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August 2002
His Holiness John Paul II - Short Biography posted on August 20, 2002
His Holiness John Paul II
Short Biography
[Updated: 21.02.2002]
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Karol Józef Wojtyła , known as John Paul II since his October 1978 election to the papacy, was born in Wadowice, a small city 50 kilometres from Cracow, on May 18, 1920. He was the second of two sons born to Karol Wojtyła and Emilia Kaczorowska. His mother died in 1929. His eldest brother Edmund, a doctor, died in 1932 and his father, a non-commissioned army officer died in 1941.
He made his First Holy Communion at age 9 and was confirmed at 18. Upon graduation from Marcin Wadowita high school in Wadowice, he enrolled in Cracow's Jagiellonian University in 1938 and in a school for drama.
The Nazi occupation forces closed the university in 1939 and young Karol had to work in a quarry (1940-1944) and then in the Solvay chemical factory to earn his living and to avoid being deported to Germany.
In 1942, aware of his call to the priesthood, he began courses in the clandestine seminary of Cracow, run by Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha, archbishop of Cracow. At the same time, Karol Wojtyła was one of the pioneers of the "Rhapsodic Theatre," also clandestine.
After the Second World War, he continued his studies in the major seminary of Cracow, once it had re-opened, and in the faculty of theology of the Jagiellonian University, until his priestly ordination in Cracow on November 1, 1946.
Soon after, Cardinal Sapieha sent him to Rome where he worked under the guidance of the French Dominican, Garrigou-Lagrange. He finished his doctorate in theology in 1948 with a thesis on the topic of faith in the works of St. John of the Cross. At that time, during his vacations, he exercised his pastoral ministry among the Polish immigrants of France, Belgium and Holland.
In 1948 he returned to Poland and was vicar of various parishes in Cracow as well as chaplain for the university students until 1951, when he took up again his studies on philosophy and theology. In 1953 he defended a thesis on "evaluation of the possibility of founding a Catholic ethic on the ethical system of Max Scheler" at Lublin Catholic University. Later he became professor of moral theology and social ethics in the major seminary of Cracow and in the Faculty of Theology of Lublin.
On July 4, 1958, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Cracow by Pope Pius XII, and was consecrated September 28, 1958, in Wawel Cathedral, Cracow, by Archbishop Baziak.
On January 13, 1964, he was nominated Archbishop of Cracow by Pope Paul VI, who made him a cardinal June 26, 1967.
Besides taking part in Vatican Council II with an important contribution to the elaboration of the Constitution Gaudium et spes, Cardinal Wojtyła participated in all the assemblies of the Synod of Bishops.
Since the start of his Pontificate on October 16, 1978, Pope John Paul II has completed 95 pastoral visits outside of Italy and 141 within Italy . As Bishop of Rome he has visited 301 of the 334 parishes .
His principal documents include 13 encyclicals , 13 apostolic exhortations , 11 apostolic constitutions and 41 apostolic letters. The Pope has also published two books : "Crossing the Threshold of Hope" (October 1994) and "Gift and Mystery: On the 50th Anniversary of My Priestly Ordination" (November 1996).
John Paul II has presided at 131 beatification ceremonies ( 1,282 Blesseds proclaimed ) and 43 canonization ceremonies ( 456 Saints ) during his pontificate. He has held 8 consistories in which he created 201 cardinals . He has also convened six plenary meetings of the College of Cardinals .
From 1978 to today the Holy Father has presided at 15 Synods of Bishops : six ordinary (1980, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1994, 2001), one extraordinary (1985) and eight special (1980, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998[2] and 1999).
No other Pope has encountered so many individuals like John Paul II: to date, more than 16 million pilgrims have participated in the General Audiences held on Wednesdays (more than 1,000). Such figure is without counting all other special audiences and religious ceremonies held [more than 8 million pilgrims during the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 alone] and the millions of faithful met during pastoral visits made in Italy and throughout the world. It must also be remembered the numerous government personalities encountered during 38 official visits and in the 650 audiences and meetings held with Heads of State , and even the 212 audiences and meetings with Prime Ministers .
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Biographies of 4 Poles Beatified posted on August 20, 2002
An Archbishop, 2 Priests and a Religious Sister
KRAKOW, Poland, AUG. 19, 2002 (Zenit.org).- The Vatican has published these biographies of the four people beatified Sunday by John Paul II at the Mass in Blonie Park.
The newly beatified are Zygmunt Szczesny Felinski, Jan Balicki, Jan Beyzym and Sancja Szymkowiak.
