atmosphere, and raised the standards of education by selecting appropriate professors. He also provided youth with various opportunities to play sports, and above all, he inspired them with his spirituality and missionary spirit. He was also concerned with improving their nutrition. It was in this atmosphere that Alfons matured, developed, and grew.
Markowice
After passing his exams in 1937, Alfons Mańka entered the noviciate of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Markowice, in the Kujawy region. In October of that year he turned 20 years old. In the same year, Bl. Father Józef Cebula OMI was appointed the supervisor of the Markowice house and master of the novitiate. Alfons could therefore continue to grow and develop under the protection of an exceptional priest. There, in Markowice, he met Servant of God Fr. Ludwik Vrodarczyk OMI who was tortured during the pogroms in Volhynia in 1944. His beatification process is underway in Ukraine.
The master of novitiate, Bl. Fr. Józef Cebula, as Fr. Feliks Adamski says, “was a man with a deep spiritual life, based deeply on the Oblate Constitution and Rules.” This is reflected in Alfons’ notes as well, “in those days there was work in the field at harvest time. However, I stayed at home this week because I felt weak. Instead, I spent time improving my spiritual exercises, prescribed by the sacred rule” (June 5, 1938). Not only did the words of the master shape the spirituality of the novice Alfons, but so did his example: “Fr. Superior came to the lecture today, and I was greatly built up by his conscientiousness and zeal, because shortly after his illness, and even though he was not yet fully healthy, he came to our lecture. He told us about religious vows, about the vow of poverty, which is the foundation of the pursuit of perfection. Ave Maria!” (8. 8. 1938).
Here, in the novitiate, Alfons began to keep a diary. At the beginning of his novitiate, he wrote: “I came to the monastery to become a saint and I desire that with all of my heart” (2. 10. 1937). The contents of the diary illustrate the beauty of Alfons’ soul and his persistent work on himself as well as his goal, holiness. By Divine Providence, the diary has survived until this day. His family, with great reverence, kept it not only as a memoir of Alfons, but as a means of spiritual development that was read countless times. During and after his death, Alfons was in great honour with them.
Reading this text, Fr. Józef Pielorz OMI writes, “we can trace the great effort of Frater Mańka to sanctity, renouncing everything for the love of Jesus. In this journey, he chose the Mother of God as his own mother, to help with his endeavour. Many of his entries begin with the word “Jesus” and end with the greeting ‘Ave Maria’. As a novice, he channelled all of his energy to achieve this goal, but he encountered various difficulties. This internal struggle affected his health, so much so that for over a onth from April 1 to May 11 1938, he had to be supervised closely by doctors.” At the end of the novitiate, his spiritual director was moved to another home. Alfons writes: “… God took him from me, calling him to another place. So on the model of St. Teresa, the Little Flower, who’s spiritual director was also taken away so that God could direct her himself, I will go to the foot of the cross on which Jesus hangs for me, and I will put all my worries there. Ave Maria!” (23. 8. 1938). This example shows the spiritual bonds that Alfons shares with the saints.
“Nov. Alfons Mańka was frail in build and of a melancholic-sentimental temperament.” In his notes from July 7, 1938, prepared for the occasion of the novices’ first vows, we read that Alfons was tactful and pleasant in his relations with his confreres, and shone brightly as an exemplary novice. Therefore, he was unanimously admitted to the first vows.
Nov. Alfons Mańka made his first religious vows in Markowice on September 8, 1938. In the archives of the General Administration in Rome, his admittance note has been preserved, informing that Nov. Alfons Mańka is a very good novice and suitable for everything. In the same archive is his form of oblation filled out by hand, his first religious vows, signed by Alfons and Bl. Fr. Józef Cebula OMI
Krobia
After making his first vows, Alfons is sent on by his superiors to the scholasticate in Krobia, where he began studies in philosophy. He has a clearly defined goal: “I want to be a priest following the example of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I want to be an Oblate with a heart like the founder, St. Eugene de Mazenod” (from his Diary).
“Sensing the outbreak of war, the seminaries situated near the German border in Obra and Krobia were evacuated. Fleeing from the turmoil of war, the first Oblates, scholastics (Alfons among them) and Brothers came to Markowice on August 28.” (p. 67). Together with the newcomers, the Markowice community numbered 130 people. On September 8, the scholastics were to renew their religious vows, and the novices to make their first oblation. But due to the fast-moving German troops, their retreat was interrupted and on September 4, 35 scholastics (including Alfons) renewed their vows ahead of time before Bl. Fr. Józef Cebula, who was so moved that he only spoke a few words: “Dear fraters, this is a very serious moment…” his voice broke down, and tears flowed from his eyes. Immediately after the ceremony, the scholastics left Markowice, heading for the Oblate houses located in Eastern Poland. They reached Koden and Swiety Krzyz (Holy Cross).
Markowice
Unfortunately, they do not find a place for themselves there due to overcrowding. They return to Markowice. On the next day, October 5 1939, the Oblates in Markowice are forced to labour on nearby German farms. And from October 25, a house arrest was imposed on the Oblate community. On non-working days, Alfons along with four other scholastics, continues his education in philosophy under the direction of Fr. Jan Nawrat and Fr. Józef Krawczyk.
The “Immaculate miracle” must have had a huge impact on Alfons’ heart. The occupational officer in charge of Markowice, Egan von Krieger issued an order on December 7, 1939, knowing well that the patron of the Oblates was Mary Immaculate, for the Oblates to spend December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, smashing the statues of Our Lady that lined the roads from Wymysłowice to Ludziska. Bl. Fr. Józef Cebula OMI, the superior, told his confreres: “whoever wants to be an Oblate will not go to break these figures”. The group of Oblates assigned to this shameful task by the man in charge, Wolf, consisted mainly of novices and scholastics, and among them, Alfons. No one moved forward on the orders of the Germans. It was obvious that the consequences would be severe, either beating or death. “Around noon, a police card from Strzelno rushed in, and two officers jumped out. With their whips and menacing posture, they looked at the religious men and yelled: ‘where are those little brothers who do not want to work?’ At the same moment, a Gestapo car pulls in. They gestured to the policemen to stop, and after a short exchange of arguments, they went into the office. Terror and hope simultaneously thundered in the hearts of the Oblates. After a long time, the head officer Wedel announced to them: ‘today, you do not need to go to work. You can go home.’ Relief and joy flooded the young Oblates. The Gestapo used the monastic property as its food warehouse, and did not allow the German police to interfere with monastic matters. The Immaculate Mother therefore used the rivalry between the police and the Gestapo to save her young Oblates.” As participants in this event testify, “the miracle was that the Gestapo arrived just in time to save us from massacre.” In the evening, before the Blessed Sacrament and the unveiled statue of Our Lady of Markowice, the Oblates expressed prayers of gratitude for the miraculous rescue. Alfons, a participant in these events, carried this grace from the Immaculate Mother deeply in his heart. The Oblates returned the favour to Our Lady by protecting the miraculous figure from being transported to Germany.
