Kardynał Stanisław Ryłko w Papieskiej Komisji do spraw Państwa Watykańskiego
Papież Franciszek mianował kard. Stanisława Ryłko, archiprezbitera bazyliki Santa Maria Maggiore członkiem Papieskiej Komisji ds. Państwa Watykańskiego – podało Biuro Prasowe Stolicy Apostolskiej.
Kard. Stanisław Ryłko urodził się 4 lipca 1945 r. w Andrychowie. Święcenia kapłańskie otrzymał 30 marca 1969 r. z rąk kard. Karola Wojtyły, który 27 lat później już jako papież udzielił mu także sakry biskupiej. Po 2 latach posługi duszpasterskiej w archidiecezji krakowskiej na ówczesnym Papieskim Wydziale Teologicznym w Krakowie uzyskał licencjat z teologii moralnej, po czym wyjechał na dalsze studia do Rzymu i tam na Papieskim Uniwersytecie Gregoriańskim uzyskał w 1978 doktorat w zakresie nauk społecznych. Po powrocie do kraju był wicerektorem Wyższego Seminarium Duchownego w Krakowie, a w latach 1978-87 wykładał teologię pastoralną i socjologię w Papieskiej Akademii Teologicznej w Krakowie. W 1979 został sekretarzem Komisji ds. Apostolstwa Świeckich Konferencji Episkopatu Polski.
W 1987 rozpoczął pracę w Watykanie jako kierownik biura Sekcji Młodzieżowej Papieskiej Rady ds. Świeckich i na tym stanowisku m.in. współorganizował Światowe Dni Młodzieży w Santiago de Compostela (1989), w Częstochowie (1991) i w Denver (1993). W latach 1992–95 ks. prał. Ryłko pracował w sekcji polskiej Sekretariatu Stanu.
Interview with Cardinal Cordes
Everybody knows that one of the closest and most trustworthy co-workers of John Paul II was a German, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, but not everybody knows that the Polish Pope was also supported in his mission by other co-workers from Germany. Among those was Paul Josef Cordes, today 83 years old, born in Kirchhundem, Archdiocese Paderborn, retired Chairman of the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum”, with whom I brought back the memory of John Paul II’s pontificat. Wlodzimierz Redzioch - In 1978, the “year of the three Popes”, you were Auxiliary Bishop of Paderborn. How did you react to the election of the Archbishop of Krakow in the second conclave to be the new Pope? Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes - I knew the Cardinal of Krakow already before his election to Pope. The reason being: My Paderborn Ordinarius, a great friend of the Catholics in Poland, sent me to an important event to the neighboring country. In 1977 the much fought about church in Nowa Huta/Krakow was consecrated by Cardinal Wojtyla. Archbishop Degenhardt delegated me as an expression of his interest and I was a guest in the Archbishop’s house. – At the end of September 1978, the first official visit of a delegation of the Polish Bishops Conference took place in the Federal Republic of Germany. Due to surprising circumstances I was elected to accompany them in the name of the German Bishops Conference. The festive auto tour visited various dioceses. Cardinal Wyszynski, the important Primate of Poland was seated in the first car on this tour with the respective local bishop. Cardinal Woytyla was seated in the second car which I was assigned to. The Cardinal impressed me already at that time by his joy of making contact and by his attentiveness. The trip had high church-political importance. Although the Cardinal of Warsaw was in the center of all media reports; the Cardinal of Krakow, however, also made a big impression on me. Therefore, when after the event in Paderborn one of the Cathedral members said to me that the Primate had greatly impressed him, I said: “Wyszynski is good, but Wojtyla is better.” That is authentic.
The end crowns the work
On Saturday, July 28, 2018, participants of the month-long course at the John Paul II Foundation Home held final interviews. Interviews were held after the exam from the Polish language and exams in respective fields of study. The selection committee chose 25 people from Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine who will participate in the John Paul II Foundation's scholarship program and study at the Catholic University of Lublin in 14 selected majors. A thanksgiving Mass was celebrated by the director of the Home, Fr. Jan Strzałka SCJ, who emphasized the great importance of the Christian formation of young people in the spirit of teaching and witnessing the life of Saint John Paul II, the founder and patron of our Foundation. His relics remind us of His spiritual protection and intercession for all who create the John Paul II Foundation community: the board, guardians, and members of the Foundation’s Chapters, benefactors, scholarship recipients, alumni and employees.
Catholic University of Lublin (KUL) is waiting for students
On Monday, July 23, 2018, participants of the course from the John Paul II Foundation Home had the opportunity to meet with the Vice-Rector for Students and International Contacts of the Catholic University of Lublin, Fr. dr. hab. Andrzej Kiciński, prof. KUL. In the university courtyard, candidates from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine heard warm encouraging words to take advantage of the preparatory course and the wish for successful examinations and study in selected fields. Let the Patron of the Catholic University of Lublin and the Foundation – Saint John Paul II support all of us! Fr. Robert Ptak SCJ Lublin – A beautiful city!
On Saturday, July 21, 2018, the morning greeted us with beautiful, sunny weather - just in time for sightseeing (already) our city of Lublin. We started from the Royal Castle, where we visited among others: Chapel of the Holy Trinity. Then we crossed the bridge connecting the castle with the Old Town and we got to the ‘Po Farze’ Square. Then, we walked to the Dominicans’ Basilica of the Holy Cross Tree. We were amused by the renovated Archcathedral of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist with a miraculous image of Our Lady of Weeping, the Trinitarian Tower, and the Krakow Gate. At the intersection of Królewska and Krakowskie Przedmieście streets, delicious ice cream awaited us! We finished our meeting at Plac Litewski at the monuments of the Union of Lublin and Marshal Piłsudski. Thank you dr. Andrzej Niewiński, our lecturer and guide for the time spent with us! Fr. Robert Ptak SCJ |
