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Beata Bruggeman-Sekowska
On 6 September 2025, the beatification of Bishop and martyr Fr. Eduard Profittlich, S.J., took place in Tallinn. He is the first person ever beatified from Estonia, yet his life also shows deep ties with both Limburg in the Netherlands and Poland.
From a farming family to the Jesuits
Eduard Profittlich was born on 11 September 1890 in Birresdorf, Germany, the eighth of ten children in a Catholic farming family. His parents hoped he would inherit the family farm, but Eduard Profittlich inspired by his older brother — a Jesuit missionary in Brazil who died young at 37 —chose the same path and entered the Jesuit order in 1913.
In 1912 he began studies at the seminary in Trier, and the following year joined the Jesuits, starting his novitiate in ’s-Heerenberg, Gelderland. His formation took him across Europe, where he mastered several languages. He studied philosophy and theology at the Jesuit college in Valkenburg (later known as Huize Boslust) and, during World War I, served at a military hospital in Verviers, Belgium (1916–1917). After the war, he continued his studies in Maastricht.
On 26 March 1922 Cardinal Schulte of Cologne ordained him a deacon in Valkenburg, and on 27 August that same year he was ordained a priest by Bishop Laurentius Schrijnen of Roermond.
Studies and mission in Poland
After ordination, Fr. Profittlich was sent to Poland, where he served as a parish priest and pursued further studies. At Kraków University he completed a doctorate in philosophy and theology. His years in Poland shaped him both academically and pastorally, preparing him for his later mission.
Estonia
In 1930, Profittlich was sent to Estonia as pastor of the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Tallinn. Just one year later, Pope Pius XI appointed him Apostolic Administrator. At the time, Estonia had barely a thousand Catholics, but Fr. Profittlich worked tirelessly to build up the local Church.
He preached, built churches, distributed religious books, cared for families and catechumens, supported youth, and launched a monthly magazine that encouraged dialogue and Christian unity with both Protestants and Orthodox.
In 1935 he received Estonian nationality, and in 1936 Pope Pius XI appointed him Archbishop. By the end of the 1930s, the Catholic community in Estonia was growing, with new vocations and stronger parish life.
Persecution
The Soviet occupation of Estonia in 1940 brought severe restrictions on religious activity. Profittlich could have returned safely to Germany, but chose to remain with his flock. In a letter to his family in 1941, he wrote:
“Even if the future does not look bright from a human point of view, I have decided to stay. After all, it is only right that the shepherd should be with his flock, sharing their happiness and misfortune… Whatever may happen, I know that God will be with me. So, everything will be all right. And my life — and, if it should be so — my death — will be a life and a death for Christ… This would be the most beautiful end to my life.”
These words came to define his witness. On 27 June 1941 he was arrested and deported to Kirov, Russia. Tortured and falsely accused of espionage and counter-revolutionary activity, he was sentenced to death. Before the sentence could be carried out, he died from the brutal conditions of imprisonment on 22 February 1942.
Legacy
Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, S.J., is now honored as a martyr and the first blessed of Estonia. His life reflects a remarkable journey through Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and Estonia — a European pastor who gave his life for Christ and his people. His beatification stands as a sign of hope and faithfulness in the face of oppression.
Sources:
https://www.bisdom-roermond.nl/Een-nieuwe-Limburgse-zalige
https://jesuit.ie/who-are-the-jesuits/inspirational-jesuits/eduard-profittlich-sj-pastor-and-martyr
Photo: public domain: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eduard_Profittlich.png
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