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.
Life
Childhood and education
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. Joseph Minor Seminary from 1905 until 1910 where he became a member the De Klauwaerts association which was a student movement in the Flemish Movement before World War I.
Despite his father's death on 10 January 1907 he was able to continue his studies. He was drafted in September 1910 and being a seminarian made him a target for harassment (he was mocked and provoked) while his companions' vulgar nature was unendurable to him to what he called "a hell". He was also quite pained that he could not receive the Eucharist and go to Mass each week due to the service. But his time in the service still allowed for him to do his philosophical studies. He liked to read poems which was something he had done since his childhood.
He began his studies in Thomism on 13 March 1912 at the Catholic University of Leuven where he became influenced by the works of Louis de Montfort which made him a fervent devotee of the Blessed Mother of God. It was also around this time that he learnt about Thérèse of Lisieux but he also had a love for Francis of Assisi. In September 1913 he moved to the Major Seminary of Ghent for his studies where he became a member of the Filioli Caritatis which was a group of priests who aimed for holiness. On 14 July 1913 he graduated in letters and philosophical studies at Louvain.
The outbreak of World War I in 1914 saw Poppe called to arms as a battlefield nurse on 1 August but he fell ill in Namur at Bourlers on 25 August after having been at the battle site since 4 August. He was placed in an ambulance van and taken to Bourlers where the priest Castelain took care of him until December. In his period of recuperation the Germans advancing had with them several prisoners of war and he appealed to Saint Joseph that these men be freed which led to their miraculous freeing all except a Frenchman; Poppe renewed the appeal and the Frenchman returned. Father Castelain also told him about the life of Antoine Chevrier. Once he recovered he went to Mechelen to continue with his ecclesial studies in April 1915 after Cardinal Désiré-Joseph Mercier obtained for him a dispensation to leave the armed forces.
Priesthood
On 1 May 1916 he was ordained to the priesthood. His motto was "Accendatur" in reference to Luke 12: 49. Poppe became the parish associate pastor in Sint-Coleta on 16 June 1916 which was a poor laborers' parish in Ghent. He started the Eucharistic League for the children (he dedicated this to Pope Pius X) and introduced them to the countless aspects of the faith and also taught catechism and handed children devotional cards. He also made it a practice to greet workers after their shifts ended in the late afternoon. Poppe chose to live in material poverty in order to be like his parishioners.