* * *
Zygmunt Szczesny Felinski (1822-1895)
Blessed Sigmund Felix Felinski (1822-1895), archbishop of Warsaw and founder of the Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary. He was born on Nov. 1, 1822, to Gerard Felinski and Eva Wendorff, in Wojutyn in Volinia (present-day Ukraine), in what was then Russian territory. He was Archbishop of Warsaw for 16 months, spent 20 years in exile in Siberia, spent 12 years in semi-exile as titular archbishop of Tarsus and parish priest in the country. He died in Krakow, which then belonged to Austria, on Sept. 17, 1895. Indeed, he spent 58 of his 73 years in territory that belonged to the Russian Empire.
Spiritual and national figure
He is venerated as Shepherd in exile, an apostle of national harmony and unity in the spirit of the Gospel, a model of priestly dedication. As archbishop of Warsaw and founder of a religious congregation, he exercised his duties and role as "good Shepherd" with great strength, love and courage, always keeping careful watch over himself. "I am convinced that by keeping my heart uncontaminated, living in faith, and in fraternal love toward my neighbor, I will not go off the path. These are my only treasures and are without price," he wrote.
Family
The third of six children, of whom two died at an early age, he was brought up with faith and trust in Divine Providence, and love for the Church and Polish culture. When Sigmund was 11 years old his father died. Five years later, in 1838, his mother was arrested by the Russians and sent into exile in Siberia for her involvement in patriotic activity. Her patriotic activity was working for the improvement of the social and economic conditions of farmers.
Education and background
Sigmund was well educated. After completing high school, he studied mathematics at the University of Moscow from 1840-1844. In 1847 he went to Paris, where he studied French literature at the Sorbonne and the Collège de France. He knew all the important figures of the Polish emigration, e.g. Adam Mickiewicz. He was a friend of the nationalist poet Juliusz Slowacki who died after the revolt of Poznan. In 1848, he took part in the revolt of Poznan, which failed. From 1848-50 he was tutor to the sons of Eliza and Zenon Brzozowski in Munich and Paris. In 1851 he returned to Poland and entered the diocesan seminary of Zytomierz. He studied at the Catholic Academy of St. Petersburg. On Sept. 8, 1855, Archbishop Ignacy Holowinski of Mohilev ordained him. He was assigned to the Dominican Fathers' Parish of St Catherine of Siena in St. Petersburg until 1857, when the bishop appointed him spiritual director of the Ecclesiastical Academy and professor of philosophy. In 1856 he founded the charitable organization "Recovery for the Poor," and in 1857 he founded the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary.
Archbishop of Warsaw
On Jan. 6, 1862, Pope Pius IX appointed Sigmund Felinski archbishop of Warsaw. On Jan. 26, 1862, Archbishop Zylinski consecrated him in St. Petersburg. On Jan. 31 he left for Warsaw where he arrived on Feb. 9, 1862. The Russians, brutally suppressed the Polish uprising against Russia in Warsaw in 1861 creating a state of siege. In response to the harsh measures of the Russians, the ecclesial authorities closed all the churches for four months. On Feb. 13, 1862, the new archbishop reconsecrated the Cathedral of Warsaw; the Russian Army had profaned it on Oct. 15, 1861. On Feb. 16, he opened all of the churches in the city with the solemn celebration of the Forty Hours Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Sigmund Felinski was archbishop of Warsaw for 16 months, from Feb. 9, 1862, to June 14, 1863. Times were difficult since there were daily clashes between the occupying Russian power and the Nationalist Party. Unfortunately, he was met by an atmosphere of distrust on the part of some citizens and even clergy, since the Russian government deceived them into thinking that he was secretly collaborating with the government.
The archbishop always made it clear that he was only at the service of the Church. He also worked for the systematic elimination of governmental interference in the internal affairs of the Church. He reformed the diocese by making regular visits to the parishes and to the charitable organizations within the diocese so that he could better understand and meet their needs. He reformed the programs of study at the Ecclesiastical Academy of Warsaw and in the diocesan seminaries, giving new impetus to the spiritual and intellectual development of the clergy.
He made every effort to free imprisoned priests. He encouraged them to proclaim the Gospel openly, to catechize their parishioners, to begin parochial schools, and to take care that they raise a new generation that would be sober, devout and honest. He looked after the poor and orphans, starting an orphanage in Warsaw, which he entrusted to the Sisters of the Family of Mary.
In political action he tried to prevent the nation from rushing headlong into a rash and inconsiderate position. As a sign of his own protest against the bloody repression by the Russians of the "January Revolt" of 1863, Archbishop Felinski resigned from the Council of State and on March 15, 1863, wrote a letter to the Emperor Alexander II, urging him to put an end to the violence. He likewise protested against the hanging of the Capuchin Father Agrypin Konarski, chaplain of the "rebels." His courage and interventions quickly brought about his exile by Alexander II.