On May 2, 1940, Alfons wrote his last letter to his mother and siblings before being deported to the camp (the original is enclosed in the documents). The letter is flooded with words of consolation, as her husband and father of Alfons passed away in the Buchenwald concentration camp on March 13, 1940. Two days later, on May 4, he added: “in half an hour we are leaving for work by car. To where? I do not know.” Bl. Fr. Józef Cebula OMI, before mailing the letter, added a note on the side: “Alfons is not here anymore. On Saturday, he left with others for work in Germany.” The desires of the young novice literally began to be fulfilled: “Jesus, I want to suffer for you, suffer through my whole life. Jesus, I want to continue to smile through my tears for you” (20. 11. 1937).
Szczeglin
On Saturday, May 4, 1940, he was deported by the Gestapo along with 15 novices and scholastics. These are novices: Adamczyk Józef, Janski Ludwik, Kotlenga Edmund, Kowalkowski Stanislaw, Kubsz Józef, Maksymiuk Józef, Mroczyk Henryk, Pielorz Józef, Rozynek Józef, Siwczyk Konrad, Spalek Karol, Szamocki Jan, and scholastics: Frala Mieczyslaw, Kaczmarczyk Alfons, Kurda Pawel, and Mańka Alfons. In Gunsen, the following died: Frala, Janski, Szamocki, and Mańka. Four others were released after a few months, but they were immediately taken into the German army. The remaining were liberated after 5 years on May 5, 1945, by American troops.
On their way from Markowice, in a hidden truck, the men were transported to the transit camp in Sczeglin near Mogilno. During the initial “military drill”, Alfons is beaten so cruelly that he can barely move.
This is how an eyewitness, Frater Józef Maksymiuk remembers these events: “Szczeglin – I stop here, because the terrible image of suffering that comes up before my eyes. The first stop after we were deported from Markowice was a terrible transit camp in Szczeglin, near Mogilno. It was there that I got the biggest beating, when immediately after arrival, we were chased across the square, breaking freshly cut sticks across our necks. I thought that I would depart my young life at this time at the hands of these drunk men with these sticks, so I recalled the act of contrition and prepared myself for death. I lacked the strength to get up and fall down again, and my body was so tight that I stopped feeling every individual time that I was hit by these beastly, enraged henchmen. Then the whistle blew, announcing the end of the murderous exercises. They chased us to the stable. I drew my last strength to drag myself to the horses’ stalls. And such, I enter the building. I look at the stable yard. Oh, the horror! Frater Mańka is laying on the ground, helpless and unconscious, and three fat henchmen are jumping on him. When they satisfied themselves, they told him to run to the stable, but he could not move. Then two fraters, who were a little bit better off, jumped to his aid, took him under their arms and dragged him to the stable.
After some time, Frater Mańka came to consciousness, but could not sleep all night long, only the deaf groans from his chest bode ill news about his health.”
Dachau
After three days, together with the others, he is transported in cattle cars to the concentration camp in Dachau. He stayed in Dachau from May 9 to August 2, and received camp number 9348. Here, everyone has a three-month quarantine period, that is, a preparation for camp life. One of Alfons’ letters from this time period survives, sent from the camp and addressed to his family, dated June 14 1940.
Mauthausen – Gusen
On August 2, 1940, he sets out on his last journey. With 1500 other prisoners, he is deported to the concentration camp of Mauthausen – Gusen, referred to as “hell on earth”. It was a camp classified by the Germans as Group III, the most extreme classification. Scholastic Alfons Mańka was assigned camp number 6665. How poignant are the words of Alfons written from this perspective, in his Diary: “Jesus, I love You and I want to love You madly. I want to become a saint. Let it cost me everything… with Jesus, everything is possible… if others could do it, why not me?” (27.11.1937).
He sends two letters home from Gusen. The first one is dated September 22, 1940, and the second is dated December 5, 1940. The next year, on April 18, 1941, after the death of Alfons, his teacher, superior, and novice master Blessed Józef Cebula ends up at the same place, who will also die a martyr’s death on May 9, 1941. Fr. Józef Cebula OMI was beatified by St. John Paul II on June 13, 1999 in Warsaw in the group of 108 martyrs of World War II.
Here are the memoirs of fellow prisoner frater Józef Maksymiuk: “Here, I often carried rocks with Frater Mańka, but when I was moved to processing the stones, our meetings became rare. Our last meeting is deeply embedded in my memory. It was the third Sunday of Advent, when several of our fraters came to my block where, under the leadership of Frater Mańka, we recited the texts of the Holy Mass. Then, Frater Mańka spoke to us about agreeing with God’s will, which lifted our spirits and added to our hope of surviving the camp.”
Alfons wrote, during his time at the novitiate, that first of all, we must do God’s will. “I want to stick to this principle in my life” (November 30, 1937). He wrote, again as a novice, “I renounce all comforts, pleasures and try to subordinate my life completely to God’s will… to gain virtues and to form in me good habits, a habit for doing good” (3. 12. 1937).
In poor health, and exhausted by hard work in the quarry, Alfons grows extremely weak. Back during his time in the monastery, he wrote “Only live for Him (Jesus), to suffer for him is my desire” (29. 11. 1937). Thanks to the secretary of the block, he gets transferred to the camp hospital, and the nurses care for him with great compassion. They tried to save him by giving him more food. But all treatments proved to be futile. The exhausted prisoner never regained his strength. Sensing his impending death, Alfons prayed unceasingly and made his confession to a priest who lay sick next to him. His pure soul departed to God on January 22, 1941, at the age of 23, in his second year of professed religious life. He confirmed the words he wrote three years earlier: “Jesus carries His cross before me, so I have to carry it with Jesus… day and night… until the last hour of my life, give my soul to God on the cross.” (February 2, 1937).
