On October 25-27, 2022, Monsignor Paweł Ptasznik from the Vatican stayed in Lublin. For 26 years, Monsignor Ptasznik was a high official of the Roman Curia working in the Secretariat of State. He was also a close collaborator of 3 popes: St. John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis. For many years he has been the Rector of the St. Stanislaus BM Church in Rome and the pastor of Polish emigration in this city. For many years he was a member of the Administrative Council of the John Paul II Foundation, and since April this year he has been its Chairman.
The main motive for the prelate’s arrival in Lublin was to preside over the solemn inauguration of the academic year at the John Paul II Foundation Home, which took place on Wednesday, October 26. The Holy Mass was celebrated by: Rev. Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski, Rector of the Catholic University of Lublin, Fr. Witold Januś, Provincial Vicar of the Polish Province of priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Rev. Marian Radwan, builder of the House and originator of the scholarship program, Rev. Dr. Paweł Rytel-Adrianik, Director of the Office for Foreign Communication in the Secretariat of the Episcopal Conference of the Polish and Deputy Director of the Heschel Center of the Catholic University of Lublin, Rev. Dr. Filip Krauze, Director of the Office of Friends of the Catholic University of Lublin. In the Mass participated, among many: Mrs. Ewa Bednarkiewicz, President of the Warsaw Chapter of the John Paul II Foundation together with members of the Society, the management of the House, graduates of the Foundation and current scholarship recipients. The musical setting was provided by a schola, under the direction of Dziyana Vidziailo. Olha Sphynda played the organ, and Anna Prosiekova, Violetta Ilyassova and Stanisław Rutkouski played the violin.
During his stay in Lublin, Fr Ptasznik was received by the Metropolitan of Lublin, Archbishop Stanisław Budzik and the Rector of the Catholic University of Lublin, Fr Mirosław Kalinowski.
I would like to thank the Chairman of the Administrative Board of the Foundation for coming to Lublin, celebrating the Eucharist and meeting with the scholarship recipients. I would like to thank all the members of the Council for their kindness to the scholarship recipients in Lublin and we promise constant prayer for the Council and all benefactors of the Foundation.
Fr. Jan Strzałka
Photo: Viktoria Rudkovskaya, Viktoria Zdaievska
