On the following Sunday after the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus, on May 22, 2022 we gathered for the Eucharist, during which we thanked God in a special way for the great gift of life of our Pope John Paul II. For the fact that at first as a priest, bishop, cardinal, and then for twenty-seven years as the successor of St. Peter, he led people all over the world to God and to holiness. For several years now, in our Polish parish in Aulnay sous Bois, on the anniversary of Karol Wojtyła’s birth, we have been recalling the figure of our Great Compatriot. Through his intercession we pray, entrusting to God our intentions, everything that is important to us, that we carry in our hearts. During the Holy Sacrifice, which on this day was celebrated by our parish priest, Father Jarosław Koch TChr, we also entrusted to God the John Paul II Foundation Chapter in Aulnay sous Bois on the occasion of the first anniversary of its establishment, and on the occasion of the 102nd anniversary of the birth of our Great Compatriot, asking for the necessary graces for all members of the Chapter and their families. We prayed, among other things, that the John Paul II Foundation Chapter in our parish would enjoy the intercession of the Holy Patron, and all its members would enjoy God’s protection.
Then the members of the FJPII Chapter together with the parish priest went to the square of St. John Paul II, which is located in the center of our city, to place flowers under a commemorative plaque and thus pay homage to our Pope. Of course, it was not without singing in this place the Pope’s favorite song “Barka” and without intercessory prayer for all members of the Foundation and their families, as well as our entire parish community.
Not only the JPII Foundation Chapter remembers the birthday of our Pope, but also children and young people from the Polish School of Aulnay sous Bois. Exactly on his birthday, that is on May 18, a delegation of students together with the head of the school Katarzyna Nalepa, as well as parents and members of the Parents’ Council, on behalf of the entire school, all students and their families, laid flowers at the commemorative plaque of John Paul II. The president of the JPII Foundation Chapter in Aulnay sous Bois, Mr. Czesław Noster and his wife Elżbieta, also participated in this event. We are glad that the memory of St. John Paul II is maintained not only among adults, but also among the Polish youth.
In the gallery there are presented photos from both events.
Elizabeth Noster