And here again is the report from camp of Frater Józef Maksymiuk: “Then, emboldened by my calmness, he [Frater Rozynek] said in a low voice: Frater Alfons Mańka died in the camp hospital. For a moment, there was silence, because in fact, the death of the oldest confrere had a deeply depressing impression on me. Soon, however, after blowing off my own misery, I began to inquire about the details of his death. As you know, began Frater Rozynek, already at Christmas of 1940, Frater Mańka was completely weakened by the physical labour in the quarries, and above all by hunger. One day, he was carried home from work completely weakened, and the secretary of the barrack ordered him to report to the camp doctor. With his peace and gentleness, he became a favourite of the nurses, so that they often gave him a second helping of soup. But his strength was too far gone for him to regain it by eating rutabaga or beets and a piece of bread. That is why he slowly died day by day, like a flower without water, waiting for release from the hands of his death – a death he so desired. The nurse could not be more amazed that a complaint never arose on his lips, that sadness never blurred his face, and that his eyes constantly searched for heaven above. He prayed constantly, and it gave him the spiritual strength to endure severe physical suffering and moments of complete loneliness. God graciously did not leave him at the hour of his death, because on the last day of his life, he had a rare opportunity here in Gusen to go to confession before death. For just two beds away from him lay a sick Catholic priest, who, at the nod of Frater Mańka came over, heard his confession, and prepared him for his path to eternity. The sacrament of the last anointing and his final sacrament of the Eucharist were substituted by an extreme longing. Happy, however, that he could cleanse his soul in the sacrament of reconciliation, he prayed until the evening and with a prayer on his lips he surrendered his pure soul to God. Those are the details – concluded Rozynek – which one of the nurses, my friend, relayed to me.”
The aforementioned Frater Józef Rozynek had a good relationship with the director of the crematorium and obtained permission from him to perform prayers for the deceased. A few of the seminarians gathered at the crematorium, and among hundreds of bodies, found the body of Alfons Mańka.
Eyewitness Frater Maksymiuk continues from his previous report: “And now, I must tell you a secret: here he [Frater Rozynek] lowers his voice and begins to whisper in my ear – you see, I have a friend who is in charge of the mortuary. There are about a hundred corpses there, and today, the body of Frater Mańka was brought there (It should be noted here, that there was no crematorium in Gusen, and most corpses were transported to Mauthausen, 4 kilometres away.) I asked him to let us see him and pray over his corpse. He was hesitant at first, but he gave into my insistent pleas, especially since it was dark and nobody would see us. We agreed that after the first bell of nightfall, the mortuary director will open the door and wait in front of the barracks, while we file into the crematorium one at a time, unnoticed. There, we can illuminate the room and we can find our confrere. Rozynek started to leave and added ‘I am going to inform the rest of the Oblates, and remember, the first bell.’
Rozynek left, and I began to recollect my time getting to know Frater Mańka, and various times I spent with him in my life… Lubliniec, Markowice, work on the German estate, travel to the unknown… Everyone was slowly returning to the barracks, and I slipped into the street and ran towards the mortuary. The evening was so dark, so I could not see anyone, only the silent whisper of Rozynek let me know that I could go inside. I was the last one so right after me, the mortuary director came inside, locked the door and turned the light on. There, I saw six fraters gathered in the vestibule. Two of them went inside and brought out a coffin, that looked similar to a crate, with Frater Mańka’s remains. A strange feeling enveloped me, surrounded by hundreds of corpses. A chill passed down my spine and I would have escaped if I was there alone. They moved the coffin into the vestibule and we knelt in a circle to pray for his soul, and in this way, give him his last rites. Fr. Mańka’s body, or rather, his frail skeleton covered only skin, was in a coffin without a lid. The traces of hunger could be seen in all of the parts of his tiny figure. In spite of his miserable appearance, however, a certain calm was on his face, and a barely perceptible smile was frozen on his pale lips. Traces of silent martyrdom seemed to say to us that this body once housed the pure soul of a real, true Oblate.”
This relation is complemented by that of Frater Józef Pielorz, also a fellow prisoner of the same camp, cited Frater Maksymiuk saying “a coffin with the body of Alfons Mańka was set down. He was lying naked, just as he came into the world. Weary bones, covered with pale skin, but a serene face. We knelt down and with our prayers pouring from our broken hearts, we gave him our best Christian service. Slowly, quietly, as it was late in the evening, we snuck back to our barracks.”
The body of Scholastic Alfons Mańka was burnt on January 28, 1941, in the crematorium of the Gusen camp, the day it first opened. Just as he wished three years ago, in his writings: “Jesus, here is the sacrifice of Your love as a burnt offering for the sins of the world, so send down the fire of Your love that it may consume it” (22. 1. 1938). Did he suspect that God would literally fulfill the request of the young novice, so in love with God?
“He died with sanctity, just as he lived. Weakened by hunger, amid beatings and torments, without uttering a single complaint. His prayer was uninterrupted. He was always focused. We saw him after his death. He was a skeleton with an angelic expression.” (Gość z Obry, nr 3, 1945, Stanisław Kowalkowski nowicjusz).
“When his family received his belongings from Markowice, they found a card with the inscription: ‘I will be faithful to God until death!’ (8). Indeed, Frater Alfons Mańka remained faithful to God until his martyr’s death. In addition to Fr. Józef Cebula OMI, who has already been beatified on June 13, 1999, Frater Alfons could be worthily declared by the Polish province of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate as a second candidate for sainthood.” In this way, Fr. Józef Pielorz, fellow camp prisoner, concluded his account of the life and death of the late Alfons Mańka.
God does not let us forget the figure of this “Little Martyr”. God’s weaving of events forces us in the present day to live with a real reverence for and friendship with Alfons Mańka, of whom it can be said (just like it was said about St. Stanislaus Kostka): “small in stature but great in spirit”. Pope Francis encourages youth of today to “not be afraid to have a dream.” Their peer Alfons Mańka had a dream to become a saint. How great our joy would therefore be to see him among the blessed and saints. And we, seeing his good deeds, praise the Father who is in heaven.
Opinion on the Sanctity of the Life and Martyrdom
of Scholastic Alfons Mańka OMI
The goal of Christian life is sanctity. God said: “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.” (Leviticus 11: 44). A Christian seeks holiness in the community of the Church, to which they were initiated by baptism. In the Church, “by the grace of God we acquire holiness.” (CCC no. 824). People that cooperate with the graces of God leave behind the testimonies of their lives. This testimony becomes most noticeable in the case of a martyr’s death.
