The Administrative Council of the John Paul II Vatican Foundation convened in Rome on May 21-22. Representatives of the Foundation participated in the historic first General Audience of Pope Leo XIV. Several key decisions were made during the meeting.
“Each year, the Foundation’s board meets twice. The main session at the beginning of the year sets the course for the months ahead, while the May meeting serves as a more evaluative gathering. This is the time when the board assesses the implementation of previously approved projects. The February session resulted in many concrete resolutions, and in recent months, we have been working intensively to carry them out. The May meeting was a valuable opportunity to review our work, evaluate ongoing projects, and discuss future plans. Given the breadth of our initiatives, this gathering is indispensable,” explained the Foundation’s spokesperson, Fr. Tomasz Podlewski.
Day One
The meeting commenced on May 21 at the Vatican, beginning with a Holy Mass at the tomb of Saint John Paul II in St. Peter’s Basilica, presided over by Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski, who holds the “higher authority” (l’autorità superiore) within the Foundation according to its statutes. Concelebrants included Bishop Sławomir Oder (Vice-President of the Foundation), Msgr. Paweł Ptasznik (President), Fr. Dariusz Giers (Administrator), Fr. Tomasz Szopa (Board Member, Kraków), Fr. Michał Wilkosz (Board Member, Germany), along with directors of Foundation-run institutions in Rome and Poland. Lay board members Bogdan Chmielewski (USA), Wojciech Halarewicz (Germany), and Henryk Rogowski (France) were also present.
Following the Eucharist, representatives attended the historic first Wednesday General Audience of Pope Leo XIV. Afterward, both Archbishop Jędraszewski and Bishop Oder engaged in personal conversations with the Pope.
The afternoon session took place at St. Stanislaus B&M Church in Rome, where directors presented reports on the progress of initiatives set forth in February:
- Fr. Mateusz Wójcik (Director of the Pilgrim House in Rome),
- Fr. Dariusz Giers (Administrative Director),
- Fr. Andrzej Dobrzyński (Director of the Center for Documenation and Research of the Pontificate of John Paul II in Rome),
- Fr. Jan Strzałka SSCJ and Fr. Robert Ptak SSCJ (Director and Deputy Director of the Student House in Lublin),
- Fr. Tomasz Podlewski (Media & Events Office Director).
Day Two
The board evaluated progress, approved new projects, and emphasized partnerships with Teologia Polityczna and the Tertio Millennio Institute in Poland, whose president, Jan Jaśkowiak, met with the Council regarding future initiatives. We proudly announce that the John Paul II Vatican Foundation is now a co-organizer of the September Mountain Camp for high school graduates and students, as well as the Papal Competition for secondary schools.
The second day concluded with discussions on:
- Renovation of the John Paul II Pilgrim House in Rome (Via Cassia 1200),
- Strengthening cooperation between our Center for Documenation and Research of the Pontificate of John Paul II in Rome and the St. John Paul II Institute of Culture at the Angelicum
- Launching the preparatory qualification course for new Foundation scholarship recipients in July,
- Improving the Foundation’s communication strategy, including a redesigned website.
The next John Paul II Vatican Foundation board meeting is scheduled for early 2026 in Rome.
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