The Marian Martyrs of Rosica

139 Memoir so much pain, sitting and looking vacuously into space. Father Anthony spoke again, to encourage the people to prepare them- selves for a good death. He ordered an old man to recite the Litany of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and of Our Lady. The whole church responded. “Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us. Salvation of those who trust in You, have mercy on us ...” Anew group came. Ayoung woman pushed her way toward them because the newcomers were from her village. “Where is my mother? Where is my child?” She asked. “They were left behind,” said someone with a tired voice. He pointed to the ground. “They were left behind forever,” he added. The woman looked as if she didn’t understand. Her face slowly turned to stone, and her eyes revealed that everything in her soul was broken and collapsing. Father Anthony approached her. “Well, Mother, God demands sacrifice from us.” “Yes, yes, He demanded the sacrifice of a mother and a child” came the reply. And she laughed, but it was the terrible laughter of a deranged woman. “Father, someone is dying over in the corner,” someone called out. Father Anthony left the miserable woman and hastened to the dying person. The beaten old man was about to breathe his last, but he was still conscious. Father knelt by his side and began to hear his confession, but first he took the Profession of Faith because the man was Orthodox. “Yes, I want to become Catholic,” he gasped. Then, he humbled himself before God and accepted the Last Rites. He died in the priest’s arms. New Holy Masses began at midnight. Before they started, both priests, servants of the altar, knelt before each other in