Exile in Siberia for 20 years
In fact, on June 14, 1863, he was deported from Warsaw to Jaroslavl, in Siberia, where he spent the next 20 years deprived by the czar of any contact with Warsaw. He found a way to organize works of mercy to help his fellow prisoners and especially the priests. Despite the restrictions of the Russian police, he managed to collect funds to build a Catholic church which later became a parish. The people were struck by his spiritual attitude and eventually began calling him the "holy Polish bishop."
Semi-exile in Krakow region
In 1883, following negotiations between the Holy See and Russia, Archbishop Felinski was freed and on March 15, 1883, Pope Leo XIII transferred him from the See of Warsaw to the titular See of Tarsus. For the last 12 years of his life he lived in semi-exile, in southeastern Galizia at Dzwiniaczka, among the crop-farmers of Polish and Ukrainian background. As chaplain of the public chapel of the manor house of the Counts Keszycki and Koziebrodzki, he launched an intense pastoral activity. Out of his own pocket, he set up in the village the first school and a kindergarten. He built a church and convent for the Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary.
Writings
In his leisure, he prepared for publication the works he had written during his exile in Jaroslavl. Here are some of them: Spiritual Conferences, Faith and Atheism in the Search for Happiness, Conferences on Vocation, Under the Guidance of Providence, Social Commitments in View of Christian Wisdom and Atheism; Memories (three editions).
Remains in Warsaw
He died in Krakow on Sept. 17, 1895, and was buried in Krakow on Sept. 20. Later he was buried at Dzwiniacza (Oct. 10, 1895). In 1920 his remains were translated to Warsaw where, on April 14, 1921, they were solemnly interred in the crypt of the Cathedral of St. John where they are now venerated.
* * *
Jan Balicki (1869-1948)
Blessed John Adalbert Balicki was born on Jan. 25, 1869, in Staromiescie, Poland (today the district of Rzeszow). He died of pneumonia and TB in Przemysl on March 15, 1948.
Education
John Adalbert was raised in a deeply religious family and, although materially poor, they were a family rich in honesty and virtue. From 1876-1888 he attended the schools of Rzeszow under the guidance of high level educators imbued with a love for Polish culture. In September 1888 he entered the diocesan seminary of Przemysl. After four years of study and spiritual preparation, he was ordained on July 20, 1892.
The bishop sent him to be assistant pastor in the parish of Polna. He was appreciated as a man of prayer, a patient confessor, and a gifted preacher. After about a year, he was sent to Rome to pursue his formation at the Pontifical Gregorian University. During his four years of study (1893-1897), he was aware of a dual responsibility: as a priest, to continue to make progress in Christian perfection, and as a student, to complete his studies.
His spiritual approach to theology bore fruit later on in his teaching. He listened to the lectures in the morning. In the afternoon he read the authors referred to and, above all, St. Thomas Aquinas. Then he went to the chapel to pray over what he studied. He spent his free time in Rome visiting the shrines of the apostles and the rooms of the saints. It was a concrete way of learning about the faith.
Professor of theology, prefect of studies
In the summer of 1897, he returned to Przemysl of the Latins, where he was appointed professor of Dogmatic Theology in the diocesan seminary. He was convinced that theology is not only the science that regards God, but the science that can turn man to reach God. His lessons were meditations on the mysteries of God and had a good influence on the moral formation of his students. Up till 1900, Father Balicki was also Prefect of Studies.
Rector of the seminary
In 1927, in a spirit of obedience, he accepted the post of vice rector of the seminary and a year later he was appointed rector. He was concerned about the spiritual formation of the priests. Before he presented the candidates to the bishop, he studied the reports and prayed for light to make the proper decision.
Spiritual direction and confession
In 1934 he was forced to resign as rector and professor of theology due to poor health, but he continued to live at the seminary. From 1934-1939 he could only hear confessions and give spiritual direction. Many of his penitents testified that he had an extraordinary gift of penetrating the profundity of their soul.
As confessor he had an open heart for everyone who approached him with sincerity. He was always available for confession despite poor health. He was not just a judge or giver of absolution, but he did all he could to motivate his penitents to grow spiritually. He regularly gave direction through letters.
World War II: restrictions, worsened health
In September 1939, Poland was plunged into the tragedy of the Second World War. Right away the city of Przemysl was divided into two parts: the old section occupied by Soviet troops, and the rest of the city occupied by the Germans. Although the priests and the bishop and his collaborators thought it safer to move to the German side, Father Balicki remained in the Soviet zone hoping to start again the activity of formation in the seminary. In the end, he was forced to move into a room in the bishop's temporary housing.
In October 1941, the fighting in the area stopped and the artificial barrier that divided the city was abolished. Father Balicki stayed there in his temporary room with the bishop.
In the second half of February 1948, he became gravely ill and was diagnosed as having bilateral pneumonia and tuberculosis in its advanced stage. He was admitted to the hospital where he died on March 15, 1948. He was considered by all to be a "holy priest" and "humility in person."
