Editorial
DECEASED FR. INF. JÓZEF WÓJCIK – LOVED THE CHURCH AND POLAND
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
On 16 February 2014, just before the Jasna Góra Appeal Prayer, Fr. Inf. Józef Wójcik passed away to Lord. The priest the legend, the former parish priest in Suchedniów in the diocese of Sandomierz. If I wanted to summarize the life of the excellent man, I would say: he loved the Church and Poland. He felt the great spirit of cardinal Stefan Wyszyński and he was undoubtedly a knight for him. »
CHRIST COMES TO THEM THROUGH THE CHURCH
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
We do not often realize the fact how many people are afflicted by diseases. And everyone wants to be healthy – both in body and soul. Even the wishes we say to one another on various occasions, mostly concern health. Because if we are healthy, we are not suffering from anything, it means that we are in good condition, that we can fulfill our plans and achieve a lot. We are glad when we say: I feel good, I am healthy, I am not suffering from anything... »
ROSARY FOR HOMELAND – A NEW INITIATIVE OF ‘NIEDZIELA’
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
I am glad that I can announce that ‘Niedziela’ will join a great pastoral and patriotic program in its own media way, which is a Rosary for Homeland – starting with this edition, we are going to publish a supplement entitled so. For a long time, many Poles have been following the idea of spreading the rosary prayer all over Poland, capable of asking for graces needed for our country and grace of a good transformation in the Polish soul. »
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
We are going to witness canonization of John Paul II soon. We are glad about this event and we are grateful to the Church for such a quickly undertaken and finished canonization process. How many saints ‘had been waiting for’ canonization for centuries. Whereas John Paul II, who died in 2005, is already blessed, and will be proclaimed a saint soon. Many of us still remember him – as a saint man, full of divine reference. Documentary films, also fiction films, and his theological-pastoral heritage, which has not been completely explored yet. »
A PAPAL DOCUMENT FOR READERS OF ‘NIEDZIELA’
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
The Holy Father Francis turns out to be a discovery for the Church. Maybe some cardinals, when asked today if they imagined such a successor of St. Peter, are thinking more deeply and do not say anything or they say very little because they thought it would be a different pope. It turned again that the very Holy Spirit acts at the conclave through human voting. And the Pope comes who shows the Gospel as if from a different side. »
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
On Christmas Eve the great mystery is revealed to the world – the mystery of God coming in the person of the small Baby. It is a subtle, delicate, family and personal mystery. This is a mystery of a joyful news about salvation. It is a mystery of waiting and a mystery of fulfillment. What is fulfilled? The human being is fulfilled with his expectations, hopes, nostalgia and love. »
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
A beautiful carol story which we sing in our churches at this time – ‘Wise men of the world and monarchs’ reminds me of our great friend – the late bishop prof. Bohdan Bejze, who had served to the Church in Poland for many years, especially in the archdiocese of Łódź. Bishop Bohdan loved this carol very much. »
TELEVISION TRWAM FOR EVERYBODY
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
The director Father Tadeusz Rydzyk announced that from 15 February 2014 the Television is going to be present on the digital multiplex. He also expressed his sorrow that he has got to pay big money. I am not surprised by this fear of the director of Radio Maria. He was experiencing his fear for millions of Poles, Polish Catholics, believers who are waiting for the Television Trwam. »
JOY OF THE GOSPEL – AN IMPORTANT VOICE OF POPE FRANCIS
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
On the feast of Jesus Christ the King of the Universe on 24 November 2013, pope Francis gave an apostolic exhortation ‘Evangelii Gaudium’ –Joy of Gospel. The document is addressed to bishops, presbyters and deacons, to consecrated people and lay believers, and it concerns proclaiming the Gospel in the modern world. »
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
It was night. Everything started with the ordinary question: Does the world have a soul? What is the conscience of the world like? We are watching the world, we are looking at it with admiration, we are enjoying it, we are learning it, we are experiencing everything happening in it. We are touching its various spheres – material world driven by laws of nature, physics, chemistry, we see the world which is animate and inanimate, universe still not explored by the man… »
CHRIST – A KING OF THE UNIVERSE
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
It seems that we are not quite aware of the fact which was registered by the Gospels when Christ defined himself as a king. However, his kingdom is not the kingdom including the basic elements of power: army, courts, police, etc. This is the kingdom of God, the Creator of Heaven and land »
DID POLAND REALLY STAND OUT IN INDEPENDENCE?
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
Standing out in independence is a desire of generations. Watching the history of Poland, besides its unquestionable days of glory and great heroism, one cannot, however, omit actions deprived of a vision of a better future, what is more – there are lots of examples of corrupt people – ordinary traitors who inscribed themselves with a disgrace on the history cards of homeland. »
IT IS NECESSARY TO START FROM A PARISH
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
The 80s of the last century was the time when hope was domineering in Poles’ hearts. Communism was still very strong and dangerous at that time, and was armed with functionaries of the Security Office, but feeling powerful hope, the fright was not so big for us as it seemed. I remember a functionary from the Security Service who was walking along the alleys of the Blessed Mary the Virgin in Częstochowa, looking around. »
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
You are blessed when you are reviled and persecuted and when they tell lies about you because of me’ (Mt 5.11). Lord Jesus says about the persecution of those who are His believers, at the time when the foundations of the Church are appearing. And here centuries are passing and we are still witnesses of the fact that the Church and Christ’s believers are being persecuted, that there are even long periods of a ruthless fight with the Church. »
A JOURNALIST CANNOT BE A JUDGE OR AN EXECUTIONER OF THE MAN
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
Once I visited an Ordinary of Venice diocese in Florida. At that time we were shown photos of meetings of the pastor with diocesans. One of the photos presented the priest bishop surrounded by children – the bishop was sitting in an armchair, holding a cat on his knees. »