A Christian martyr, a witness, from the very beginning of the Church’s existence was a clear sign of living like Christ. “We know that the first three centuries after Christ were marked by terrible persecution, especially during the reign of certain Roman emperors, from Nero do Diocletian… the twentieth century also saw great martyrdom… how many were martyred during World War II… They suffered and gave their lives in Nazi or Soviet camps. Now is the time to remind the world of their sacrifices and pay them due honour. ‘And these are often unknown martyrs, as if unknown soldiers of God’s great cause’. I wrote these words in the Apostolic Letter Tertio millennio adveniente (no. 37). And it is good that they are spoken about on Polish soil, because this land has had a unique share in this great modern martyrology.” (Homily during Holy Mass in Bydgoszcz, June 7, 1999, taken from the book “Żywe słowo do Polaków” by St. John Paul II, p. 271 and 445).
Among these martyrs we meet the scholastic Alfons Mańka, an Oblate of Mary Immaculate, who died for Christ at the age of 23 in the concentration camp of Mauthausen – Gusen. His earthly path of unity with Christ ended on January 22, 1941. Through each of the individual stages of his short life, we clearly see Alfons’ spiritual development. He prepared himself consciously and in freedom of spirit for full unity with Jesus. The secrets of his soul are revealed in the diary he kept, from his novitiate and his first year as a scholastic. They depict his heroic battle for self-improvement, with a goal clearly set: “I want to be a saint, a saint for Jesus, a burnt offering for His love, that is my only desire” (Diary page 41, January 17 1938). Becoming increasingly more ready to receive the grace of martyrdom, he wrote: “I have left my parental home, my relatives and my friends, in order to imitate Jesus, and to follow him. Therefore I cannot simply fold my hands and rest comfortably here at the monastery, for Jesus carries the cross before me, so I must take up the cross and carry it with Jesus, carry it day and night, and not set it down even for just a moment, so that I can give my soul to God on the cross in the last hours of my life” (p. 34, December 2 1937).
The model of martyrdom is Jesus Christ himself, who, in union with the Father, accepts His death on the Cross and forgives his persecutors.
Alfons Mańka freely accepts his difficult experiences and suffering in the concentration camp. Physically, he becomes a slave, but spiritually, he is absolutely free. He aligned his will with the will of God. He spoke about this to his confreres on the third Sunday of Advent in 1940, as related by Fr. Jerzy Maksymiuk: ““Here [in Gusen], I often carried rocks with Frater Mańka, but when I was moved to processing the stones, our meetings became rare. Our last meeting is deeply embedded in my memory. It was the third Sunday of Advent, when several of our fraters came to my block where, under the leadership of Frater Mańka, we recited the texts of the Holy Mass. Then, Frater Mańka spoke to us about agreeing with God’s will, which lifted our spirits and added to our hope of surviving the camp.” (Memoirs from Gusen, Fr. Józef Maksymiuk OMI, Obra, February 28 1948).
In suffering and in death, Alfons does not threaten anyone, despair, or seek revenge. He does not even complain about his fate. Instead, he prayerfully accepts the path of martyrdom and unites himself with God. “The nurse could not be more amazed that a complaint never arose on his lips, that sadness never blurred his face, and that his eyes constantly searched for heaven above. He prayed constantly, and it gave him the spiritual strength to endure severe physical suffering and moments of complete loneliness.” (Memoirs from Gusen, Fr. Józef Maksymiuk OMI, Obra, February 28 1948). Evidence of his union with God is the grace Alfons received in the sacrament of reconciliation on his dying day. “God graciously did not leave him at the hour of his death, because on the last day of his life, he had a rare opportunity here in Gusen to go to confession before death. For just two beds away from him lay a sick Catholic priest, who, at the nod of Frater Mańka came over, heard his confession, and prepared him for his path to eternity. The sacrament of the last anointing and his final sacrament of the Eucharist were substituted by an extreme longing. Happy, however, that he could cleanse his soul in the sacrament of reconciliation, he prayed until the evening and with a prayer on his lips he surrendered his pure soul to God. Those are the details – concluded Rozynek – which one of the nurses, my friend, relayed to me.” (Memoirs from Gusen, Fr. Józef Maksymiuk OMI, Obra, February 28 1948). A beautiful testimony about him is published in the Oblate seminary’s magazine, called Gość z Obry: “He died with sanctity, just as he lived. Weakened by hunger, amid beatings and torments, without uttering a single complaint. His prayer was uninterrupted. He was always focused. We saw him after his death. He was a skeleton with an angelic expression.” (Gość z Obry, 1954, no. 3). The slow death amid the agonies of the camp became for Alfons a path of voluntary death, for faith in Christ (see Benedict XIV “De Servorum Dei beatificatione et Beatorum canonizatione”)
Persistent and patient in working on himself during his time at the monastery, he remained as such through the gehenna of the camp. Faithful and courageous until death. He confirmed the words he had written on a scrap of paper found among his personal effects: “I will be faithful to God until death.” (Fr. Józef Pielorz OMI, Martyrologium Polskich Oblatów [The Martyrology of Polish Oblates] 1939 – 1945, p. 119). He patiently endured his suffering, beginning with imprisonment in Markowice, through cruel beatings in the camp in Szczeglin, and nine months on the via crucis that was the concentration camp. He showed dignity, and bravery. He uplifted others, despite and through his own suffering, just as Jesus did when carrying his cross and comforting others. He sought comfort and strength in God alone. Young in age, but mature spiritually. He was proved as “gold in the furnace” (Wisdom 3:6).
His persecutors were people serving Hitler’s ideology and the Nazi regime. Alfons Mańka was arrested as a Christian belonging to the Roman Catholic faith. A friar, who belonged to the congregation of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, sentenced during the Nazi occupation in 1940 to the most intense concentration camp (Category III), Mauthausen – Gusen. The perpetrators assumed right away that all of the prisoners assigned to them were to be exterminated. Alfons Mańka was first deported from the monastery in Markowice (which was under Gestapo house arrest) and sent to the transit camp in Szczeglin near Mogilno, where other Catholic scholastics and seminarians were imprisoned. After a few days, he was transported to Dachau camp, in Germany. Here, he underwent a three-month quarantine, an adaptation process for being a prisoner in a concentration camp. Finally, he was sent to Austria, to the camp Mauthausen – Gusen, referred to as “hell on earth”. Alfons was assigned to the murderous work of carrying large stones on his back from the quarry. The prisoners, laden with the weight of the rocks, had to climb 144 uneven steps. According to eyewitnesses, many of them committed suicide, pushed to both their physical and mental limits. Alfons persevered until the very end. Confirmation of Alfons’ death in the concentration camp exists in the form of his death certificate. His body was burnt on the first day the crematorium was open in the Gusen camp.