Teaching and example
After his death, the fame of his holiness spread throughout Poland and beyond Poland by means of the Polish emigrants. Eventually the people began to report to the authorities the answers to their prayers in which they begged John Adalbert to intercede for them.
Those who knew him report that his whole life was motivated by the desire to be the least among his brothers. His humility was simple, natural, authentic. There was no room for pride or vanity. He was gentle and careful in his dealings with others. He never desired to call attention to his own pains or sufferings.
What stood out as the fruit of humility was his great love of God and neighbor. Love was the dominant attitude. Humility allowed him to tend constantly toward God. He said that the life of grace was revealed in the dominion of the spirit over the flesh and its disordered inclinations. He stressed the role of the virtues in the growth of the spiritual life, especially mortification, patience, and humility. Mortification submits nature to grace, patience, inseparable from love, makes man capable of sacrifice for God, humility dethrones the ego to place the Lord at the center of his heart.
He held up prayer as the indispensable nourishment for the growth of the interior life and for final perseverance. Prayer is the elevation of the mind and heart to God so that we can live for him and we love God with the love that he infuses into our hearts.
He did a study of mystical prayer in which he emphasized four degrees: prayer of quiet, prayer of simple union, ecstatic union and perfect union.
He also gave a list of the seven steps for progress in the spiritual life. They are a serious approach to life, readiness to be critical of self, unshakable confidence in prayer, joy of spirit, love for suffering, praise of divine mercy, and continuous self amendment.
Model for diocesan priests
On Dec. 22, 1975, the then Cardinal Wojtyla wrote to Paul VI to hold him up as a model for priests in our time.
* * *
Jan Beyzym (1850-1912)
Blessed John (Jan) Beyzym was born in what is now Ukraine, at Beyzymy Wielkie on May 15, 1850, and died on Oct. 2, 1912, in Fianarantsoa, Madagascar, the apostle of the lepers of Madagascar.
Father Beyzym was the first priest to live among the victims of Hansen's disease in the entire history of the mission of Madagascar.
Teaching apostolate
After his secondary school studies, he entered the Jesuit novitiate on Dec. 10, 1872, at Stara Wies. On July 26, 1881, he was ordained in Krakow.
For 17 years, Father Beyzym worked as an educator among young people in the Jesuit Colleges at Tarnopol and Chyrow. During this time he was also discerning the second call he received from God which was to serve in the difficult mission among the lepers in Madagascar. In 1898, when he was 48, he left for Madagascar to begin the apostolate. "I know very well," he wrote to the Father General Louis Martin in Rome in 1897, "what leprosy is and what I must expect, but all this does not frighten me, on the contrary, it attracts me."
Mission among the lepers in Madagascar
On arriving in the Red Island (Madagascar) he was posted to the leprosarium of Ambahivoraka near Antananarivo, where 150 sick people lived in almost total abandonment in the desert, far from healthy people. They lived in crumbling shacks which were divided into small windowless rooms without flooring or furniture. They received no medication and lived, day by day, without any help. They often died of hunger rather than of sickness.
After two weeks in the hospice, Father Beyzym wrote a letter in 1899 to Rodolphe de Scorraille, head of the Province of Champagne and its missions, to present the indescribable conditions he found, admitting that he asked the good Lord to help him bring relief to this misery and that he wept in private at the sufferings of these unhappy people.
However, he did not shrink from the reality. He devoted all his strength, his talents as an organizer and, above all, his heart to the sick. He lived among them to bear witness to the fact that they were human beings and that they must be saved.
He collected money and tried helping them in any way he could. At the time there was no effective medication for Hansen's disease. However, Father Beyzym noticed that healthy food and adequate hygiene limited the contagion and that these two conditions together prevented the disease from progressing.
An eyewitness, Father P. Sau, wrote of Father Beyzym that during his life, "painfully surprised at the sight of the extreme poverty of Ambahivoraka, he called on the charity of his Polish compatriots and soon was able to increase his children's ration of rice. The improvement of the diet reduced the number of burials from 57 a week to 5 a year" (La Mission de Madagascar a vol d'oiseau, pp. 62-63).
Another eyewitness, Father A. Niobey, wrote about Father Beyzym's devotion to the body and soul of the sick: "His devotion to his lepers was unequalled. He possessed nothing but he gave the little he could dispose of unhesitatingly. His answer to every objection was always: 'What you do for the least of my creatures, that you do unto me. We must be like the merchants of this earth: we must always aim at a greater gain'" (Letter, June 3, 1913).
He answered the provincial who asked him about working conditions among the sick: "One must be in constant union with God and pray without respite. One must get used little by little to the stench, for here we don't breathe the scent of flowers but the putrefaction of bodies generated by leprosy" (Letter, April 18, 1901).
