Oblate News

Ulma family’s legacy: self-giving love – Social Oblate

The Social Oblate

Józef Ulma ([1]), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A  “Ulma family’s legacy – self-giving love”

Friends, the Ulma family led an ordinary life against the backdrop of the Second World War. Josef worked in the fields, while Wiktoria managed their home and cared for their six children and another on the way. Through their simple daily routines, they exemplified the teachings of the Gospel. Family prayers, shared faith education, and Bible reading turned their household into what John Paul II named a “domestic Church,” extending their warmth and support even to the most vulnerable members of society, including Jews who faced immense danger. Their story defies the darkness of war, and today’s beatification – including the beatification of their unborn child – is a remarkable affirmation of their sacrifice. In their entirety, the Ulma family’s legacy underscores the power of love, compassion, and sacrifice amid the darkest of times. May the simple but heroic example of Josef and Wikoria Ulmas inspire us today in practising Christian love with our neighbours.