Blessed Edward Poppe

Edward Poppe (18 December 1890 – 10 June 1924) was a Belgian Roman Catholic priest who advocated for the frequent reception of the sacraments and established a children's league dedicated to the Eucharist; he was a strong critic of Marxism and materialism as well as rampant secularism in his region. As a writer and pastor, he advocated for the rights of common laborers. He started his ministry in Ghent but ill health forced him to move. Poppe's cause for beatification opened on 5 April 1966 under Pope Paul VI. Pope John Paul II declared him as venerable on 30 June 1986. The same pope beatified Poppe in Saint Peter's Square on 3 October 1999. Edward Joannes Maria Poppe was born in Temse on 18 December 1890 as the third of eight children to the baker Dèsirè Aloies Poppe and Josepha Ogiers. One brother became a priest, five sisters were nuns, and one daughter remained home alone with her mother. He was an energetic child and an excellent student. His mischievousness saw him often knock things over even putting himself at risk of being harmed. He was also quite stubborn and never left his sisters alone though his sisters would often get back at him and would muss up his hair when he was caught combing in front of the mirror. He was also a big eater and liked to devour treats from his father's store. But in 1902 he received his First Communion and Confirmation and this made him more serious which meant jokes and teasing became rarer. In spring 1904 his father introduced him to his business plans and had hoped to see his son begin a baking apprenticeship though Poppe remained silent at first though his resolution to become a priest led him to tell his father as much. Not long after a priest friend to his parents gave a favorable opinion of Poppe's vocation to which his father told his mother: "Let's not be selfish. God has not given us our children for ourselves". He studied at the Sint-Niklaas St.