However, this "ease" did not come at once. Father Beyzym admitted that at first he felt repulsion at the sight of the victims. Several times he even fainted.
His burning goal was to build a hospital where the lepers would be taken care of and protected from the moral permissiveness that prevailed in the state-run hospices. In 1903 he left Ambahivoraka to go to build a hospital at Marana near Fianarantsoa. Speaking of the inauguration of the hospital on Aug. 16, 1911, Father J. Lielet, a medical doctor, said "Father Beyzym's leprosarium had finally been opened. ... The construction and equipping of this vast hospital in a country where everything is lacking was a colossal undertaking, but he completed the task. Arriving there penniless, he found ways of collecting thousands of francs in Europe (principally in Poland, Austria, and Germany) for such a distant project, his trust in God's help was unshakeable. Providence has almost performed miracles for him" (Chine, Ceylan, Madagascar, 1912, p. 94). He hoped that it would provide more human conditions of life for the victims of Hansen's disease.
The hospital still exists today and radiates love, hope and justice -- the virtues which made its construction possible. Since 1964 new little houses very close to the hospital have been built for the families of the sick people.
Inner life, soul of his apostolate
Father Beyzym's inner life was marked by a profound bond with Christ and the Eucharist. The Mass was the center of his life; he deplored the fact that the little church near the mission did not even have a permanent tabernacle and that during the rainy season the water dripped down onto the altar during Mass. He was greatly devoted to Mary and attributed his successes to Mary, seeing himself as her instrument. He was a man of action and an untiring worker, but also a man of prayer. He attributed to prayer an essential role in the apostolic life, underlining its importance to achieve sanctity.
Father Beyzym was a contemplative in action in the style of St. Ignatius. He had daily problems and battled against a thousand worries and sufferings, but was above all a man of prayer. Prayer was the source of his strength. Not having much time for quiet prayer, he prayed everywhere all the time. He often repeated that his prayer was not worth much and that he had trouble praying. This was why he asked the Carmelite nuns to pray for him.
* * *
Sancja Szymkowiak (1910-1942)
Blessed Santia Szymkowiak, was born on July 11, 1910, in Mozdzanow (Ostrow Wielkopolski), Poland, to Augustine and Mary Duchalska. She was the youngest of five children, her parents' only girl. She was baptized "Giannina." On Aug. 29, 1942, she died of tuberculosis of the pharynx, brought on by the hardships of the war. Throughout her life, she desired to become a saint in a "hidden way," and wanted only to do God's will, living a profound union with him in every event.
Her motto was "God's will is my will. Whatever he wants I want." By abandoning herself into the arms of a loving Father, she offered a wonderful example of serene acceptance of her sufferings.
Education
Giannina was born into a believing and well-to-do family who gave her a wonderful education. In 1929, after her high school studies, she studied Languages and Foreign Literature at the University of Poznan. During her school years, she was an attractive person because she was a happy and joyful person who thought of those around her and was generous in reaching out to them in any need. Throughout her school years, she was a member of the Sodality of Mary, and was remembered for a discrete and effective apostolate of trying to share her happiness with those around her.
Giannina also went beyond her own circles and showed a special attention to the needs of the poor of the city. She was interested in everyone, was open to others, and had a "spirit of holiness" that struck those around her.
Call to religious life
While still young, Giannina felt called to the religious life. During the summer of 1934, she went on a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Lourdes, France, and here offered herself to the Blessed Virgin, wanting to put her life entirely and without reserve into the hands of the Mother of God. In June 1936, at Poznan, after spending a year with the Congregation of the Oblate Sisters of the Sacred Heart at Montluçon, she returned to Poland and entered the Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of Sorrows, better known as the "Seraphic Sisters." It was then that she received the name Mary Santia.
From the beginning, she was zealous in observing the rules of the congregation and in performing every kind of service. Her life, which apparently had nothing extraordinary about it, hid a profound union with God with a total readiness to embrace his will in everything. She desired to become a great saint and all her life tended to communion with Jesus, ready to bear any sacrifice and humiliation to console his heart and make reparation for sin.
First vows and apostolate
On July 30, 1938, she made her first vows. She once wrote in her diary: "Jesus wants me to be a holy religious, and he will not be happy with me until I use all my strength for him and become a saint. God is everything, I am nothing. I have to become a saint at all costs. This is my constant preoccupation."
After her first vows, Sister Santia worked for a year in the nursery school of Poznan-Naramowice and also began a course of studies in pharmacology. However, she was unable to continue her studies, because in September 1939 the war broke out.
World War II
Poznan was occupied by the Germans, and the Sisters were put under house arrest. They were forced to look after a hundred German soldiers who were housed there and English and French prisoners of war, who were lodged in and around the convent. She was able to translate for the foreign prisoners. The forced labor was very difficult, but she was willing to serve everyone as she would Christ himself.
