A reconciled people” “

“The Eucharistic Congress of Poland ends today in Warsaw. During the solemn concelebration three sons of this noble Nation were inscribed in the roll call of the Blesseds: Ladislaw Findysz, Bronislao Markiewicz and Ignazio Klopotowski. I hope this significant event in the life of the Church may help reinforce the spirit of brotherly reconciliation, necessary foundation for the edification of the communion of all those who participate in the one Eucharist of Christ. In that way the Redeemer shall always remain in our families, as affirmed in the theme of the Congress: ‘Remain, Lord, in our families'”: these are the words with which Benedict XVI recalled the 3rd Polish National Eucharistic Congress (18-19 June), in speaking to the faithful after the Angelus on Sunday 19 June. GREAT POPULAR PARTICIPATION. A Congress marked by the presence of over 10,000 delegates, representing the 44 Polish dioceses, while the memory of John Paul II, launched on the road of canonization, remains as strong as ever throughout the country: these were the essential features of the Polish national Eucharistic Congress, celebrated in Warsaw on 18-19 June. The Congress opened on 18 June in Pilsudski Square, an emblematic place for Warsaw, the same square in which John Paul II celebrated the historic mass on the occasion of his first visit to Poland as pope in 1979. Pilsudski Square had hosted, only two months ago, the Requiem Mass following the death of John Paul II, confirming its vocation of being a place that symbolizes the unity, liberty, independence and faith of the Polish people. Many groups of spouses, priests, men and women religious, renewed their matrimonial, priestly and religious vows 25 years after having first made them. Each rite was preceded by the Marian prayer “Appeal of Jasna Gora”, introduced by Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, who was the master, guide and keystone of the unity of the Christian people during the Communist regime. ACT OF RECONCILIATION. The central moment of the Congress came on Sunday 19 June, when the Act of Reconciliation took place between the Church of Poland and that of Ukraine. The bishops of both Churches reaffirmed the end of a long period of reciprocal violence and misunderstanding: “Conscious of their responsibility to build the community of the Cenacle, the bishops accepted the document regarding the message of pardon and reconciliation between the faithful of the Greek-Catholic Church in Ukraine and the faithful of the Roman Catholic Church in Poland. Recalling the unity of the faithful in Christ requested by the Gospel, the pastors of the Church urged the faithful to go beyond the political divisions and the bitter heritage of the past”. Apart from a recall of the historic message of mutual reconciliation and forgiveness written 40 years ago and issued by the Polish and German bishops in the concluding days of Vatican Council II, the Polish Bishops’ Conference, in the text of the Act of Reconciliation, emphasised that “with regard to the current discussion about the archival material gathered by the secret services of the Polish People’s Republic … according to the teaching of the Church each person has the right to a good name. It is not licit to treat the dignity of man in an instrumental way, nor submit it to political interests. The publication of documents of the afore-mentioned services cannot take place in an atmosphere of intrigues and insinuations, without giving to the person accused the chance of defending himself. More especially we cannot forget the fundamental responsibility of persons and institutions who crushed human consciences by creating a system of illegality and mendacity and who are unable to bring themselves to express a minimum of repentance for their actions today”. THE NEW BLESSEDS. Three new Blessed were proclaimed by Cardinal Josef Glemp during the Congress: the first is the priest Father Bronislao Markiewicz, who especially devoted himself to the formation of poor and orphaned youth. He founded the male and female Congregations of St. Michael Archangel. The second Blessed is Father Ignazio Klopotowski, parish priest in Warsaw, where he founded the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Loreto. The third is another diocesan priest, Father Ladislaw Findysz, who died in 1964, the first to be officially recognized for having suffered martyrdom under the Communist regime. Imprisoned in 1963 due to his pastoral ministry, he was subjected to humiliations and maltreatment in prison, and, although gravely ill with cancer, was denied medical treatment. He was released, but died shortly after, on 21 August 1964.