The Catholic Writers Guild

He Died in a Concentration Camp—His Crime Was Being Catholic

 

He died for being “Excessively Catholic”

Even as a child, Marcel Callo was a bit of a perfectionist. He liked order and displayed natural leadership qualities. He was born in Rennes, France, on December 6, 1921. Marcel, the second of nine children, was just a normal boy with a great sense of humor. He loved to play games, especially ping-pong, at which he excelled.

Marcel’s mom taught him the Catholic faith at home, and the youngster developed a strong inclination to follow Jesus. As he grew older, his mom asked him if he thought he might be hearing a call to the priesthood. Marcel told her that his calling was to be a layman where he could do more good for the world.

He became an altar server at the age of seven

Marcel started his activities outside the home by becoming an altar server when he was seven. When he was ten, he joined the Boy Scouts, an organization he grew to love. The scouts fit his somewhat perfectionist personality. He began to develop his natural leadership qualities and form a sense of personal discipline. Sadly for Marcel, he had to leave the Scouts when he was twelve to go to work.

He began work as an apprentice in a printing shop in Rennes in 1934. It was Marcel’s first time working in the “real world,” and the bawdy behavior of the older fellows offended his religious side. The name of Jesus was used in vain, swear words were part of every sentence, and dirty jokes bothered him more than he could imagine. Some of the older workers laughed at him and mocked him, but he refused to join in. He was even called a “Jesus freak.”

Quite often he had a special prayer he said

His method of dealing with this antagonistic behavior (today we call it “bullying”) was to say a prayer to the Blessed Virgin that his mom had taught him:

Dear Mother, remember that I belong to you. Watch over me and protect me as your possession.

 

His devotion to the Blessed Mother fortified him, and that is how he got through his days being the printing shop’s “Jesus freak.”

 

 

Marcel joined a youth movement at his parish called the Eucharistic Crusade. His religious fervor was beginning to shine through. When he was fourteen, he joined an organization called the Christian Young Worker’s Movement (Jeunesse Ouvriere Chretienne), which  became known as the “Jocists.” The work was “apostolic,” and as a youngster, it fit him perfectly. Quickly, his leadership qualities began to stand out, and he began to be noticed. Then he met Marguerite Derniaux.

Marcel meets Marguerite

World War II broke out, and Marcel became active as a Jocist in the Underground. This is where Marcel and Marguerite meet. It was an instant connection, and the two of them fell madly in love with each other. They became engaged, and both vowed that they would pray for their future family and, if possible, attend Mass and Communion daily.

Marcel had told a friend, “I knew I had to wait for real love. I had to perfect my heart before offering it to the one Christ had chosen for me.” Everything for Marcel Callo revolved around Jesus. He did not even dare kiss Marguerite until his twentieth birthday when he proclaimed his love to her.

 

Conscripted into the forced labor units

Unfortunately, the war and the swarming Nazis had consumed the town of Rennes, and Marcel was conscripted to serve in the forced labor units. His original intention was to run away and take refuge until the war ended. But he knew his family would be brought to task for his disobedience to Nazi orders. He told his family and Marguerite that he “was leaving as a missionary in service of his companions.”

Marcel and  Marguerite say farewell to each other

Marcel and Marguerite said goodbye to each other on March 19, 1943. It was the Feast of St. Joseph. Marcel took with him his identification as a scout and as a Jocist. He was quickly under scrutiny by the Gestapo. The Jocists were considered a secret organization which had been outlawed by the Nazis. On April 19, 1944, Marcel was arrested for his membership in the “outlawed” group. His captors told him that he was being brought in because “he was too much of a Catholic.”

Accused of being “too much of a Catholic”

The brutal Nazi court presented its verdict: “Monsieur Callo is too Catholic!” Marcel wound up in the Mauthausen Concentration camp in Austria. In addition to being made to work seven days a week, twelve hours a day, with little food or water, Marcel was constantly beaten and abused. He came down with tuberculosis and dysentery. Once again, the Feast Day of St. Joseph was an intricate part of Marcel’s short life. He died on March 19, 1945. He was 24 years old.

Pope John Paul II beatified Marcel on October 4, 1987. His feast day is the same as St. Joseph’s: March 19. He is the patron of youth workers and those affected by depression.

As for Marguerite, she remained true to her one love and never married. She died in 1997.

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Copyright© Larry Peterson 2024
Images: Public domain (Wikipedia); Pexels