In February 1940, the religious persecution worsened and Sister Santia was given permission to return to her family for safety. However, she stayed in the convent and submitted to the hard labor imposed by the occupying forces. She believed it was God's will that she remain, that she be a "mother" to those around her: the prisoners, the soldiers, and her own Sisters. Sister Santia was an instrument of God's love and peace, and became a sign of hope to those around her. The English and French prisoners called her the "angel of goodness" and "Saint Santia."
The constant fatigue and difficult conditions took their toll on Sister Santia, and she began showing symptoms of tuberculosis. She continued with the same spirit of abandonment and serenity, and accepted her sufferings as a "preparation" for her solemn vows, which she professed on July 6, 1942. She died a little more than a month later, on Aug. 29, 1942, when she was 32 years old.
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Address of the Holy Father - Kraków Airport posted on August 20, 2002
APOSTOLIC VOYAGE TO POLAND
Departure Ceremony
Address of the Holy Father
Kraków – Balice Airport
19 August 2002
1. "Poland, my dear homeland, [...] God raises you up and treats you with special care, but you must show him gratitude" (Diary, 1038). With these words from Saint Faustina’s Diary I wish to bid you farewell, dear Brothers and Sisters, my Compatriots!
The time having come when I must return to the Vatican, I look out once more upon you all with great joy, and I thank God who has permitted me to visit my Homeland yet again. My thoughts turn to the different stages of this three-day pilgrimage: Łagiewniki, Błonie in Krakow, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. I shall not forget the crowds of the faithful gathered in prayer – living testimony of the faith of the Church in Poland and of your trust in the power of God’s mercy. Taking leave of Poland, I wish to bid you all farewell, dear Compatriots. Many have waited for my coming. Many have wished to meet me, although not all were able to do so. Maybe next time...
I pray that the families of Poland will find in prayer the light and the strength needed to fulfil their duties and to spread in their surroundings the message of love and mercy. May God, the source of life, bless you each day. I greet those whom I have met personally on this pilgrimage and those who, through the media, have participated in the events of this Apostolic Visit. In particular, I thank the sick and the elderly who have supported me by offering up their prayers and their sufferings. May their spiritual union with the merciful Christ be a source of relief in their physical and spiritual suffering.
In my spirit, I embrace the whole of my beloved Homeland. I rejoice in its successes, in its positive aspirations and in its courageous undertakings. With a certain preoccupation, I have spoken of the difficulties and the cost of the changes that weigh upon the neediest and the weakest, on the unemployed, the homeless and those who are forced to live in increasingly difficult conditions and with uncertainty concerning the future. As I take my leave, I wish to entrust all these difficult situations in our native land to God’s Providence and I encourage all those who exercise responsibility in the running of the State to be mindful of the good of the Republic and of its citizens. May the spirit of mercy, of fraternal solidarity, of concord in authentic concern for our homeland reign among you. I do hope that by cherishing those values the Polish nation, which has belonged to Europe for centuries, will find its due place in the structures of the European Union and not only will not lose its own identity, but will enrich this continent and the whole world with this tradition.
2. The days of this brief pilgrimage have been an occasion to relive memories and to reflect intensely. I thank God for this opportunity to visit Krakow and Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. I thank him for the Church in Poland, which – in a spirit of fidelity to the Cross and to the Gospel – has for a thousand years shared in the fortunes of the Nation, serving it with zeal and supporting it in its positive intentions and aspirations. I thank God that the Church in Poland has remained faithful to this mission and I pray that she may always continue to do so.
I wish to express my gratitude to all who have contributed to making this pilgrimage possible. One more I thank the President of the Republic for his invitation and for the care taken in the preparation and carrying out of this visit. I am grateful for the cooperation between the civil authorities and the Church’s representatives. I am grateful for every gesture of goodwill.
I am grateful to the territorial, regional and city authorities – especially those of Krakow and Kalwaria – for their goodwill, their attention and all their efforts.
May God repay all who were involved in the Church services, those involved in the areas of television, radio and the press, journalists, those responsible for public order – the military, the police, firefighters, health service personnel – and all those who in any way have helped to make this pilgrimage a success. I do not want to omit anyone; and so, from the bottom of my heart, I say once more to everyone: May God reward you!
3. My special gratitude goes to all the People of God in Poland. I thank the Polish Episcopal Conference, and above all the Cardinal Primate, for the invitation to visit our homeland, for the spiritual preparation of the faithful and for all the organizational efforts made in view of this pilgrimage. I address a special word of thanks to the priests, seminarians and religious. Thank you for your preparation of the liturgies and for assisting the faithful at our meetings. I am grateful to the whole Church in Poland for its common perseverance in prayer, for its warm welcome and for all its demonstrations of goodwill. May the merciful Christ abundantly reward your generosity with his blessing.
