The Venerable Father Jerzy Popielszko

Today we visited the church of St Stanislaw Kostka in Warsaw to pray at the burial place (pictured above) of Fr Popieluszko.


Here are a couple of shots of the church of St Stanislaw Kostka in which he served.



You can read a short biography of Fr Jerzy by clicking on the following photo.

We had hoped to visit the nearby museum but it was closed. However, you can find out more by visiting the museum's website and if your Polish is as non-existent as mine, you can run it through the Google translator which renders a reasonably comprehensible result.

I have discovered another holy example of a priest for this Year of Priesthood. Fr Jerzy was not a healthy man, sometimes fainting during Mass. He also feared violence and persecution. But he was ever faithful to the truth. Whilst his last prayer in public was for peace and that the people be spared violence (violence which he was to experience only hours later) he said that our lives are worth nothing if we are not faithful to the truth.

Fr Jerzy was thrown into the boot of a car which was driven into the Vistula. It took several days to discover his body.

I was very moved by the following photograph which was part of a display behind the choir and reredos in the church. See the grief of his father at the funeral:

Fr Jerzy's mother is still alive. According to rumours, it might well be that she will live to see her son's beatification...

Prayer for beatification of Venerable Father Jerzy Popieluszko (as in the English booklet bought at the church - clearly not a perfect translation):

Endlessly good God,
you have granted Venerable Father Jerzy Popieluszko
with the grace of faithful vocation,
which led him to his martyr's death.
We ask you through the words of Pope John Paul II
"May this death give rise to Good
just as the cross gives rise to resurrection."

Lord,
Father Jerzy was a steadfast defender
of human and God's rights.
He was given to our Homeland and the whole world
as a sign of victory over love and hate.
We pray that he be exalted
to the dignity of sainthood.

Merciful God,
I ask you through Father Jerzy
to grant me the grace I crave for.
May the sacrifice of His life
and His intercession with you
promote the Christian faith,
unity and peace in the world.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.