On Divine Mercy Sunday, April 11, 2021, members and supporters of the New York Chapter of the John Paul II Foundation gathered at the Holy Cross Church in Maspeth for the dedication of the triptych, which commemorates the 100th anniversary of the birth of our Great Compatriot St. John Paul II. At 3 p.m. the Divine Mercy Chaplet was prayed. Together with faithful in the prayer participated: pastor-bishop Witold Mroziewski, administrator of the parish Fr. Andrzej Salwowski, vicar Fr. Daniel Rajski. During the prayer, fragments of “Diary” by St. Faustina were read and there was an adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
After the Chaplet, Bishop Witold Mroziewski celebrated a special Mass during which he blessed and dedicated the triptych. Welcoming the faithful and representatives of the New York Chapter of the John Paul II Foundation, Fr. Bishop said: “On this Divine Mercy Sunday we stand to thank God in a common prayer for the gift of the holy Poles-Saint John Paul II and Saint Faustina. During this Mass, we ask for their intercession and the graces needed for the John Paul II Foundation, for the creators of the Triptych, and founders. This great work, initiated by Saint John Paul II, flourish and bear spiritual fruit in the form of the Feast of Divine Mercy.”
In his homily, Bishop Witold Mroziewski addressed the faithful with the following words: “Today in our church triptych dedicated to Polish Saints begins its pelegrination. It will go, under the guidance and mantle of Our Lady of Częstochowa, from community to community, from parish to parish, from place to place, to ask for the mercy of God through the intercession of Saint John Paul II and Saint Faustina. May the graces and mercy of God be attended by as many believers as possible during this special time, the time of the pandemic, which teaches us how to face an unknown reality, how not to doubt. How to protect yourself and others from a terrible, because deadly disease. We trust that merciful Jesus will give us strength and many graces through the intercession of the Polish Saints-Saint Faustina and Saint John Paul II. This Triptych blessed to the glory of God, commemorates 100th anniversary of the birth of John Paul II and the mission of his Foundation.”
At the beginning of the blessing, the Bishop asked members of the Chapter of the John Paul II Foundation to come to the altar to be direct witnesses of the dedication of this triptych. This triptych will go through the Polish and American parishes of New York and the East Coast of the United States. In each parish it will stay for nine days during which the novena to St. John Paul II will be prayed. Thus, with the Litany to St. John Paul II and reading excerpts from various Papal Encyclical Letters stared the Novena to Saint Pope at the Holy Cross Church. Then the faithful gathered for an individual prayer paid tribute to Our Lady of Częstochowa, Saint John Paul II, and Saint Faustina placed on the Triptych.
Special words of thanks go to Dariusz Knapik, a member of our New York Foundation Chapter, who, together with a group of friends and employees of his own construction company, selflessly sponsored the triptych and gave to the faithful. Polish artist Bogusław Onsowicz is the author of paintings painted on linden boards. Gilded, decorative frames were designed and made by carpenter Mariusz Kusztykiewicz. The entire triptych was assembled by employees of Dariusz Knapik’s company: Victoria Consulting &Development LLC in Greenpoint. “This triptych is a gift from my heart, but also from other hearts, from those who participated in its formation”- the donor said. Another Triptych with the image of our Lady of Guadalupe, Saint John Paul II and Saint Faustina is being prepared by Dariusz Knapik together with a gup of friends and it will go on a pilgrimage in Mexico.
The 100th anniversary of St. John Paul II’s birth was on May 18, 2020, and anniversary celebrations were prepared for that year. Due to the covid-19 epidemic announced at the beginning of March, the planned meeting of the Chapters of the John Paul II Foundation in Rome was not held and the peregrination of triptych was postponed. The Triptych began its pilgrimage from the Holy Cross parish in Maspeth, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Polish Pope. Bishop Witold Mroziewski is the coordinator of the pilgrimage through the parishes of New York and the East Coast of the United States. Similar Triptychs dedicated to the Holy Father are already going on a pilgrimage through Canada, the west coast of the United States, the parishes of the Chicago metropolis, Europe and Asia.
Zofia Twarowska