As I express my gratitude, I cannot fail to add a special word addressed to the beloved Church in Krakow. My wholehearted gratitude goes in a special way to Cardinal Franciszek, Metropolitan of Krakow, for his hospitality and for having prepared the city so magnificently for the important events of the last few days. Profound thanks go to the Sisters of the Merciful Mother of God in Łagiewniki and to those who every day, before the image of the merciful Jesus, offer prayers for the intentions of my apostolic mission. I congratulate the Archdiocese of Krakow and all of Poland for the church which I had the opportunity to dedicate. I am convinced the Shrine of Łagiewniki will become a significant point of reference and a powerful centre of devotion to the Divine Mercy. May the rays of light coming down from the tower of the temple of Łagiewniki, reminiscent of the rays emanating from the image of the merciful Jesus, cast their spiritual reflection on the whole of Poland – from the Tatra Mountains to the Baltic Sea, from the Bug River to the Oder – and on the whole world!
4. "God, rich in mercy". These are the words that sum up this Visit. We have heard them as a call to the Church and to Poland in the new millennium. I pray that my Compatriots will welcome with open hearts this message of mercy and will succeed in carrying it to wherever men and women are in need of the light of hope.
I cherish in my heart every good thing that has happened and in which I have taken part during these days of my pilgrimage. Grateful for everything, and with the entire ecclesial community in Poland, I repeat before the merciful Jesus: "Jesus, in you I trust!" May these heartfelt words bring comfort to future generations in the new millennium. May God who is rich in mercy bless you!
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Homily of the Holy Father - Kalwaria Zebrzydowska posted on August 19, 2002
APOSTOLIC VOYAGE TO POLAND
Homily of the Holy Father
Eucharistic Celebration
Kalwaria, 19 August 2002
"Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
Our life, our sweetness and our hope!"
Dear Brothers and Sisters.
1. Today I come to this Shrine as a pilgrim, as I used to come when I was a child and as a young man. I come before Our Lady of Calvary as I used to come as Bishop of Kraków to entrust to her the problems of the Archdiocese and of those whom God had entrusted to my pastoral care. I come here and, now as then, I repeat: Hail, Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!
How many times have I seen that the Mother of the Son of God turns her eyes of mercy upon the concerns of the afflicted, that she obtains for them the grace to resolve difficult problems, and that they, in their powerlessness, come to a fuller realization of the amazing power and wisdom of Divine Providence? Has this not been the experience of the generations of pilgrims who have come here for four hundred years? Indeed it has. Otherwise today’s celebration would not be taking place. You would not be here, dear friends, you who tread the Paths of Kalwaria, tracing the steps of Christ’s Passion and Cross and following his Mother’s journey of compassion and glory. This place wondrously helps the heart and mind to gain deeper insight into the mystery of that bond which united the suffering Saviour and his co-suffering Mother. At the centre of this mystery of love everyone who comes here rediscovers himself, his life, his daily existence, his weakness and, at the same time, the power of faith and hope: that power which springs up from the assurance that the Mother does not abandon her children at times of trouble, but leads them to her Son and entrusts them to his mercy.
2. "Standing by the cross of Jesus were his Mother, and his Mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene" (Jn 19:25). She who was linked to the Son of God by bonds of blood and by maternal love, there, at the foot of the Cross, experienced this union in suffering. She alone, despite the pain of her mother’s heart, knew that this suffering had meaning. She had trust – trust in spite of everything – that the ancient promise was being fulfilled: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel" (Gn 3:15). And her trust was vindicated when her dying Son addressed her: "Woman".
At that moment, standing beneath the Cross, could she expect that in a short time, in three days, God’s promise would be fulfilled? This will remain forever a secret of her heart. We do know one thing, however: she, the first among all human beings, shared fully in the glory of her Risen Son. She – as we believe and profess – was assumed body and soul into heaven in order to experience union in glory, to rejoice at her Son’s side in the fruits of Divine Mercy and to obtain them for those who seek refuge in her.
3. The mysterious bond of love. How splendidly is it expressed in this place. History relates that at the beginning of the seventeenth century Mikołaj Zebrzydowski, the founder of the Shrine, laid the foundations for the chapel of Golgotha, which was to be built on the model of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. He thus wished, above all else, to bring nearer to himself and to others the mystery of Christ’s passion and death. Later, however, when he planned the building of the paths of the Lord’s Passion, from the Upper Room to Christ’s Tomb, guided by devotion to Mary and divine inspiration, he wished to place along that path a series of chapels commemorating events in the life of Mary. And thus other paths sprang up, together with a new religious practice, one which in a certain sense would complement the Way of the Cross: the celebration of the so-called Way of the Compassion of the Mother of God. For four centuries, ever new generations of pilgrims have walked here in the footsteps of the Redeemer and of his Mother, drawing abundantly from that love which resisted suffering and death, and found its crowning in the glory of heaven.
