God’s Amazing Providence
by Elizabeth Yank

The Shadow of His Wings
by Gereon Goldman, OFM
Ignatius Press
1-800-651-1531

Do not read this book if you want to fall asleep. It is absolutely riveting. Sometimes when I am having difficulty sleeping, reading a few pages will gently lull me back to sleep—not with this fascinating book. From its opening pages until the end, you will have great difficulty putting it down. In fact, this story is so far fetched that if it were made into a movie, no one would believe that it is true. Yet it is true, and more importantly a testament to God’s Divine Providence and the faith of one man who persisted in living the Gospel against incredible odds.

The Shadow of His Wings is the autobiography of Fr. Gereon Goldman, OFM. But what makes his story so unique is the backdrop of this book, the drama of World War II. Fr. Goldman is not just an ordinary man, but a seminarian inducted into Hitler’s army, who later volunteers to join the SS. How he lives his faith against seemingly insurmountable odds is truly remarkable.

One aspect of this story, which makes it so inspiring, is the fact that one man could accomplish so much. Yet, his accomplishments are not miraculous, even though they may be at times extraordinary. They are incredible because they are the work of one man allowing the Holy Spirit to work through him. His works are a testament to every day sanctity, seeking to do God’s will wherever God puts him. This particular quality is repeated over and over again in his numerous acts of mercy, kindness, and resourcefulness. For example, because he can speak French, and the other German soldiers do not understand French, he is able to warn the French citizens to hide their gasoline before the soldiers take their supplies.

Even before the war, his mission zeal and enthusiasm for living the Christian faith are evident. As the Nazi’s gained power, their iron fist sought to control the minds and the actions of the people more and more. As a student in the local high school, he and several other classmates were arrested and sent to trial for their Christian beliefs. Once in court, the group “declared loudly that we were the new Germans, not the Nazis, and that the only way to save Germany was through Jesus Christ.” This was a bold act of great daring.

He also goes on to relate that, as a young man, he, along with other Catholic youth, would bicycle fifteen miles or so to the Catholic mission church on Sundays. There they “could participate with grateful heart in the Mass and receive Holy Communion to give strength to continue for another week.” This in and of itself should be an inspiration to the youth of today.

Once in the army, because of his solid training in philosophy, religion and his classical education provided by the Jesuits, he was able to debate with the Nazi soldiers. “Nothing could crack the solid front of truth that was ours by virtue of the Cause we served.” 

Yet, he was not always the stalwart Catholic he was to be as a teenager and later as a young man and on into adulthood. The story of his life begins with a boy who seems to find trouble and is the dismay of his good Catholic parents. But his troubles are mischief-making and pranks, unlike the evils of the modern world of pornography, drugs, alcohol, and immorality.

What truly sets his heart on fire for God is a talk by a missionary priest from Japan. After this event, his heart’s desire is to become a Franciscan missionary to Japan. This seed, however, takes many years to mature before he is finally able to fulfill it. Furthermore, after the early death of his mother, it is the constant prayers and guidance of a sister who has taken on the role of his spiritual mother, which helps to bring to fruit his dream of becoming a priest. Her indefatigable spirit of prayer at seemingly impossible odds is truly humbling. Even, he, himself, doubts if he will ever realize his dream of becoming a priest when he is in the midst of the hell of war and in the SS.

The circumstances surrounding his ordination are miraculous, but throughout the story there are many instances that are truly from the hand of God. For example, there are many times when he miraculously survives a particular battle. Another time, a whole group of seminarians are sent to a battlefront where they all meet their death, but he is not sent. There are also other acts of grace that God bestows upon him. After he is captured, he is sent to a prison camp in North Africa. Even though his time in the prisoner camp is a living Hell, because of both the Nazi mentality of some prisoners and circumstances of war, he is able to say Mass and act as a chaplain, bringing many souls back to Christ.

This remarkable story does not end with World War II, but continues on with his heart’s desire, to be a missionary in Japan. However, nothing falls easily into his lap. He must exhibit patience in waiting to be allowed to enter Japan. Once in Japan, he faces insurmountable odds, both practical and spiritual. To begin with, he must learn a very difficult language. Because there are very few missionaries already in Japan, there is little internal help and support. Surprisingly, although the majority of the population is not Catholic, he must constantly expand his church to meet the ever-growing needs of his parish.

One of the most inspiring aspects of his story is his consistent Christian witness against unbelievable odds. While in Japan, he helps poor families find housing. He raises money for students to go to college, and money for couples to go on a pilgrimage to Europe and the Holy Land. He also sets up a retreat home for mothers and children. After he visits India, he even sets up a missionary fund to help the poor there, even though he himself resides in a poor district in Japan.

Because his parish is in an extremely poor area of Tokyo, money is not something that is readily accessible to him. It is only through the generosity of families in Germany, who themselves have suffered the ravages of war, his ingenuity, and Divine Providence that he is able to begin and sustain so many projects.

With so many inspiring aspects to this story, it is difficult to summarize the most significant. For example, his life was an outstanding example of fortitude against unbelievable difficulties. He defended his faith against the Nazis. He sought to live a life of moral purity contrary to the Nazi promotion of immorality. He sought to live a life of Christian charity although all around him was selfishness, meanness, and downright evil. In addition to all this, his missionary zeal always pushed him on toward greater heights of striving. Yet, he himself was very humble in speaking about his spiritual training. Incredibly, on many occasions the power of prayer is miraculously exhibited. Ultimately, the source of all his strength for these many virtues was the Eucharist, which he sought out whenever possible, even while in the army.

In a world that openly promotes anti-Christian values, we may feel that it is nearly impossible to live a good Christian life. Yet this man did that and more during the hell of World War II living with men who were openly hostile to the Christian faith. His story is an inspiration especially to young people who feel the peer pressure to conform to the ways of the world. It is hard to believe that one man could accomplish so much. He did so because he allowed the grace of God to work through him. We are told that with the grace of God nothing is impossible. Do we truly believe it?  

Elizabeth Yank, a free-lance writer from South Milwaukee Wisconsin, is the mother of seven children, five of whom she homeschools.