FROM JASNA GÓRA
Father Stanisław Tomoń OSPPE, The chairman of Jasna Góra
Renewal of marital weddings
The Pilgrimage of Married Couples and Families to Jasna Góra took place on 22-23 September under the motto: ‘Poland renews marital weddings’. The pilgrimage was started with the holy mass celebrated on Saturday 22 September in the Chapel of Miraculous Image of Our Lady. The Eucharist was presided by bishop Kazimierz Górny.
In the evening the participants of the pilgrimage were praying together during the cross road prayer on the walls of Jasna Góra. The first day of their prayer was finished by the Appeal of Jasna Góra. The reflections of the Appeal were proclaimed by bishop Kazimierz Górny.
3 September the central Eucharist with the entrustment of families was presided by bishop Stanisław Stefanek from Łomża, a member of the Council for Families at the Polish Episcopate. The prayer was attended by the delegations of families from all dioceses – altogether there were a few thousand people. There were among the others: bishop Kazimierz Górny, the chairman of the Council for Families and bishop Romuald Kamiński, a member of the Council. Bishop Stefanek said in the homily: - Love does not become ordinary, love does not die, love is not aging. It is a reality, it is a dynamics which has only one chance to be through development, through deeper and deeper motives of loving.
During the Holy Mass spouses renewed their marital vows, and new advisors of family life made an oath, and the entrustment of married couples and families of the Queen of Poland was also renewed.
Forest trees are still rustling…..of Poland!
On 22 September, the nationwide Pilgrimage of Foresters gathered workers of forestry, water economy and national parks in Jasna Góra, as well as the workers of higher and secondary forestry schools and representatives of ecological movements. The meeting under the motto: ‘Forest our church’ was attended by about 7 thousand people. There were among the others: Adam Wasiak, the general director of State Forests, and the former ministers of environment: Stanisław Żelichowski and Jan Szyszko. The Holy Mass at Jasna Góra was presided by bishop Edward Janiak from Kalisz, the national priest of foresters, and concelebrated by bishop of DrohiczynAntoniPacyfikDydycz and chaplains of foresters. – Looking at Jasna Góra I think that it is not an exaggeration that Polish forests often used to be fortresses defending our nation like in the times of Fr. Kordecki JasnaGóra was defending us against the Swedish and it has defended us – said bishop Antoni Dydycz in the homily. – Our forests also defended and saved us. Forests often used to be villages and towns, there was a place for unusual barracks in them, as well as schools, hospitals, the Seym, governmental headquarters, churches, monasteries. How can we forget about them now, after years? How can we undertake such thoughtless decisions about the future of the forests? God, please, do not let it be so! It would be as if we were trampling the graves of our heroes with contempt.
Relics of the Coptic church
The Pauline Order gave the relics of St. Paul the First hermit (patriarch of the Pauline Order) to the Coptic Orthodox Church. Whereas the Pauline fathers received the relics of St. Mark the Evangelist as a gift from the Coptic people, whose sarcophagus is in the Coptic cathedral in Cairo. The solemn act of giving the relics took place during the Appeal at Jasna Góra on 24 September. The ceremony was attended by: the superior of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Hungary Abonayoussef Khalil, the general of the Pauline Order Father Izydor Matuszewski, the prior of Jasna Góra Father Roman Majewski and the delegation of the Pauline fathers from Budapest led by Father Bator Botond.
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15 September – the 31st Pilgrimage of Marian Congregation took place. Father Emilio de Cardena, moderator of the Federation SM in Poland was present.
17 September remembrance of the 73rd anniversary of the Soviet invasion to Poland was commemorated by the Siberians from Częstochowa district and soldiers of the Underground Polish Army.
18 September there was the 12th Nationwide Youth Forum of Catholic Schools under the motto: Live faith gives hope and acts through love’.
21 September secondary school graduates from Tarnów diocese were praying, with whom bishop Władysław Bobowski, senior bishop of Tarnów diocese arrived.
21 and 22 September there was an annual pilgrimage of the faithful from Wrocław archdiocese. Among 2.5 thousand pilgrims archbishop Marian Gołębiewski – metropolitan of Wrocław, cardinal Henryk Gulbinowicz and bishop Andrzej Siemieniewski were praying.
22 September secondary school graduates from archdiocese of Lublin arrived – about 3.5 thousand young people were praying with archbishop Stanisław Budzik, the metropolitan of Lublin.
On 24-27 September there were retreats for about 140 priests chaplains of the Polish Army and also Police, Border Guards and Office of Government Protection. There was also bishop Józef Guzdek, a military bishop of the Polish Army.
26 September was the meeting day of Jasna Góra musicians. The meeting consisted of penitential liturgy with catechesis and a possibility of confession – presided by Father Marcin Minczyński OSPPE.
30 September the holy mass was celebrated for Jasna Góra Music School, its head teacher, teachers, parents and children. It was presided by Father Nikodem Kilnar, the national priest of ecclesiastical musicians.
(AA)
"Niedziela" 41/2012