Warsaw: Second National Papal March commemorated Father Jerzy Popieluszka

Remembering St. Paul's words repeated by Fr. Jerzy Popieluszka to "win the good with evil", on Saturday from the Capital Castle Square to the church under the call of St. Stanislaw Kostka in Warsaw Żoliborz, the participants of the 2nd National Pontifical March went. They commemorated the 40th anniversary of the abduction preceding the martyrdom of the Blessed on October 19.

The first Papal March was held last year and was organized in defence of the good name of St. John Paul II and in consequence to attacks of part of the media on the Pope for the alleged deficiency of consequence of Charles Wojtyla as a Kraków metropolitan for the crimes of priests against sexual harassment of minors.

This time, the March is part of the main celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the kidnapping and martyrdom of blessed priest Jerzy Popiełuszko and was prepared in cooperation with the Social Committee organising the commemoration of this anniversary.

The participants of the march met in front of St. Anne's Church at the confluence of Castle Square, Krakowskie Przedmieście and Miodowa Street. They raised white-red flags, papal flags and tiny flags with the image of Fr Jerzy Popiełuszko and the dates of his birth, kidnapping and beatification. Representatives of social and political organizations from many parts of the country besides arrived. The delegation of the Catholic Archdiocese of Warsaw and the environment was besides present pro-life carrying banners with inscriptions: “Together for Life”, “Yes for Life”, “Life is Miracle”. respective people besides held wooden banners with the quote of Fr Jerzy's words: "violence is not a sign of strength but weakness."

The organizers announced before the event that they did not anticipate any speeches and asked them not to bring any symbols and organization emblems with them. However, the speeches were intertwined with fragments of the homily and speeches of John Paul II.

Prior to the march, spiritual and patriotic songs, including “Bogumodzica” and “Rota”, were heard from the platform set in front of the church. tv writer Rafał Patyra recalled: – This is not a political march. We are gathered here by St. John Paul II, Blessed Fr Jerzy Popieluszko and Blessed Primate of the Millennium Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński. We will appeal to their words. At the same time, I ask that we march in peace. We make a community, we set an example. possibly we are the only Gospel that any will read throughout their lives. I so encourage you to read our cards with dignity, in peace, without political slogans. Let us mention present to this teaching of large Poles, whom we all value so much – he encouraged.

On the another hand, there was a banner referring to the prisoner of the heart of Fr Michał Olszewski, who was suspected in the investigation concerning the Justice Fund. YES for the mission and freedom of Father Michael.” any besides wore stamps with a similarity of a detained clergyman in their lapel.

The motto of the march was the words taken from St. Paul's letter to the Romans (Rom. 12:21) "The Evil of the Good Win", which besides became the guiding subject of the teaching of Blessed Fr.

Before the start of the march, Fr Tomasz Trzaska, chaplain of the Museum of Cursed Soldiers and Political Prisoners of the Polish People's Republic in Warsaw led the prayer. First, however, he recalled that the patrons of today's march, Fr Popieluszko and John Paul II, erstwhile called for what should be asked and today, "the dignity of human life, the dignity of men of work, the memory and identity of our large national tradition and our Christian heritage." – They appealed to this very powerfully and both became martyrs, suffered from faithfulness to God, to the cross and to the Gospel – said the clergyman, calling never to be indifferent to injustice, and never to be hated in the name of faithfulness to the words of St. Paul, "Do not be overcome by evil, but conquer evil with good."

– We remember the arrested: priest Michal Olszewski and 2 of our sisters. We remember all those who are waiting for justice. We remember those who request our prayer – he emphasized.

Margaret Żaryn, 1 of the organizers of the March, mentioned that the first National Papal March had gathered about 50,000 people. She besides expressed her joy that there were many participants today. She stressed that the martyr's death of Fr George 40 years ago is present a immense symbol of the dedication of life for Homeland and for neighbour. – But we besides go in the spirit of John Paul II's words, which we have heard here many times. The Holy Father restored to us, Poles, subjectivity, gave us the freedom taken in communist times and our identity and heritage – she said, recalling that the march besides goes to claim Christian values. – We're following 3 patrons due to the fact that the Primate of the Millennium is with us. They all had very deep in their hearts our nation and man as a subject She added.

To remember on the way of a march of values pro-life, including the inviolability of life from conception to natural death, was besides requested by representatives of the Centre of Life and household – Paweł Ozoba and Marcin Perłowski.

There was besides a symbolic vow of young people, educators, and families who committed to following the teachings of the patrons of the March.

Manifestation set off at the confluence of Castle Square with Miodowa Street a small after 1:30 p.m. The front of the march was a wide banner with the inscription “We are with you Holy Father” about the image of John Paul II, the bell “The Unborn Voice”, the passive cross with relics of Fr Popieluszko and the developed Papal flag with text of the handwritten encyclical Evangelium Vitae Polish Pope.

Manifestants passed the streets of Bonifrate, Muranowska, General Anders, Mickiewicz, Krasiński, Feliński, Hozjusz to the church of St. Stanislaw Kostka in Warsaw Żoliborz.

On the March tour, its participants sang songs, said the Rosary and listened to the words spoken by the patrons of the event – St John Paul II, Blessed Primate of the Millennium and Blessed Fr Jerzy Popieluszko. Many people, as requested by the organizers, brought wooden crosses.

Source: KAI

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