– Was the priest surprised after starting work at the Apostolic Palace? When the priest was seeing John Paul II in his daily life, did you see a man like you have imagined him before?
– What struck me the most was the Pope’s independence. I knew that I should be available, so I imagined that in addition to office work and accompanying the Holy Father in various celebrations, I should help him every day. To open the door, to light up the light. I quickly realized that the Pope did not expect this. Even it would bother him and annoy him. He did everything himself and he did not expect to be served.
– Was he inviting to his office, when he was asking for something?
– When he needed something, he used a bell at times. But, we tried to anticipate what the Pope was going to do in order to help him. For example, he didn’t say he was going somewhere. And, during the day he did it several times. He went to the chapel or went to the terrace of the Apostolic Palace located at the very top. Father Stanisław told me not to disturb him, to stay in the shadows, because the Pope wants to pray himself, to meditate. But, as we sensed that John Paul II was going to the terrace, I or Father Stanisław ran to the elevator. We tried to be before the Pope and call the elevator, which was often used by the nuns to transport various things. We checked that it was empty; we held it so that the Pope would not wait. It was all done quietly, discreetly. We were helped by the layout of the rooms in the Apostolic Palace.
Secretary of two Popes – conversation with Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki.
Wydawnictwo Literackie Publishing House
