Today the Church remembers the courage of the “Righteous Gentiles” who helped Jewish people escape the Nazi persecution during World War II. Today we recall Raoul Wallenberg (Swedish, died 1947); Hiram Bingham IV ( American, died 1988); Karl Lutz (Swiss, died 1975); C. Sujihara (Japanese, died 1986); Andre and Magda Trocmé (French).
Raoul Wallenberg was a Swedish diplomat in Nazi-occupied Hungary who led an extensive and successful mission to save the lives of nearly 100,000 Hungarian Jews.
Hiram (Harry) Bingham IV, who as a U.S. diplomat defied orders and granted more than 2500 American visas to Jews and other refugees during the Holocaust.
Carl Lutz was the Swiss Vice-Consul in Budapest, Hungary from 1942 until the end of World War II. He helped save the lives of tens of thousands of Jews from deportation to Nazi Extermination camps during the Holocaust.
Chiune Sugihara was a Japanese diplomat stationed in Lithuania as Japanese Vice Consul. He helped several thousand Jews leave the country by issuing transit visas to Jewish refugees so that they could travel to Japan. Most of the Jews who escaped were refugees from German-occupied Poland or residents of Lithuania.
André Trocmé (died 1971) and his wife Magda (died 1996) lived in Le Chambon-sur-Lignon in South Central France where André served as a pastor. In his preaching he spoke out against discrimination as the Nazis were gaining power in neighboring Germany and urged his Protestant Huguenot congregation to hide Jewish refugees.
Let us pray: God of the Covenant and Lord of the Exodus, by the hand of Moses you delivered your chosen people from cruel enslavement: We give you thanks for Raoul Wallenberg, Hiram Bingham IV; Karl Lutz; C. Sujihara; Andre and Magda Trocmé and all those Righteous Gentiles who with compassion, courage and resourcefulness rescued thousands of your children from certain death. Grant that, in the power of your Spirit, we may protect the innocent of every race and creed in the Name of Jesus Christ, strong Deliverer of us all; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
CHILDREN'S SUMMER ART CAMP: “SPORTS AND THE ART OF DESIGN” starting Monday, 20 July through Friday, 24 July 2015, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. In the Art Room, lunch provided. Learn to design your own Board Game, Team Logo, and Game Rules! All children through high school welcome!
Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially, Pat, Annette, Shalea, Marilyn, new parents and their newly born babies, and those who have no one to pray for them.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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