POPPE, EDWARD. - Priest, promoter of the Eucharistic Crusade, b. at Temesche on the Scheldt, 18 Dec. 1890, d. at Moerzeke (Flanders) 10 June 1924.
Ordained priest in 1916, he was first assistant priest at Ghent in the parish of St Colette, a working-class district, where he devoted himself unstintingly as defender and friend of the poor; he organized Eucharistic associations to educate children through the Eucharist and a corps of catechists to care for the children of indifferent families and prepare them for First Communion. Transferred for reasons of health to Moerzeke, he became the soul and pioneer of the Eucharistic Crusade launched by the Norbertines of Averbode, to which he contributed by articles and pamphlets. He set out his Eucharistic pedagogical principles in: *La méthode eucharistique*, *L'ami des petits*, *Manuel de la catéchiste* (II. tr., Milan 1947); *Direction spirituelle des enfants* (II. tr., ibid. 1939). Adviser to all, he especially loved to form holy priests; the flame kindled at a congress of priests held at Louvain (27 Apr. 1919) led to further meetings, the last of which in 1923 marked his spiritual testament. In 1922 he was spiritual director of the CIBI (Centre d’Instruction des Brancardiers et Infirmiers), which grouped in Belgium all young ecclesiastical students. His spiritual direction, pedagogical conferences and evening talks were published separately as *Entretiens sacerdotaux* (Paris 1935). A good collection of discourses, retreats, etc. is contained in the II. ed. by M. A. Mandrini, in the volume *Vita sacerdotale*, 4th ed., Milan 1949.