A wise person should know that it is never a good idea to come between a feisty Czech and their gulaš and beer. More inane yet is to mess with a feisty Czech nun and her Savior. Unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with common sense. Especially those affiliated with the Nazi party. Thus we get the miraculous story of Blessed Maria Restituta Kafka, virgin and martyr, and her victory with and through the crucifix.
Early Life and Vocation
Born Helene Kafka, May 1, 1894, in the town of Husovice, in what is now the Czech Republic, she would come of age in Vienna, Austria. Here she was called to the field of medicine, entering into nursing in 1913. Soon after she encountered members of the Franciscan Sisters of Charity and was moved to join their order in 1920. Now, Sr. Maria Restituta, she continued her work as a nurse. In time becoming an early proponent of holistic medicine. As a nurse she was adored by her fellow doctors, nurses and patients. As a sister she was loved by her community.
Having found great success in Vienna , Sr. Restituta would continue to work in the city for the next eighteen years. Constantly striving for perfection in both her professional and spiritual life. She maintained one vice, however. As the saying goes, you can take the Czech out of Czecho but the Český spirit still remains. The good sister simply adored a hearty bowl of gulaš, knedliký and a dark lager. After her shift was over each evening she could be found in the local pub, partaking in this bit of heaven. Life was good.
Taking a Stand
Unfortunately nothing gold can stay. In 1938 the Anschluss annexed Austria and quickly enforced their Nuremberg laws. Sr. Maria Restituta, however, refused to go gently into the good night. She vocally opposed the Nazi regime. She routinely publicly denounced Hitler as a madman. Her coup d’état though was defying direct command by continuing to hang crucifixes in each room of the hospital. She is purported to have said that “a good Czech cannot keep her mouth shut.” You mustn’t come between a feisty Czech nun and her crucifix.
For a time she was allowed to fly under the radar. The Franciscan sisters continually assuring Nazi command that she was irreplaceable. Her Earthly luck was not to last forever though. On Ash Wednesday, 1942, she was arrested by the Gestapo. Sentenced to the guillotine for conspiracy to commit high treason. She would spend the next year on death row before being beheaded on March 30, 1943. Penning some of her last words in a letter to her fellow sisters she expressed,
“It does not matter how far we are separated from everything, no matter what is taken from us: the faith that we carry in our hearts is something no one can take from us. In this way we build an altar in our own hearts”
She would be beatified by Pope John Paul II during his pilgrimage to Vienna in September of 1998. Her feast day is now acknowledged throughout the Universal Church on March 30th, except in the Diocese of Vienna where it is celebrated on October 29th.
Heavenly Healing
Now for the rest of the story. Readers of my other blog posts may recall that I was deathly ill with Covid in October and November of 2020. Read about my after death experience here, https://foodfortheway.com/i-was-dead-but-now-i-am-alive-visions-of-heaven/ . When I was at my very worst my dear friend Fr. Rob decided that a new prayer warrior was in order. Choosing Blessed Maria primarily for her Czech merits and the fact that her Christian name was Helen, the same as my maternal grandmother, who was also a nurse. Honoring this feisty Czech Nun by making sure there was a crucifix in my hospital room, Father would pray feverishly to her for weeks on end until I was able to return home.
To be fair, during this time I had thousands of people praying for me and intercessions being asked of a copious number of saints. So it is all but impossible to conclusively say who’s exact intercession saved my life. This being the case though, Fr. Rob likes to think, and I concur, that Blessed Maria Restituta had a strong hand in sending me back from Heaven. There simply was not enough beer and gulaš there for both of us to share!
Blessed Maria Restituta, Saint Wenceslaus, Saint Vitus and all the Holy Men and Women of God- Pray for us who have recourse to thee!
Hovězí Guláš (Beef Goulash)
Course: MainCuisine: CzechDifficulty: Medium8
servings30
minutes2
hours20
minutesIngredients
2 pounds beef stew meat (chuck or round roast)
2 large onions
1/4 cup oil
2 teaspoons caraway seed
3 teaspoons granulated sugar
3 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
4 garlic cloves
3 ounces tomato paste
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
Dash of pepper
8 cups water
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons marjoram
Directions
- Cut 2 lbs. beef into about 1 inch cubes, set aside.
- Finely chop 2 large onions and put into an extra large pot.
- Add 1/4 cup of oil and roast on high heat for 5-7 minutes or until carmelized.
- Turn off heat.
- Add 4 peeled and pressed garlic cloves. Add 2 tsp. Caraway seeds, 3 tsp. Hungarian paprika, 3 oz. tomato paste and 3 tsp. granulated sugar.
- Turn heat back on to medium and mix well for about a minute.
- Add chopped beef, 1 1/2 Tbsp. salt, a dash of pepper and stir.
- Add 8 cups of water, raise heat to high and stir it all together. Partially covered, bring to boil and then lower heat to maintain gentle boil.
- Cook until the meat is tender. About 1 1/2 hours. Stirring about every 15 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of breadcrumbs and stir continuously. Make sure to break up any clumps.
- Add 2 tsp. marjoram and mix in well.
- Partially cover pot again and stir every 5 minutes until sauce is thickened.
- Serve garnished with sliced onions and dumplings.
Notes
- Pairs well with dark lager as well!
One response to “Victory of The Crucifix, Český Gulaš, Beer and Nazis”
A beautifully written story of an exceptional life.
For those too lazy to cook: Maggi makes a very good package mix for Gulas. You can usually find it at World Market.