Edith Stein was a convert to Catholicism in the first half of this century, was important mystic who infused difficult theology into deeply perssonal meditations on suffering and love--sort of a minor figure but beloved of those who knowed her esp. among eastern europe where she lived--she hits all of the factors of that JP II likes in his saints, execpt she was Jeish and died in Auschwitz.
Having her as a paragon of Catholic virtue is diffucult, the church has a history of expecting and forcing the conversion of the jews but she was not forced, she converted because of a deep calling. (another thought shewas gassed for her jewishness, when does ethnic designation end and the religous one begin-whend does personl reclimation of idenity no longer matter ? What are the political implications of St Edith ?)
It is her day today, how do we as christians deal with her core idenitity, and how much of it disappeared when she was baptized, the nazis thought none. She could not leave her heratige, can any of us ?
To what intenion do I pray to her, in what capacity does she understand Christ, as another persucted and holy jew ? Does she guide from heaven our views and opionons of gods chosen people ?