WE DO NOT WANT TO GIVE AWAY TV SETS OR FRIDGES WHERE BREAD IS NECESSARY
Krzysztof Kunert
It was the action beyond all divisions. The action, initiated by archbishop Kupny, also involved politicians of various options – among the others, a voivode of Lower Silesia president of Wrocław, representatives of academic, business groups and solidarity group of Lower Silesia.
We all arrived with help and showed that in difficult moments we can be in solidarity – the metropolitan of Wrocław thanked guests during the final of the action.
We showed that we can join the program of help, which Poland is realizing there, on the spot. (…) We do not give away TV sets or fridges where bread is necessary; we want to help where it is necessary to heal human wounds. And this help is needed there, on the spot – explained the archbishop. He recalled the example of the flood which was in Wrocław in 1997: - If we had been told after the flood that you were to leave, what would you do? Everybody wanted to stay, everybody wanted to rebuild. And maybe that is why today we are more sensitive to help those who want to rebuild their destroyed city – said the archbishop of Wrocław.
An honourable guest of the meeting was bishop Aleppo Georges Abou Khazen who thanked Poles for their help: - the Polish government is the only one in the world to help us, the Christians stay in Syria, although it is not a religious organization. Without any purpose for business, without anything in return – said bishop of Aleppo. The Pastor of the Syrian Church emphasized not only the financial dimension of the action:
What you are doing is very needed by us, not only in the economic sense. We know that there are brothers who support us, and thanks to it we do not feel we are the minority which is forgotten. We feel as one big family – added bishop Khazen.
On behalf of the prime minister of the Polish government Beata Szydło, thanks were expressed to archbishop Kupny for organizing the initiative by Beata Kempa, the minister in the Office of Ministers’ Council President:
Mrs. Prime Minister personally sends her expressions of acknowledgment and congratulations. (…) You are as good as bread. God bless you for everything! – said the minister Kempa. The action in Lower Silesia was coordinated by journalists from Radio Family in Wrocław, was succored by the Polish Branch of the Pontifical Association Help to Church in Need: - As Lower Silesia, you gave us an example that where children, women, elderly people are suffering, there are no ecclesiastical or political divisions. And this is the main message of your action which is going throughout Poland and because the good is contagious, we know that other regions, for example, Lublin, are following you and are going to raise money for flats in Syria – said Fr. Waldemar Cisło – a director of the Polish Branch of the Pontifical Association Help to Church in Need. He noted the role of media in promoting the action: - I also want to emphasize the significance of Radio Family and the local public TV in promoting the action. You showed a beautiful image of unity that when it is necessary, you can help.
‘A gift for Aleppo’ is an action inaugurated on 2 March this year from the initiative of archbishop Józef Kupny whose purpose was rebuilding the Hospital named St. Ludwik in Aleppo. The initiative supported by the Pontifical Association Help to Church in Need united all Christian Churches in Lower Silesia, representatives of political parties, local governmental and governmental administration, services and a lot of institutions functioning on the area of Lower Silesia.
AA
„Niedziela” 47/2017