A Christmas Eve with the white Christmas wafer in our hand makes us aware that each home, each family, becomes the ‘Bethlehem’, where Jesus Chris is being born. Sharing and breaking the Christmas wafer is a sing of brotherhood, forgiveness, reconciliation, unity of all faithful in Christ and it provides a wonderful opportunity to make Christmas and New Year wishes to each other.
On Saturday, December 14, 2019, the John Paul II Foundation Home become our ‘Bethlehem’. Continuing this beautiful tradition that is ongoing for many years, we gathered in our Home at the Christmas Wafer meeting. The meeting started with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop of Lublin Stanislaw Budzik. The Mass was concelebrated by Bishop Artur Mizinski, General Secretary of KEP; Prof. Fr. Dariusz Dabek, Vice Dean of the Philosophy Department of KUL; Fr. Zdzislaw Koziol, Provincial of the Sacred Heart Priests, Fr. Jan Strzalka, Director of the JPII Foundation Home, Fr. Robert Ptak, Vice-Director of the Foundation Home, Fr. Nyaming, scholarship recipient from Indonesia.
The John Paul II Institute of KUL was represented by the Secretary, dr. Tomasz Gorka. For that occasion, from Warsaw came Mrs. Ewa Bednarkiewicz, President of the John Paul II Foundation Warsaw Chapter along with a small delegation. As every year, also this year, we received wonderful gifts: a wonderful book by Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki and Brigida Grysiak “A place for everybody” that depicts holiness of John Paul II; and, gifts which we will pass one to those in need in our homelands.
In the meeting also participated Ursuline nuns, s. Maria Piotrowska, director of the Women Dormitory of the JPII Foundation Home and s. Krystyna Marek, Vice Director. Multiple stipend recipients and residents of the Home also participated in the meeting.
During the Mass, Archbishop Stanislaw Budzik delivered a beautiful homily. He reminded us that during the time of Advent, we are called not only to wait for Jesus coming, but also by following the example of St. John the Baptist, we need to be Prophets who are preparing for Christ the paths to human hearts.
The liturgy during the Mass was enriched by the choir and musicians who are active at the JPII Foundation Home.
After the holy Mass, the second part of the meeting started. The choir presented ‘Szczedryk’, one of the most famous pieces of Mykola Leontowicz. Then, an excerpt from the Evangel according to St. Luke was read. That excerpt refers to the birth of Son of God in Bethlehem. Weronika Andruszczyszyna in few words expressed the gratitude for the Christmas wishes, presents and the presence. Prof. Dabek and Mrs. Bednarkiewicz expressed their gratitude to all valuntiers who were helping in Staniatki during vacations and gave them special gifts.
Then, Archbishop Mizinski blessed the Christmas Wafers, which we were braking and making wishes. Then, we were enjoying delicious treats which were prepared by the John Paul II Foundation Home management.
Svitlana Slyvchenko
