(1890-1924) Blessed Edward was one of 11 siblings born to a Belgian baker (of the 11, two became priests and five became nuns). He was an excellent student and a seminarian when he was drafted and served as a battlefield nurse in World War I. It is believed that his prayers to Saint Joseph led to the miraculous release of many prisoners of war. Edward became a priest, had a devotion to the Eucharist and Saint Therese of Lisieux, and wrote extensively against Marxism. He died of a heart attack and subsequent stroke at 33 years old.

Blessed Edward lived out his vocation to the priesthood in a way similar to how we are called to live out Step 12: “Having had a spiritual awakening…we tried to carry this message…and to practice these principles in all our affairs” (Step 12). The work of carrying this message is not accomplished once, but daily.

“According to the divine plan, action must be fed with prayer. The interior life is the wellspring of the apostolate. Do not believe in the slogan, ‘The priest is sanctified in sanctifying others’—it’s an illusion. The real formula is, ‘Sanctify yourself so as to sanctify others’” (Blessed Edward Poppe).

Reflection by Brad Farmer