Blessed ACHILLES
(Józef) PUCHALA

Conventual Franciscan friar, priest
(1911-1943)

Józef Puchala was born on March 18th, 1911, at Kosin, in the diocese of Przemyl (Poland). Son of Franciszek and Zofia Olbrycht. He was baptised the same day in the parish church of Kosin, dedicated to Saint Stanislaus, Bishop. He attended the primary school in his home town. Then, in 1924 he entered the minor seminary of the Conventual Franciscan Friars, in Leopoli. After the fourth year of gymnasium he was admitted to the noviciate, which began on September 21st, 1927, at Lagiewniki, near Lódz, receiving his new name: Achilles. He made his temporary vows on September 29th, 1928. Afterwards, until 1931, he continued his studies in the Franciscan seminary of Leopoli and then he began the Superior studies of Philosophy and Theology.

The period of religious formation ended on May 22nd, 1932, when Achilles made his perpetual profession. His priestly ordination was on July 5th, 1936.He spent the first years of his priestly ministry in the convent of Grodno. 
Afterwards, he was moved to Iwieniec, in the diocese of Pilsk, where he was caught up with the 2nd World War. At the first signs of war, the parish priest of the neighbouring parish of Pierszaje ran away and, on request of the ecclesiastical authorities, at the beginning of 1940 Father Achilles moved to this town and filled the vacancy. A short time later, Father Herman Stepien, coming from Vilnius, joined him. 
The inhabitants of Pieszaje remember Father Puchala as an extremely thoughtful and active man and parish priest. 

MARTYRDOM

On June 19th, 1943, in the neighbouring village of Iwieniec there was an insurrection against the Nazi aggressors. A month later the Gestapo came to Pierszaje and imprisoned a lot of people. The Gestapo went also to the priest's house. According to the testimony of a witness, the commandant of the local German gendarmerie, who lived in the priest's house and was a practising Catholic, wanted the two Franciscan priests to go into hiding. On this subject, Father Achilles and Father Herman replied that "the shepherds can't abandon their parishioners" and joined the people that had been arrested and condemned to death. The Gestapo lead all the prisoners to the village of Borowikowszczyzno. Here, they separated the priests from the parishioners. Father Achilles and Father Herman were taken to the suburbs of the town and were slaughtered in the hayloft of the family Rudowicz. Immediately afterwards, the hayloft was set on fire. This happened on July 19th, 1943. 
The other inhabitants of Pierszaje, who had been imprisoned with the two martyrs, weren't subjected to capital punishment, but were deported for hard labour in Germany. The ashes and the mortal remains of the two martyrs were buried near the church of Pierszaje, where their tomb is still venerated by the believers.

Proclaimed "blessed" by John Paul II on June 13th, 1999.