Blessed Methodius Dominic Trčka, C.Ss.R.

August 25 is the memorial of Blessed Methodius Dominic Trčka, C.Ss.R. On April 24, 2001, in the presence of Pope St. John Paul II, the decree of martyrdom was promulgated for five Redemptorists: four Ukrainians and one Czech, Father Methodius Dominic Trčka.

Father Trčka was born July 6, 1886, in Frydlant nad Ostravici, in Moravia, now the Czech Republic. In 1902 he joined the Redemptorists, made his profession August 25, 1904, and was ordained in Prague, July 17, 1910.

He spent his early years as a priest preaching parish missions. In 1919 he was sent to work among the Greek Catholics in the area of Halic, in Galizia, and then in Slovakia in the Eparchy of Prešov, where he carried on intense missionary activity.

In March 1935 he was appointed by the Congregation for Oriental Churches as apostolic visitor of the Basilian monks in Prešov and in Uzhorod. When the vice province of Michalovce was founded in 1946, Father Trčka was appointed vice provincial. He began to work zealously to found new houses and to form young Redemptorists.

On April 13, 1950, the Czech government suppressed all the religious communities. After a summary trial, Father Trčka was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment, during which he was subjected to lengthy interrogations and torture. In 1958 he was transferred to the prison of Leopoldov. He was suffering from pneumonia contracted during solitary confinement, which was imposed on him for singing a Christmas hymn. He died March 23, 1959.

He was buried in the prison cemetery, but after the liberation of the Greek Catholic Church his remains were transferred on October 17, 1969, to the Redemptorist plot in the cemetery of Michalovce.

Pope St. John Paul II proclaimed him to be Blessed Methodius Dominick on November 4, 2001.