“The Church did not fight with arms. The Church did not hold weapons in its hands. The priests did not fight with guns. The priests fought with the rosary, the rosary in their hand, as tradition dictated from generations of their predecessors,” said President Andrzej Duda at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church on the 40th anniversary of the murder of Father Jerzy Popiełuszko. He added, “Father Jerzy was filled with faith. His faith carried him. Let the great gift that Blessed Father Jerzy had be given today to all the people of the Polish Church, to Polish priests. Let this gift also be given to us, the laypeople, as we often need it so much to overcome our fears, to overcome our anxieties.”
Tens of thousands of people set off today from Castle Square in Warsaw in the National Papal March under the slogan “Overcome evil with good,” as part of the 40th-anniversary commemorations of the death of Father Jerzy Popiełuszko. Participants marched to the sanctuary of Father Popiełuszko in Żoliborz, where Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Warsaw, celebrated a Mass.
President Andrzej Duda addressed the congregation in the church.
“We were under Soviet oppression, unable to decide for ourselves, demanding freedom. And anyone who did so, to varying degrees, was opposed by the authorities appointed from Moscow. But what is most important? We meet today on the 40th anniversary of the abduction and martyrdom of Blessed Father Jerzy Popiełuszko. By the will of the Polish Parliament, it is also now the National Day of Remembrance for Courageous Priests, a national day of remembrance for the steadfast Polish Church. This is important because these two elements cannot be separated. The cult and memory of Blessed Father Jerzy and the memory of the extraordinary merits of the Polish Church, acting through its representatives. Steadfast, with courage and determination, for freedom.”
The head of the Polish state added: “The Church did not serve by fighting. The Church did not hold weapons in its hands. The priests did not fight with guns. The priests fought with the rosary, the rosary in hand, as the tradition of generations of their predecessors, such as Father Skorupka and others, dictated when, with a cross in one hand and a rosary in the other, they went to defend the Republic. They also defended it bravely. We remember today that many of them paid an extremely high price for it.”
Andrzej Duda listed: “Like Blessed Primate Wyszyński, imprisoned and oppressed for years, like Archbishop Baraniak, essentially tortured by the communists. And finally, priests like Stanisław Suchowolec, Stefan Niedzielak, or Sylwester Zych, who were killed by the communists, especially the martyr, Blessed Father Jerzy Popiełuszko, but also many others who were persecuted, oppressed, drafted into the army in 1966/1968, mentally and physically destroyed, persecuted. All those who were able to endure, in faith in God and in their steadfast stance. Thank you for being here, because today’s presence and prayer are not only for the canonization of Blessed Father Jerzy. It is not just a prayer for our Homeland, through the intercession of Blessed Father Jerzy, but also a prayer for the Polish Church, for Polish priests, for strength, for courage in these times that are not easy for them. Thank you for being here. They need this prayer, just as we all need it, just as our homeland needs it today.”
The President devoted much attention to the Blessed priest, murdered by the secret police.
“Father Jerzy’s extraordinary ability, given by the Holy Spirit, which earned him the trust of the workers, was that he could speak to them about important matters in a way that was accessible and easy to understand. He was not afraid of this. And at the same time, he never called for aggression. He called for prayer. He was a man of great faith, as all those who knew him directly say. He was filled with faith. His faith carried him. Let the great gift that Blessed Father Jerzy had be given today to all the people of the Polish Church, to Polish priests. Let this gift also be given to us, the laypeople, as we often need it so much to overcome our fears, to overcome our anxieties. To overcome the difficulties we often have with ourselves, and sometimes in understanding the reality around us. Let him help us in our relationships with our loved ones. But above all, let him help us in continuous prayer for our Homeland and for our Homeland. For Poland to endure not only for us but also for future generations.”