‘Niedziela’ visits the Mother of the Word
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
The pilgrimage of the Employees, Readers and Friends of ‘Niedziela’ to the Shrine of Jasna Gora fell on 15 September 2007, the day before the World Communications Day, which was celebrated in Poland on the third Sunday of September (that was the 11th pilgrimage). The prayerful mood of Jasna Gora traditionally becomes part of the big circle of people embraced by our weekly. It would be unthinkable that the editorial board of ‘Niedziela’, which dedicates so much time to the Most Blessed Mother and whose headquarters are at her Jasna Gora throne, furthermore, who regards Mary of Jasna Gora as her first Editress and Main Patroness, was absent at Jasna Gora at that special moment. As usual, we went to Mary to thank her for her intercession and to ask her for further motherly care. We went to pour out our troubles and to discern from her penetrating eyes concrete advice, which she willingly gives, and to re-discover the One whom she always shows us, Christ, the Son of God. We celebrate the 81st anniversary of ‘Niedziela’, the weekly founded by the Bishop of Czestochowa Teodor Kubina to fulfil the function of ‘additional auxiliary for bishops and assistant for parish priests’ and to remind the faithful of what is most important in daily life and what is included in the term of ‘Sunday’ – the Lord’s Day. Looking through various old editions of ‘Niedziela’ one can notice that our weekly is also a kind of chronicle of the life of our society, including people living in the diocese, and can give huge documentation to sociological research. Consequently, numerous people visit us, including students who write their Master’s or Doctor’s theses concerning the Polish history. ‘Niedziela’ records many concrete pastoral proposals. Since our intention is to stimulate thinking, deepening people’s awareness and arousing people’s conscience. And we are glad to see that this message of the Catholic paper is understood by the bishops who do their best to have local editions of ‘Niedziela’ in their dioceses and parish priests who accept ‘this additional priest’ in their communities, with whom one can walk home, who can explain many issues and who will include us into a community of similarly thinking people. Today a real battle concerning man, his conscience, preferences and style of life is being waged. If we do not help people discern what surrounds us there could be no faithful in our churches tomorrow. So let us support one another as much as we can since preaching from the pulpit will not certainly be sufficient in the society of images, in the society of films, in a surface society. Christians must always see the commandment of Christ, ‘Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations’ (cf. Matthew 28:19). The commandment concerns both clergy and all baptised because we deal with special values. As the Pauline Fathers have their own Pauline Confraternity and they confer the title of confrater on people who have rendered special service to their congregation and to people who have played a significant role in spreading the Marian cult, ‘Niedziela’ merits its unique collaborators and advocates, both individuals and institutes, by awarding the Mater Verbi medal. This year the medal has been given for the tenth time. Today this is a large group of people who form a spiritual, very notable base for the functioning of our weekly and its fulfilment of the information-formation mission. We want to express our sincere recognition; we wholeheartedly congratulate them and wish much endurance and success in promoting the Gospel through Catholic press. Naturally, our humble award has not been given to all people but we nominate people every year. It is important to us to understand the issue of Catholic media, especially Catholic press, which many people regard as inconvenient, and which directs people ‘against the tide’ of the needs of the contemporary rulers of the world. Let us think with cordiality about the difficult work of editing a Catholic paper and let us accept it with kindness. It is really worth. Those who use such papers will undergo changes and the society’s awareness will be deepened.
"Niedziela" 38/2007