Rosary Crusade for the intention of Homeland
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
The atmosphere in Poland, among the others in our media – press, radio and television – is quite strange. We are surprised by some people who suddenly express their opinions in newspapers or electronic media. There are always many readers, people taking part in discussions but there are probably more thoughtful people. Some people taking part in individual talks reveal their worries about Poland and the Poles and they do not know what happened to people, why they can not read what is happening, and what is, after all, a sign of time. You can see so much welfare on TV, so many well-off and smiling people, who are well-dressed, and we see how it is – we do not live somewhere on the Moon but in specific environments, we also know the contents of our pockets. We know how much education costs today, we see many hungry children. Despite many costly health-related programs we know how long we need to wait for specialist medical examinations. In fact, life in our country is not as sweet as politicians present it. In addition, a big percent of our society suffers from unemployment. People would like to find some work in order to have social insurance and a possibility of earning some money, otherwise life becomes impossible. All this fills us with sorrow and hopelessness. And only the awareness that God exists gives the Christians some consolation. So the man looks up and calls with the Psalmist: ‘Unde veniet auxilium mihi’ – where will my help come from…’
We look at Jasna Góra today – Jasna Góra of Victory (the Bright Hill of Victory) – as Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński used to say – and we refer to the times of Father Augustyn Kordecki. You, great Prior of Jasna Góra, also experienced a tragedy concerning this society in your time. However, you found a way to enliven a great prayer for Homeland and salvation of the cloister – the national symbol among your contemporary people. And that prayer turned out to be effective. The Poles started to believe in the power of the Blessed Virgin Mary and proclaimed her the Queen of Poland. Our Lady in Jasna Góra adopted our country under her care and the Poles felt as if they were the knights of their beloved Queen. In difficult times Lvov vows contributed to maintaining the unity and the spirit of the nation. During the times of captivity the Poles used to come to Jasna Góra mainly spiritually, adoring their Queen and praying for their return ‘onto the bosom of their Homeland’. Our Lady was our patroness everywhere. She was our strength, support and refuge. This great mission of the Queen of the Polish Nation was understood by the Millennium Primate and, on the 300th anniversary of vows taken by King Jan Kazimierz, he renewed the national promises in Jasna Góra. Our Lady of Częstochowa became Patroness of our public life, a patroness of practically all professional environments and social groups.
We come to Our Lady in Jasna Góra in bigger groups, especially when there are dark clouds over the horizon. Today this horizon is extended more and is spreading all over the Europe suffering from the crisis of Christian identity for some time.
On 25 September this year in Jasna Góra, a very important initiative group has been created which undertake the Rosary Crusade in an already formalized way – the intensive Rosary Prayer – for the intention of Homeland. Its great desire is to make at least 10 percent of Polish people commit themselves to daily reflections and saying one of the Rosary mysteries for this intention. It will be a great spurt of the nation which wants to ask Mother of God again to take care of this country and fill us with the spirit of love to God and our neighbor, the spirit of values of our historical heritage. The purpose of this prayer is to beg for spiritual strength for proper managing affairs of our Homeland.
It is very important that Polish young people would cling to Mary; and they would not succumb to any defects of liberalism and atheism, but would be aware of the fact that our best Patroness is Mother of Jesus. It is her who leads us to the victory over the powers of dark, weakness and sin.
The crusade is led by Jasna Góra Rosary Family because of its place and also its unusual work in this sphere up to the present. The purpose of the Rosary prayer is to bring healing of Poland and the Poles, so that we would find strength to rebuild Christian Europe. Through our prayer we want to protect this oldest continent which used to be the first one in building Christian culture. Let the creating of this culture be also a piece of work of new and modern Europe.
(AA)
"Niedziela" 41/2011