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Holy card tells about the first honored Latvian Bishop or devotion to honored Bishop Boleslavs Sloskans
04.09.2006 14:19

On August 12, a new holy-card/ mini-booklet was issued with the image of Bishop Boleslavs Sloskans, his life description, a letter to his parents written in 1928, and a prayer for his beatification in four languages – Russian, English, Polish and Latvian.

As it was explained by Fr. Andris Marija Jerumanis, the beatification process was started already in year 2000 to acknowledge the sainthood of Bishop Sloskans. With a Decree, issued by Pope John Paul II on December 20, 2004 on the heroism of Bishop Boleslavs Sloskans’ virtues, a significant step was made forward towards his beatification. Heroism of virtues means that Church values the distinctive life of God’s servant – Bishop Sloskans and considers his life worthy to follow, which is the first step in the process of beatification.

In June 2006, in Rome, Latvian Catholic bishops signed a common letter and handed it to Pope Benedict XVI asking him to continue the beatification process and to investigate the miracles credited to B. Sloskans. Congregation for the Causes of Saints promised to investigate them immediately that the beatification process could be finished in 2007.

First the holy cards with a prayer of Boleslavs Sloskans were issued in 1990: about 50 000 cards were printed in Latvian, Latgalian and German languages. In 2005, two other cards were issued. This year the holy card is different: it has more detailed life description and a prayer for B. Sloskans beatification. There are 5000 cards in Latvian, 500 – in English, 2000 – in Russian, and 2500 – in Polish.

The prayer that is printed on the card can be divided in two parts. The first part emphasizes the example of Bishop Sloskans – his ability to forgive, trust God and endure the suffering. In the second part we ask God for Bishop’s soon beatification. We pray that his example of faithfulness and love for the neighbor would be spread in the world, that the children of this world would be led to Jesus Christ. Also we pray that, following Bishop’s example, people would find strength and courage to resist all attacks on Christian faith and values from nowadays society, and may everywhere, where hatred and quarrels at present, Christians would become an example of forgiveness. At the end of the prayer there is a place for a private intentions: “Lord, through the intersession of Bishop Sloskans, we ask You to listen to our prayers in this special intention”.

Fr Andris Marija Jerumanis emphasized, that the imprimatur to this holy card is given by Bishop of Rezekne-Aglona diocese Janis Bulis as the card is issued by this diocese. For the previous Bishop Sloskan’s holy cards, in 1990, the imprimatur was given by Bishop Janis Cakuls, who was an administrator of Riga archdiocese and diocese of Liepaja at that time. But in 2005, the imprimatur was given by Janis Cardinal Pujats.

With this new holy card of Boleslavs Sloskans, we pray that Bishop is acknowledged as a saint soon, trusting that our prayers will help to avoid all the humanly obstacles which can intervene the process of beatification. Also we pray for Bishop’s intersession in our lives.

Inside the holy card there is an E-mail address, where people can write to Postulator of Rome, Fr. Stefaan van Calster, informing about received blessings through the intercession of Bishop Sloskans. For those who work on Bishop Sloskan’s beatification, it is very important to see, know and understand that God listens to the prayers said through Bishop Sloskans’ intercession. Until now, many people already have received various blessings; have been healed from physical diseases and also moral weaknesses.