Description of the Camp
“The concentration camp located in Mauthausen, located 130km west of Vienna and 20 km east of Linz, was opened in August 1938 after the Nazi’s occupied of Austria. It belonged to Category III, that is, to the harshest of all camps. By the end of the war, it had 49 sub-camps, the largest of which was Gusen I. Over 200,000 prisoners passed through this camp. Half of them died there. Cruel conditions, constant hunger, work beyond physical means, and sadistic mistreatment of prisoners meant that people dropped like flies after just a few days in the camp. Only the strongest and most resilient survived for multiple months. Most of the 45,000 Poles deported there died.
The camp consisted of 20 barracks (each 52 x 8 metres) called blocks. Each block was divided into two rooms, called A and B. There were sinks and lavatories between the two rooms. Each room was further divided into two parts. In the first (13 x 8 m) stood two-storied bunk beds, and the second (10 x 8 m) was a living room for the prisoners. But because management had their own rooms in this section, not much space was left for regular prisoners. Initially intended for 5000 prisoners, the camp at Mauthausen sometimes had to find space for over 10000. At the head of the block was the leader, the “Blockaltester”, and the “Stubenaltester” was in charge of the rooms. Together with the block manager, they made up the leadership team here. They were typically chosen from amongst the worst category of prisoners: the criminals, burglars, thieves, etc. From the S.S. arm of management, the block was directed by the “Blockfuhrer”, who was the master of life and death at the blocks, even over the Blockaltesters. The entire camp, on a prisoner-level, was directed by the camp elder (Lageraltester) and on the S.S.-level, the “Lagerfuhrer”. The highest power was held by the commandant of the camp. He was in charge of the mother camp, Matuhausen, as well as all of its sub-camps.
(…) The commander was S.S. Standartenfuhrer, (Col.) Franz Ziereis, born August 13, 1905, and appointed Commander of Mauthausen on February 17, 1939, and remained at that post until the end. He was shot trying to escape the camp, and died on May 25, 1945. His right hand was Schutzhaftlagerfuhrer S.S. Haupststurmfuhrer (Capt.) Georg Bachmayer, born on August 12 1913. He was the camp leader from March 1940 until its liberation. After leaving the camp on May 9, 1945, he went home and shot his children and wife, and then himself. All of the prisoners were afraid of him, because he was the one abusing the victims in sadistic ways.
(…) The camp at Mauthausen became a grim stronghold of the martyrdom and death of thousands of innocent victims. Those who worked at the Wiener Graben Quarry had to climb 144 uneven stairs on their way home in the evenings, called the “staircase of death” (Todesstiege), which only in 1942 were converted into 166 more even steps. The unlucky prisoners had to perform this extraordinarily hard work all day long. Many of them threw themselves down into the quarry from the staircase in despair, dying on the spot, while others perished from exhaustion on the staircase itself. Only a small handful could survive this torment.” (Józef Pielorz OMI, “Błogosławiony Józef Cebula OMI (1902 – 1941) Wychowawca młodzieży i męczennik za postawę kapłańską: Biografia błogosławionego oraz jego pisma i zeznania świadków [Bl. Józef Cebula OMI (1902 – 1941), Teacher of youth and martyr for his priestly attitude: a biography of the blessed as well as his writings and testimonies of witnesses]”. Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Poznań 2005, p. 92nn).
When preparing an opinion on the sanctity and martyrdom of Alfons Mańka, we must distinguish two stages of his life. In the first one, from birth to imprisonment (1917 to 1939), he appears to us as an apostle or believer. In the second phase, from imprisonment to death (1939 to 1941), Alfons reveals himself as a martyr. It is clear that the first stage was preparation for the next one. Alfons was working on himself. He matures in cooperation with the grace of God. He keeps his “Spiritual Diary”. He fights with his faults and develops his virtues, persistently and systematically. He is guided by Oblate educators, among them, Blessed Fr. Józef Cebula OMI. “In the notes from July 7, 1938, prepared for the occasion of the novices’ first vows, we read that Alfons was tactful and pleasant in his relations with his confreres, and shone brightly as an exemplary novice. Therefore, he was unanimously admitted to the first vows.” (Fr. Józef Pielorz OMI, Martyrologium Polskich Oblatów 1939 – 1945 [the Martyrology of Polish Oblates], p. 119).
He befriends the Saints: St. Therese of the Child Jesus, St. Alphonso Liguori, St. Eugene de Mazenod. In the novitiate, he set a clear goal: “I want to become a saint. Let it cost me everything…” (Diary, November 27 1937, p. 32). “Self-improvement aims exactly to this, to become more human, more Christian, to discover and develop talents received from the Creator and to realize our individual potential for holiness” (Homily of St. John Paul II during the liturgy of the Word addressed to the youth gathered at Mickiewicz Square, Poznan on June 3, 1997, p. 252/409).
And thus, with all of this preparation, God puts him on the path to martyrdom. Because “God does not choose those who are prepared, but prepares those who are chosen”. Alfons does not run away from his cross, but instead allows it to strengthen him in the virtue of bravery. “My model is Christ, who carries the cross ahead of me” (from the Diary).
Childhood in Lisowice (1917 – 1934). Alfons’ parents gave him his faith and a Christian upbringing. His relatives noticed that he liked spending time alone in his room, praying on his knees. It illustrates his relationship with Jesus from a young age. He learned his prayers from his parents, attending Mass with them and praying the Rosary together. His parents took him on pilgrimages to Marian sanctuaries in Częstochowa and Piekary Śląskie. He went with them eagerly. “A marriage and a family, in which mutual relations are deepened on the basis of the love of Christ, is a true community of life and love.” (Homily of St. John Paul II during the Mass celebrated in front of the St. Joseph Shrine, Kalisz, June 4 1997, p. 255/414).
His proper attitude, full of love, respect, warmth, and maturity, is demonstrated in his letters written to his family from Markowice as well as from the concentration camps.
