Historical calendar – the anniversary of the fishing of the body murdered by the safety Service of the Polish People's Republic, priest Jerzy Popieluszko.
Today in our calendar we will look at the life and activities of this priest.
Jerzy Popieluszko came from the village of Okopy in Podlasie, from the agricultural household Władysława and Marianna from the home of Gniedziejko. He was raised in a profoundly patriotic and Catholic atmosphere. Since his early youth, he has been distrusted by the government of the People's Poland. This attitude had a very strong social background. The Podlasie was 1 of the regions in which the armed anti-communist underground was the longest operating.
Father helped the guerrillas, and an uncle of the future priest died at the hands of the Soviets. In his honor he received the name Alfons, which he later changed to George.
He graduated from primary school and then advanced school in Suchowola. He was a very spiritual person, and he had frequent problems with communist teachers. He got up early all morning to service as an altar boy before school. In 1965 he passed his graduation and joined a seminary in Warsaw. It was a period of increased fight between the authorities and the Church, during the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of Poland's baptism.
After the first year of the seminar Popieluszko was forced into the LWP ranks. He served in a peculiar cleric unit in Bartoszice. With dense exercises, penalties, and pushy communist propaganda, they tried to force him to abandon the seminary. He never got broken, and he kept others alive. Staying in the military almost cost him his life, as the brutality of officers caused him serious wellness problems.
After the seminary he accepted priestly ordination at the hands of Primate Wyszyński. Since 1972, he has worked as a vicar in the parish of Ząbki in Podwarszaw and then Anina. He was very committed to pastoral work. He organized retreats, rosary circles and pilgrimages, as well as assistance for the poor. 2 groups were peculiarly concerned. The first were pregnant women who were offered abortion, and the second – children and youth exposed to regime-based atheistic propaganda.
The authorities attempted to recruit him as a secret associate (TW), but failed. At the beginning of the 1980s, he worked in the capital, among others, as an academic pastor at St. Anne's Church. There he campaigned against abortion among students and medical graduates. In 1980, he supported the labour protests and celebrated mass for strikers in Huta Warszawa. At that time, he became celebrated for his profoundly patriotic sermon.
In a akin spirit he besides spoke later. He participated in the 1st National gathering of “Solidarity” which he became chaplain. His conflict to preserve tradition and Catholic morality again curious the authorities. This time he became the subject of the operational work. Surveillance intensified after martial law was introduced in December 1981. Fr Jerzy tried to keep a spirited society that was dilapidated.
He organized charities, distributed gifts from abroad, and took care of political prisoners and their families. Since February 1982, all period he has held peculiar Masses for the Homeland, which gathers crowds of Poles. In 1983 he led a pilgrimage of workers to Jasna Góra, Czestochowa. Thanks to his commitment and the good news he preached, there were dozens of conversions, including communist activists.
Despite his mediocre health, he was very active in his mission. The communist dictatorship of martial law declared him a threat to the stableness of the state. The harassment and threats began and the intimidation of the trial for alleged sowing anti-state propaganda. Officers of the ideological front – specified as Jerzy Urban – attacked and mocked him on the part of the government media.
When these methods failed, the SB carried out a provocation consisting of dropping ammunition and explosives into his apartment, which was subsequently ‘discovered’ during the search. He was again threatened with trial and long-term jail time, but besides this time he did not quit the fight for Free Poland. The authorities have had adequate of him. On 13 September 1984, Wojciech Jaruzelski met with MMA head Czesław Kiszczak. During the interview, he was expected to tell him: Get it done. Don't let him bark..
On October 19, Father Popieluszko was abducted and then murdered. He participated in this action, among others. Waldemar Chrostowski – TW “Desperat”, located by the priest as his driver. On October 30, the body of the murdered priest was fished out.
On the same day, Bronisław Geremek, Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Czesław Kiszczak, Wojciech Jaruzelski and Mieczysław Rakowski met in Warsaw. All of 'em were out of hand. They agreed that this issue should never be explained, that we should go further and divide Poland among ourselves. In fact, the case of Popiełuszko has been confused for many years.
The execution of a priest was accused and then convicted, respective SB officers. Later, their sentences were softened. After the alleged systemic transformation, a fresh execution investigation was initiated. erstwhile the facts discovered began to contradict the authoritative version of the events, an inquisitive prosecutor Andrzej Witkowski was removed from the case. In 2010, Popieluszko was declared blessed by the Catholic Church. His beatification process is ongoing.
Jerzy Popieluszko was a very brave and devout priest. In his speeches, he combined Catholicism with Polish patriotism, reaffirming their bonds. He turned out to be an uncompromising man who had no intention of getting along with communists, as the declarative oppositionists specified as Wałęsa, Kuronia and Geremka did. His activities posed a serious threat to the transition, so he had to die. The culls of his death constitute 1 of the founding lies of the 3rd Republic of Poland.
Previous entry from our calendar is available Here.
