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Litany to Our Lady of Czestochowa Mother of those who place their hope in Solidarity, pray for us. Mother of those who are deceived, pray for us. Mother of those who are betrayed, pray for us. Mother of those who are arrested in the night, pray for us. Mother of those who are imprisoned, pray for us. Mother of those who suffer from the cold, pray for us. Mother of those who have been frightened, pray for us. Mother of those who were subjected to interrogations, pray for us. Mother of those innocents who have been condemned, pray for us. Mother of those who speak the truth, pray for us. Mother of those who cannot be corrupted, pray for us. Mother of those who resist, pray for us. Mother of orphans, pray for us. Mother of those who have been molested because they wore your image, pray for us. Mother of those who are forced to sign declarations contrary to their conscience, pray for us. Mother of mothers who weep, pray for us. Mother of fathers who have been so deeply saddened, pray for us. Mother of suffering Poland, pray for us. Mother of always faithful Poland, pray for us. We beg you, O mother in whom resides the hope of millions of people, grant us to live in liberty and in truth, in fidelity to you and to your Son. Amen. Homily of Father Jerzy Popieluszko, May 1982 |
VENERABLE FATHER JERZY POPIELUSZKO; pr2, pc
A popular young parish priest in a suburb of Warsaw, Poland, he spoke out against the abuses of communism and was chaplain to the then-banned Solidarity labor union. Thousands flocked to hear his Sunday Masses for the Fatherland. He was abducted and thrown into the trunk of a car by the Polish secret police on October 19, 1984. His savagely beaten body was found 11 days later in an icy reservoir. Father Popieluszko's death serves as testimony to the non-violent struggle for freedom, basic rights, and human dignity. Declared "venerable" by Pope John Paul II, Fr. Popieluszko's cause for beatification (last step before sainthood) is being prayed for by the faithful.
This drawing of Father Popieluszko was done by 13 year old Anastasia (Stasi) Tomaszewski during her 2004 first-time visit to Poland. Having read about Solidarity and Father Jerzy's part in the historical events, and listening to her mother's stories of her experiences in Poland at that time, Stasi's interest piqued when she actually visited Fr. Popieluszko's grave and shrine in the churchyard of his former parish, St. Stanislaw Kostka, Warsaw. She sent a framed copy of her drawing as a gift to the parish museum where it is today.
POPE JOHN PAUL II ; pr2
Elevated to the papacy in October 1978, Karol Cardinal Wojtyla took the name John Paul II. He became the first Pope ever from Poland, and the first non-Italian Pope in over 450 years. Called the 'Peoples Pope' he was a pastor, mystic, philosopher, educator, poet, playwright, statesman, and, yes, outdoorsman. Under the guidance of Pope John Paul II. a non-violent revolution in Poland resulted in the peaceful overthrow of the Communist regime by the Solidarity Free Trade movement led by Lech Walesa. Eventually, this led to the total collapse of Soviet Communism in Europe and Russia.
Original artwork by Charles Rodger Hazard, 1979.
The original drawing was presented to the Pope in the Vatican as a gift after his first visit as Pope back to his Polish homeland in 1979.