On 16 October 2023, at exactly the 45th anniversary of the election of Cardinal Karol Wojtyla to the See of Peter, a Holy Mass organized by the Secretariat of the John Paul II Foundation at the tomb of Saint John Paul II in the Vatican Basilica was attended by a large group of Poles led by Amb. Adam Kwiatkowski. The Eucharist was celebrated and the homily was given by Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski, Metropolitan of Krakow, the supreme authority of the Foundation. The concelebrants were: Msgr Grzegorz Kaszak, diocesan bishop of Sosnowiec, Msgr Paweł Ptasznik, Chairman of the Administrative Council, Msgr Dariusz Giers, Administrator of the Foundation, Fr Mateusz Wójcik, Director of the John Paul II Polish Home in Rome.
Archbishop Jedraszewski reminded us that “45 years ago, for the first time in the 455 years of Vatican’s history, a non-Italian pope was elected –. He had been also the first pope from behind the Iron Curtain. It was a shocking news in those times. This news had been received with enthusiasm and surprise at St. Peter Square. I was a witness and participant of this news in Rome,” said Archbishop Jedraszewski.” He finished the sermon with these words, “45 years ago, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla became our ‘Saint’—the Saint Father or Santo Padre… but since 2014, he is a saint of the Catholic Church. The inscription on His grave reads: ‘Sanctus Joannes Paulus pp. II’ . . . Today, we gather next to His tomb thanking God for His life, thanking God for giving Him to Poland, to the Catholic Church, to the Church in Poland, and to the whole world. We go back to the Testament that He left us: ’Open the doors wide to receive Christ!.’”
In the prayer of the faithful, we presented the following intentions to Our Lord:
* for God’s blessing for the JPII Foundation, which we had received from Him as a gift and as an obligation,
* for all the Members, Friends, and Benefactors of the Foundation, so that God may bless them and surround them and their families with His shield against evil, so that they can fulfill their obligation in passing the teachings of Saint John Paul II to future generations,
* for the Youth whom the Polish Pope called “my hope and the future of the world”; especially for the scholarship recipients of the John Paul II Foundation, so that they may make the most of the opportunity for spiritual and intellectual development which they have received thanks to the generosity of many good people;
* for all the people engaged in the goals of JPII Foundation, so that God may reward them with His blessings through the intercession of our Polish Pope;
* for all those involved in the work of the Foundation, especially the dedicated pastoral workers, employees and people of good will, that the good Lord, through the intercession of the Holy Pontiff, may reward their efforts and sacrifices;
* for the sick and suffering, that they may be strengthened and healed by the merciful God, and that St John Paul II, through his example of perseverance in suffering, may help them to carry their own cross;
* for the deceased benefactors of the Foundation: presidents and members of the Chapters of Friends; for pastors, religious and lay faithful, that God rich in mercy, receive them in His kingdom;
* for peace in the world and for reconciliation between warring nations by praying the Holy Rosary, John Paul II’s favorite Marian prayer.
We would like to thank all the participants of this morning’s Mass and, above all, Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski for celebrating the Eucharist and for reminding us about that special day in the history of Poland and the Church – 16 of October A.D. 1978. May St John Paul II intercede for us, so that we may receive grace and blessing from Our Lord!