In this sensitive young man, we find the mature posture of a faithful Christian, who confronts separation, suffering and impending death. His family honoured him deeply, seeing him as a very spiritual person. That was amplified further after his martyrdom. His heartbroken mom Karolina forbade the family to discuss these painful experiences. Her husband was also tortured and killed in the Buchenwald camp. Alfons’ memorabilia was kept with great reverence, especially his notebook, his “Spiritual Diary”. It was, for many years, a form of spiritual reading for the whole family. This is undoubtedly the testimony of Alfons’ lasting memory and a spiritual fruit from his personal friendship with Jesus. Alfons’ nephew, Marian Mańka, felt the need to publish this text and make it available to other people. This spontaneous decision gave fruit to the publication we have today titled “Dzienniczek duchowy. Recapitulactio diei [Spiritual Diary. Recapitulactio diei]”.
The memory of the holy life of Alfons survives today, despite his mother’s legitimate order to prohibit discussion of the camps. It was, for her, the secret of a wounded mother’s heart, which she never discussed again. But Alfons’ memory lives on today, and spreads despite the passage of time, in his parish, in the Polish province of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate… and through radio programs and press articles that reach an even wider audience. In 2001, Scholastic Alfons Mańka OMI was nominated by the Polish province of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate as a candidate for the sainthood, to be included in the second group of martyrs of World War II. These facts also prove that Alfons Mańka enjoys uninterrupted and widespread popularity among a wide group of believers, including both lay and religious peoples. Shortly before his death, Fr. Alfons Kupka OMI, former Provincial, made a touching confession when asked about Scholastic Alfons Mańka by decidedly and succinctly stating “he died as a holy man”.
Alfons Mańka valued his childhood, spent in the family home. In the novitiate, he certainly must have missed his parents, siblings, and home. But he maturely was able to distance himself from those feelings. In the novitiate on January 11, 1938, he wrote: “In my imagination, I still see images of quiet life in the countryside, of youth… idyllic pictures, where a man traces and chasse the clouds with his eyes, seemingly encouraging me and tempting me back to this life, but in my ears I still hear the words, and God willing, will continue to hear them, of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez: ‘whoever does not walk in virtue goes backwards’ (Diary, p. 39, January 11 1938, quote taken from Fr. Alphonsus Rodriguez SJ “The Practice of Christian and Religious Perfection).
The years spent in the Lower Seminary in Lubliniec, where his superior and educator was Bl. Józef Cebula OMI, priest and martyr, were very important for his spiritual development. Here, he decided to enter the novitiate. “Who among us did not have in life and does not mention in gratitude such a man: priest, teacher, professor, friend, who knew how to reveal a new world of values and bestow lasting enthusiasm, even giving us direction to a completely new course in life?” (St. John Paul II, Address to catechists, teachers and pupils, Wloclawek, June 6 1991, pp. 198/315). Bl. Józef Cebula then became the Novice Master in Markowice.
We have the most information about Alfons’ spiritual development from this very period, for it was in the novitiate that he started to keep a diary and to write down his spiritual experiences. A novice who wants to become a saint, working with God’s grace, emerges from these texts. He reveals his soul to God, along with its imperfections and his joys of monastic life. He writes down his short prayers, and all of the efforts he makes to improve himself. This is illustrated best in the words of St. John Paul II: “The work on myself, to which I refer, is the most personal cooperation with Jesus Christ, on the likeness of the work that was done in the hearts of the Apostles chosen by Him, when He called them to be close to Him. You must think of yourselves as Disciples of Christ. Christ still has disciples, if we listen to His word, if we consider it, if we reach into our hearts, if we open it up to Him, if we form with Him persistently and patiently a new person within us. It sometimes even does not hurt to be angry with yourself. This is better than if you were to recklessly live out your youth and lose the great treasure, that you carry within yourself – the unique treasure that is yourself – each and every one of you.” (Homily of St. John Paul II during Mass celebrated for alumni, religious youth, and liturgical servers, Czestochowa, June 6 1979) (p. 36/46).
It should be noted that Alfons Mańka did not become a zealous Novice overnight, but instead that this was a result of his earlier work on himself already in the Juniorate and even in his childhood. The perseverance and consistency of the novice would come to fruition as bravery in martyrdom. He himself defined his vocational path: “I came to the monastery to become a saint, and I desire it with all my heart” (Diary p. 16, October 2 1937).
Described by his superiors as a model Novice, he made his first religious vows as an Oblate of Mary Immaculate – offering his life to Mary Immaculate. Thus the religious vows in the congregation are often referred to as “oblation”. Reading the text of his diary, we see that he was a bit embarrassed that he was so young but so mature in his vocation. St. John Paul II asks: “Is the purpose of the Saints to make us feel ashamed of ourselves? Yes, they might even serve such a purpose… so that we can examine ourselves and discover a proper hierarchy of values.” (Homily during the beatification Mass of Karolina Kózkówna, Tarnów, June 10 1987, pp. 113/174). In Alfons, we see that he has figured out the right hierarchy of values. “To strive for holiness, for perfection, is a constant fight, a fight with myself, a fight with the whole world. I renounce all comforts, pleasures, and try to subordinate my life completely to God’s will… to acquire virtues and create in me good habits, a habit for doing good” (Diary p. 25, December 3 1937).
The noviciate in Markowice was located in what was once a Carmelite monastery, in which a miraculous statue of the Mother of God is venerated. This bond with Mary is an important foundation on Alfons’ path to holiness. To be an Oblate is to be consecrated to Mary Immaculate. Alfons takes Mary as his own Mother. “I am particularly happy that the Mother of God is also my mother, because after leaving my biological mother, I chose Mary as my Mother, in my religious life.” (Diary p. 60, May 15 1938). He concludes many of his entries with the words “Ave Maria”. The bond between the young man and Mary is illustrated in the words of St. John Paul II: “dear young people, this is the task that Mary leaves for you: to grow as people, to develop appropriate talents for the body and soul, grow as Christians in the pursuit of holiness, and to grow as witnesses of Christ who is the ‘light of the world’”.
“Mary also shows you the road you must take for this development, and that path is Jesus Christ. It is a steep, narrow, and difficult road. However, whoever chooses to continue down this road according to the guidelines of the Gospel, will find that this is the path that leads to true joy (…) Be demanding of the world around you, but most of all, be demanding of yourselves (…) Christ is calling you to great things.” (Parting speech to the young people, Czestochowa, August 15 1991) (pp. 226/365).
Imprisonment 1939 – 1940
“The believer who has seriously pondered his Christian vocation, including what Revelation has to say about the possibility of martyrdom, cannot exclude it from his own life’s horizon.” (St. John Paul II, Incarnationis mysterium, 13) (p. 272/446).
