Professor Jan Nota, who was greatly attached to Edith Stein, wrote after her death:
“She is a witness to God's presence in a world where God is absent.”
Stein was beatified as a martyr on May 1, 1987, in Cologne, Germany by Pope John Paul II and then canonized by him 11 years later on October 11, 1998.
She is seen by Catholics as a symbol of solidarity with all Jews especially those who were murdered by the Nazis. A friend who recently visited Auschwitz told me that her response to the place was the overwhelming silence. A reverential silence shared by all humanity by condemning such atrocities.
Her martyrdom is of course what most of us remember about Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. But she also made significant contributions to the theory of holistic education, to the field of phenomenological and scholastic philosophy.
About the "A Handful of Catholics" Series:
It is my intention in this series of books to do no more than introduce the reader to some Catholic thinkers, Catholic doers, those whose Catholic faith was a work in progress and mystics; both converts and cradle Catholics. It is not meant to be hagiography or the last word on the subject. Rather its simple goal is to make you want to delve further.
What my choices have in common is simple: a journey of faith. It is only a matter of degree and circumstance that makes their lives different, outstanding and worth examining so that we can become better able to examine our own lives, and in the process make them more worthy.
It has been said that all good stories begin with a question. My question is this; why are these people different?
