I had the grace of taking part, on 13 December, at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, in the celebration of the beatification of fifty “martyrs of the apostolate,” who died in Germany in 1944–1945 out of hatred for the faith. They had responded to the Church’s call to share the fate of young French men requisitioned to work in Germany under the Compulsory Labour Service (Service du travail obligatoire – STO), established on 16 February 1943. Because of their apostolic activity, they were arrested, tortured, and executed, mainly in Nazi concentration camps. These priests, religious, seminarians, scouts, and members of Catholic Action (the Young Christian Workers) were killed while carrying out the mission entrusted to them by the Archbishop of Paris, Cardinal Emmanuel Suhard, assisted by Father Jean Rodhain, who organised this clandestine apostolate known as the “Saint Paul Mission.”
This act of remembrance, both striking and necessary, highlights how, in dark and dramatic times, fidelity to baptism and to the Scout Promise can lead even to the gift of one’s own life. It is striking to see how this group of martyrs offers a luminous image of the People of God: priests, religious, and lay people united in mission and in martyrdom.
The list of the fourteen scouts, now proposed as examples and intercessors, renews today our fidelity to baptism and to the Scout Promise:
Joël Anglès d’Auriac
- Born on 25 February 1922, a scout in Toulon; executed by beheading on 6 December 1944 in Dresden.
Jean Bernier
- Born on 24 June 1920 in the Meuse; discovered Scouting in a prisoner-of-war camp, made his Scout Promise on 6 September 1942, founded the Notre-Dame de la Route team; arrested on 6 August 1944, deported to Buchenwald, died of exhaustion on 16 June 1945.
Robert Beauvais
- Born on 5 August 1922 in Paris; scout of the 28th Paris troop, made his Promise on 17 May 1937; died on 10 January 1945 in the Neuengamme camp.
René Boitier
- Born on 8 March 1917 in Faremoutiers (Seine-et-Marne); made his Scout Promise on 15 August 1943; died on 1 May 1945 in the Dachau camp.
Maurice Bouchard
- Born on 7 March 1916 in Nantes; Rover Scout, made his Rover departure on 23 April 1944 in a prisoner-of-war camp; shot on 12 April 1945 in the Dachau camp.
Robert Défossez
- Born on 3 June 1920 in Cambrai; discovered Scouting in a prisoner-of-war camp; died on 17 April 1945 in the Buchenwald camp.
Louis Didion
- Born on 2 May 1917 in Ghyvelde (Nord); discovered Scouting in a prisoner-of-war camp; died on 16 February 1945 in the Buchenwald camp.
Raymond Louveaux
- Born on 12 April 1913 in Aubervilliers; a pre-war scout; shot on 12 April 1945 during the evacuation of the Buchenwald camp.
Bernard Morizot
- Born on 2 April 1924 in Avallon; Rover Scout, made his Rover departure on 13 August 1944; shot on 20 April 1945 in a kommando of the Buchenwald camp.
Bernard Perrin
- Born on 20 February 1921 in Lyon; scout, participant in the pilgrimage to Le Puy on 15 August 1942; died on 22 April 1945 in a kommando of the Buchenwald camp.
Jean Préhu
- Born on 27 March 1920 in Laval; made his Scout Promise in a prisoner-of-war camp; died on 27 April 1945 during the evacuation of the Buchenwald camp.
Gaston Raoult
- Born on 9 December 1921 in Le Havre; scout since 1934 in the 6th Le Havre troop; died on 18 January 1945 in a kommando of the Buchenwald camp.
Robert Saumont
- Born on 18 January 1919 in Oissel (Seine-Maritime); made his Scout Promise in a prisoner-of-war camp on 16 January 1944; died on 9 April 1945 in a kommando of the Buchenwald camp.
Gérard Cendrier
- Born on 16 June 1920 in Paris; scout of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste de La Salle group, made his Promise on 6 May 1934; entered the Franciscans in December 1940; died on 24 January 1945 in the Buchenwald camp.
To this list must be added
Marcel Callo,
- already beatified on 4 October 1987. Born in Rennes, a scout in his youth and later a militant of the Young Christian Workers (JOC); requisitioned for the Compulsory Labour Service (STO), he left for Germany on 19 March 1943. Because of his Catholic commitment, he was arrested on 19 April 1944, deported to the Mauthausen concentration camp (Austria), and died of exhaustion on 19 March 1945.
Chaplain Fr. Luis Marinho.