The outbreak of war interrupts the seminary formation of Alfons. At the same time, Alfons enters a new stage of his path to holiness. What he wrote in his diary as a novice begins to manifest as a real form of witness through martyrdom. An article quoting the words of Alfons, “I want to become a saint, let it cost me everything”, is located in the press, titled “God treated this challenge too literally” (Teresa Semik, Dziennik Zachodni July 8-9 2017). Even just the house arrest in Markowice and the hard work on German farms required the sensitive young man to act courageously while accepting his suffering for the sake of Jesus. The refusal to destroy the roadside statues of Mary was, for him, an internal agreement for the severe beatings, and even death, to come. At the same time, this was an act of absolute trust in God through Mary Immaculate, who spared her Oblates on that day. It became known as the “miracle of the Immaculate”. Alfons still thought about priesthood, and during his time of house arrest, he continued his studies. Not only does he continually work on himself, he demonstrates that he has an attitude of a persevering witness for Christ, despite increasing repression.
The Concentration Camps 1940 – 1941
Many people went through the path of suffering to death in concentration camps. They suffered cruelly, and innocently. However, it can be said with certainty that Alfons Mańka suffered with Christ, and for Christ. In order to understand and properly interpret his nine-month stay in the camps, which ended in his death, one must look at Alfons Mańka through the lens of his personal diary. His further cooperation with God’s grace creates in him a “new man”, one who, with trusting faith, lays everything down as an offering for God through Immaculate Mary – an Oblate of (and offered up to) Mary Immaculate. His stay in the camp was for him the fulfillment of the will of God.
The destructive acts of backbreaking work in the quarries, hunger, and constant beating were all focused on dehumanizing the prisoners. It was not one isolated act of aggression, rapid and short-lived, but instead a long process of anguish and hopelessness that ended with a senseless death. Alfons never gives into hopelessness, instead he grows more closely to Christ who suffered for our sins and is elevated to new heights of holiness. Alfons Mańka consciously chooses this path. “Martyrdom is always an enormous and radical test of man. It is the highest test of humanity, a test of human dignity in the face of God Himself. Yes, it is a great trial of man happening before the very eyes of God, but also before a world that has forgotten about God. In this test, man comes out victorious, supported by the power of God, and becomes an eloquent witness to this power.” (St. John Paul II, homily during the Mass in Bydgoszcz, June 7 1999) (p. 272/447). Without a complaint, without vengeance, focused, praying – this is the portrait of a faithful witness of Jesus Christ.
God has given us a few signs that Alfons is His beloved child. On the last day of his life, he received the grace of his last Confession, which was usually impossible at the camp. A sign given to us so that we would have no doubt that Alfons left the world with a pure soul. After his death, his body was not desecrated, but the confreres could pray at his coffin found in the camp’s mortuary, among hundreds of other bodies. This was another situation that was unheard of in the camp, that the tormented body of a prisoner could be surrounded by praying mourners. As eyewitnesses say, it looked like he had just been born, and his face was cast with an angelic peace. Are these not signs of holiness? Indeed, his process can be compared to a re-birth, since he spent nine months at the camp maturing to his re-birth in heaven, just as a child spends nine months in their mother’s womb. He wanted to be a burnt offering for the Lord. In Alfons’ case, burning his body in the camp crematorium was not simply an act of disposing of yet another body, but instead, a sacred act, a form of “burnt offering”. In his diary, on January 22, 1938 he wrote: “Jesus, here is the sacrifice of Your love as a burnt offering for the sins of the world, so send down the fire of Your love that it may consume it”
“They all testified their faithfulness to Christ despite their terrible suffering (…) Let us persist in unity with them. Let us thank God, that they have gone through hardships in a victorious way: ‘As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself’ (Wisdom 3:6). They are a model for us to follow, and from their blood we should draw the power to make everyday sacrifices.” (St. John Paul II, homily during the Mass in Bydgoszcz, June 7 1999) (p. 271/445).
After death
All those who experience the tragic suffering of the Second World War carried deep wounds throughout their whole lives. The memory of these atrocities was buried deep down into their hearts. And those who were born after the war did not have the courage to ask them directly about the wounds they had suffered. Alfons’ mother made the significant decision, having lost both Alfons and her husband to concentration camps, to forbid any discussion of the camps in their home. As her neighbours from Lisowice testified, after receiving the news of the death of her son Alfons, her hair quickly turned gray. These were experiences that would forever remain at the bottom of the heart of a mother, living with the pain. Therefore you could not just discuss this topic with her. The family respected her decision. At the same time, we receive a new sign from God: the miracle that Alfons’ notes from the novitiate and seminary were preserved. From Markowice in the Kujawy region, they end up safely at his family home in Lisowice in the Silesian region, despite the turmoil of war. Among his personal effects is a handwritten note that reads: “I will be faithful to God until death”.
Alfons’ notes fill up seven notebooks. After receiving them, his family did not hide them in a drawer but instead they read them and studied them. It can be said that they became a form of spiritual development and reading for the family. They were safely guarded so that they would not be damaged or destroyed. Today, the third generation of his family is using these notebooks. The continuity of living memory of Alfons’ life is preserved. Alfons’ nephew, Marian Mańka, stated that he felt an internal compulsion or urge to publish the diary. At the same time, Fr. Józef Pielorz OMI, a confrere and fellow prisoner of Alfons, was using the diary to prepare Alfons’ biography. Today, we have access to the book, titled “Dzienniczek duchowy [Spiritual Diary] Recapitulactio diei. Alfons Mańka OMI (1917 -1941).” The book was published in Lubliniec by the Wydawnictwo św. Macieja Apostoła [St. Maciej the Apostle Publishing House] in 2017, one hundred years after Alfons’ birth. This was a spontaneous initiative, and the publisher includes the following motivating factors in the introduction: “on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the parish and the 200th anniversary of the existence of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.” Thus, these other jubilees spontaneously contributed to the publication of Mańka’s diary. This demonstrates also the continuous memory of this extraordinary boy from Lisowice. Not only within his family, but his pastor Fr. Rafal Wyleżoł remembers his parishioner. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Alfons Mańka’s birth, a tree was planted next to the church and a commemorative stone was placed there. The parish priest even wanted to publish pamphlets to commemorate Alfons, with a prayer for his beatification. He asked the Polish Provincial of the Oblates for a nihil obstat, which he was denied on formality. In Lisowice, a solemn Mass was celebrated on the 100th anniversary of Alfons Mańka’s birth. The Mass was presided over by Fr. Rafal Wyleżoł, and concelebrated by Fr. Waldemar Janecki OMI, pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish in Lubliniec, and Fr. Lucjan Osiecki OMI, superior of the Oblate community in Lubliniec, who delivered the homily. The church was filled to the brim with faithful gathered for this occasion.
