The triptych with relics of John Paul II. For more than 2 years, Polish parishes in the United States have been welcoming the triptych of John Paul II, one of the greatest people in the Polish family and one of the greatest Popes in the history of the church. John Paul II left us a great legacy in his teaching. He taught us to entrust Mother of God, Queen of our nation, and in a beautiful way showed us the gift of Divine Mercy, establishing this feast on the second Sunday of Easter. So often, the Pope has asked us to be faithful to the millennial tradition of the Polish people. He told us, among the rivers of wise words, that we should demand of ourselves, even when others would not demand of us. The triptych was hosted in our Parish for a week. His presence among us strengthened our faith and made us even more aware of the teaching of the Polish Pope. Let us prepare spiritually for the 100th Anniversary of his birth.
MIRACLES ARE HAPPENING ALL AROUND US
“Hearing Lord’s voice, do not harden your hearts” – these are the beautiful words of today’s psalm. In life’s speed, it can sometimes happen that our heart unfortunately becomes insensitive, cold, hardened, and sometimes even filled with hatred, anger … towards our fellow men. Yet God has given us a loving and naturally open heart to the Creator and neighbor. Unfortunately, misunderstanding of life, blindness with materialism, ordinary life comfort, selfishness, rejection of Christian morality, building one’s own vision of the world, sometimes even rebellion against God and the church, or the simple desire to mindlessly imitate others, make us lose our lives, get on any train- caring only for the pleasures of this world and that, as the evil counselor tells us – (the devil) take care of the so-called satisfaction and popular so-called fun in our lives. Then, we often go to life’s shortcuts, make the wrong choices in life, put a cross on our shoulders ourselves, bearing the consequences of our voluntary choices. Sometimes our choices also become a cross for our other loved ones and friends. We know that the Lord God respects our free choices, even though he sometimes has the sad face of a loving Father. God, however, never ceases to love us and always seeks us like the Good Shepherd – Jesus sought out the lost sheep. God, our loving Father always takes care of us and desires our good. He always saves us from various lives’ troubles, if we allow him to do so. The Lord God does not save forcibly, against our will. He treats our free and sovereign choices. Let us be with Christ, for only with Him can we safely go through life. The following example taken from our Polish backyard is a great example of this. Below is a heartbreaking account of the Polish Woman Katarzyna: We do not know what awaits us and what God’s plan is for us. Why are we here on this earth like a particle of dust? One thing is certain, God loves us all. No matter where we come from, what faith we are, what color of skin – WE ARE ALL GOD’S CHILDREN – pastor from Boston
My story starts here and now. My name is Kasia. I come from Piotrków Trybunalski.
I currently live in Boston. My father left me when I was 10 months old. My family was very poor, but rich in faith. Our family always served the church when help was needed. I have served God and the parish since the age of 3 and up to when I was 18 years old. I actively participated in procession (I poured flowers, carried a Rosary, pillows, at the end I had my banner). In 1979, I was 9 years old. I was running around the house when my whole family was watching TV and crying. I couldn’t understand what was going on. My mother called me and said, “Never forget what you see today, this man blessed you when your father left us. You were 1.5 years old at the time, I held you in my hands and he blessed you. It was Cardinal Karol Wojtyła. He visited our parish with a blessing for the children. And, now he got a call to be the Pope.” On September 25, 2019, a miracle happened! I was rescued from a car accident. I had a picture of St. Anthony of Padua in my car. I was supposed to throw it away as I found it when I was cleaning the hospital room after someone left the hospital. I took this picture to the car near me and that’s how we drove for a couple of years together. I also had a cross by the steering wheel. On that day, while driving a car, I got a stroke. While driving, I fainted and the passenger side of my car hit a huge track – my car was roofing 7 times on the highway; they cut the door to pull me out – I got out of the car as if nothing had happened. No fracture, no bruises- only one small wound on my head – because I had glasses; without paralysis after the stroke. It’s completely like nothing would happen!!! On the same day I went to take things out of my car. My picture was waiting for me in my seat. Everything inside was dirty and wet from my coffee, Pepsi cola – and a picture of St. Anthony was like new. Even one drop did not fall on the picture. The cross was broken. One part got lost somewhere. I decided to ask that the Christmas midnight Mass to be celebrated in my intention, to thank for the happy salvation and giving me a new life by the Lord God. Never forget God!!! In life we can lose everything – but not Him!!!!. Grateful to God for her second life” –
Katarzyna Kaganowicz
