Prayers and confession were the spiritual basis on which Father Karol, as the Vicar of St. Florian Church, conducted pastoral work with students, which at the time was a pioneering undertaking. At the same time, he maintained contacts with students and professors, convinced even then, in the mid-1950s – during the period of the prevailing communism that the future of Poland depends on the education and formation of universities’ people. At St. Florian Church, Father Karol gathered students and became their spiritual guide. He taught them, first of all, how to pray. He was encouraging them to participate in the sacraments, especially in the holy Mass. He educated them in theological and philosophical anthropology, and was teaching how to live in the community, in respect of others. He was going with them went on hiking to the mountains, participated in kayaking trips. It was his famous “apostolate during trips.” Such activities were banned, so in order not to be recognized by the Security Service, he dressed in normal, not secular, clothes and the young people called him “Uncle.” This is how he created a group of young people united by, first of all, the word of God, but also by the way of thinking, caring for their Homeland and the desire to grow together. Karol Wojtyła continued this apostolate also as the Archbishop and Cardinal. During a year he met with them on meditation days, for discussions, prayers. He joined them during their pilgrimages to well-known shrines, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska or Częstochowa, where he was going, as he was saying – to listen to the heart of the Mother. He accompanied them at different stages of their lives, blessed marriages, baptized their children, uniting friendship with authentic pastoral care. While being a friend, most of all, he was a father, a spiritual guide and a their shepherd.
Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz – “Testimony” TBA Publisher, Warszawa 2007The famous trips’ apostolate