To conclude, let us once more let our candidate speak for himself. Let us be led by Fr. Jozef Pielorz, confrere and fellow prisoner of Alfons Mańka:
“To understand this ruthless pursuit of holiness, his joy, his anxieties, his moments of mystical elation and moments of aridity, and even moments of failure, we will quote the most important fragments from his Spiritual Diary, in chronological order.
“I came to the monastery to become a saint, and I desire it with all of my heart (October 2, 1937)”.
Two days later a “desolation took hold of [him]”, but the next day, he was overcome by zeal. He chooses “the path of denying [himself] for Jesus, and getting rid of everything for him (10. 10).
He experiences great happiness in communion with God: “In the morning I felt the heat of love burning inside me, but during the day, sometimes the love cooled down and human nature took over… I always want to fight for total sanctification (24. 10)”
Sometimes, he feels close to Jesus:
“Today, Jesus let me know how sweet it is to kneel at His feet in the chapel. It is so lovely to look at the tabernacle with the feeling that Jesus lives behind those doors (04. 11)”
“Jesus, destroy me for your love… to serve Him, to love Him. The world for me no longer holds any value, because God is everything I have and all that is mine (07 and 08. 11)”
To love Jesus completely, you need to develop the right virtues. The virtue of humility is especially important.
“The path of humility, the way of oblivion, this is the path of my life. Jesus leads me on this path (10. 11)”. “In times of desolation and discouragement, though it is difficult, we must go further because Jesus leads us on (9. 11).”
Following the model of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, he desires that “making Jesus happy is [his] joy (16. 11)”
He wants to love Jesus “madly (17. 11)”
In times of desolation, where the spiritual life can become stagnant, one must remember that “it is impossible to love God without sacrifices… real religious life should flow on from minute to minute, through moments of self-denial and self-deprivation (18. 11).” “Jesus, I want to suffer for you, suffer through my whole life. Jesus, I want to continue to smile through my tears for you (20. 11)”
“Jesus is my ideal, Jesus is my treasure, so my thoughts and my hearts are with Him (21. 11).” “Jesus I love You, and I want to love You madly (21. 11).”
The idea of holiness is always on his mind: “I want to become a saint. Let it cost me everything… with Jesus, everything is possible… if others could do it, why not me? (27. 11)”.
“The longing for Jesus and my love for Him arises in my heart more and more. The thought of Him is permeating into my heart more and more. To live for Him, to suffer for Him, that is my desire. I offered every moment, every spiritual exercise to Him (29. 11)”.
But piety is not just a feeling; above all, we must do God’s will. “I want to stick to this principle my whole life (30. 11)”.
“I have left my parental home, my relatives and my friends, in order to imitate Jesus, and to follow him. Therefore I cannot simply fold my hands and rest comfortably here at the monastery, for Jesus carries His cross before me, so I have to carry it with Jesus… day and night… until the last hour of my life, give my soul to God on the cross. (02. 12)”.
“To strive for holiness, for perfection, is a constant fight, a fight with myself, a fight with the whole world. I renounce all comforts, pleasures, and try to subordinate my life completely to God’s will… to acquire virtues and create in me good habits, a habit for doing good (03. 12)”.
So many Oblates were sanctified by scrupulously following the Oblate Rule. He wants to follow in their footsteps and “most conscientiously obey the holy Rule (January 3 1938)”.
“Only constant self-denial, constant memory of God’s presence, in which we live, constant acts of love will lead our soul to perfection (19. 01)”.
For the first time in his notes, a love for Mary Immaculate joins his love for Jesus on January 26, 1938: “Jesus, through the heart of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, I offer to your Most Holy Heart all of my thoughts, words, deeds, prayers, torments, and suffering (26. 01)”.
In suffering, torment, and temptation, he cries out to her: “O Mary, support me, O Mother of perpetual help, do not let me lose my God (18. 02)”.
But the road to perfection is lengthy, and difficult. Sometimes, “[he does] what agrees with [his] will, and not God’s will (05. 03)”.
“How much anxiety is brought on by the fact that we only want to give half of ourselves to God? (12. 03)”.
This constant tension, constant struggle so weakened him physically that from the beginning of April to the middle of May, he was placed under medical supervision. From April 1 until May 11 1938, he did not make any new diary entries.
On May 12, he writes: “for the first time, I’m starting to do regular exercises again since my treatment.” His spiritual development suffered a bit during this time of treatment.
In the month of May, dedicated to the Mother of God, his love for her, his Mother, causes him great joy (15. 05).
Starting from May 19, each entry begins with the word: “Jesus!” and from July 16, the feast of Our Lady of the Scapular, he concludes most of his notes with the greeting of Our Lady: “Ave Maria!”
“I place all of my hope in my Blessed Mother, In her hands is the fate of my life… she will not leave me, but will support and help me (May 19 and 20)”.
Prayer should be an unbroken chain in his life. Therefore, he decides to say “Ave Maria” each hour of his life; and with each striking of the clock, he plead “sweetest Heart of Jesus, make me love you more and more (31. 05)”.
But he realizes that holiness is not defined by these external acts, or long prayers, but rather “on piety and constantly walking in the presence of Jesus (June 9)”.
His novitiate is coming to an end, and he is not as eager as he hoped he would be. Sometimes, he neglects his religious exercises, and sometimes, he cannot tolerate his confreres or relate to them with patience (June 21 and 23).
How to reconcile this care for his health, recommended by the superiors, with this spirit of zeal? (July 13 and 14)” (See Fr. Jozef Pielorz, “Martyrologium Polskich Oblatow [the Martyrology of Polish Oblates] 1939 – 1945”)
He always thought about priesthood: “I want to be a priest following the example of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I want to be an Oblate with the heart of our founder, Fr. Eugene de Mazenod.”
Whoever meets Scholastic Alfons Mańka OMI, whoever reads his spiritual diary, will be filled with a desire for holiness and bravery in the face of adversity. He touches us, and at the same time, the view of a young, frail boy carrying heavy stones on his shoulders, up 144 steps of the Gusen quarry strengthens us. What an incredible similarity to Christ, carrying the cross to Golgotha. God does not let us forget about his faithful follower, Alfons Mańka OMI. We are all built up by the example of his holy life. Consecrated and devoted to Mary Immaculate. Intercede for us.