During those centuries, the pilgrims were faithfully accompanied by the Franciscan Fathers, known as "Bernardines", who were charged with the spiritual life of the Shrine of Kalwaria. Today I wish to express to them my gratitude for their particular love for Christ who suffered and his Mother who co-suffered: a particular love which with fervent devotion they pour into the hearts of pilgrims. Dear Bernardine Fathers and Brothers, may God in his goodness bless you in this ministry, now and in the future!
4. In 1641 the Shrine of Kalwaria was enriched by a particular gift. Providence guided here the steps of Stanisław Paszkowski of Brzezie, who wished to entrust to the custody of the Bernardine Fathers the image of the Most Holy Mother, which had already become famous for its graces when it was located in his house chapel. From that time on, and particularly after the day in 1887 when, with the approval of Pope Leo XIII, it was crowned by the Bishop of Krakow, Albin Sas Dunajewski, pilgrims have concluded their pilgrimage in her sight. At the beginning the pilgrims came here from all parts of Poland, but also from Lithuania, Rus’, Slovakia, Bohemia, Hungary, Moravia and Germany. The natives of Silesia were especially devoted to her; it was they who offered the crown to Jesus and, from the day of the crowning until the present, they have taken part each year in the procession on the day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
How important was this place for a Poland divided by the partitions! Bishop Dunajewski eloquently expressed this when, at the crowning, he prayed: "On this day Mary was assumed into heaven and crowned there. At every anniversary of this day, all the Saints place their crowns at the foot of their Queen; today the Polish people also bring crowns of gold, that by the hands of their Bishop they may be placed on the head of Mary in this miraculous image. Reward us for this, O Mother, that we may be one among ourselves and one with you". This was his prayer for the unification of a divided Poland. Today, when Poland has become a territorial and national unity, his words have lost none of their timeliness; indeed they take on new meaning. We need to repeat them today, asking Mary to obtain for us unity of faith, unity of mind and spirit, unity in families and unity in society. For this I join you today in praying: Grant, O Mother of Calvary, "that we may be one among ourselves and one with you".
5. "Turn, then, most gracious Advocate,
Thine eyes of mercy towards us,
and, after this our exile, show unto us
the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!"
Lady of graces, look upon this people
which for centuries has remained faithful to you and to your Son.
Look upon this nation,
which has always placed its hope in your maternal love.
Turn your eyes of mercy towards us,
obtain what your children most need.
Open the hearts of the prosperous to the needs of the poor and the suffering.
Enable the unemployed to find an employer.
Help those who are poverty-stricken to find a home.
Grant families the love which makes it possible to surmount all difficulties.
Show young people a way and a horizon for the future.
Cover children with the mantle of your protection,
lest they be scandalized.
Confirm religious communities with the grace of faith, hope and love.
Grant that priests may follow in the footsteps of your Son by offering their lives each day for the sheep.
Obtain for Bishops the light of the Holy Spirit, so that they may guide this Church to the gates of your Son’s Kingdom by a single, straight path.
Most Holy Mother, Our Lady of Calvary,
obtain also for me strength in body and spirit,
that I may carry out to the end the mission given me by the Risen Lord.
To you I give back all the fruits of my life and my ministry;
to you I entrust the future of the Church;
to you I offer my nation;
in you do I trust and once more to you I declare:
Totus Tuus, Maria!
Totus Tuus. Amen.
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Homily of the Holy Father - Kraków Błonie posted on August 19, 2002
APOSTOLIC VOYAGE TO POLAND
Holy Mass and Beatifications:
Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński
Jan Balicki
Jan Beyzym
Sancja Szymkowiak
HOMILY OF THE HOLY FATHER
Błonie, Kraków, 18 August 2002
"This is my commandment,
that you love one another as I have loved you" (Jn 15:2).
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
1. The words of Jesus which we just heard are closely related to the theme of today’s liturgical assembly in Błonie in Kraków: "God, rich in mercy". This phrase in a way captures the entire truth about the love of God which has redeemed humanity. "God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ" (Eph 2:4-5). The fullness of this love was revealed in the sacrifice of the Cross. For "greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (Jn 15:13). Here is the measure of God’s love! Here is the measure of God’s mercy!
Once we recognize this truth, we become aware that Christ’s call to love others even as he has loved us calls all of us to that same measure. We feel in some sense impelled to make our lives a daily offering by showing mercy to our brothers and sisters, drawing upon the gift of God’s merciful love. We realize that God, in showing us mercy, calls upon us to become witnesses to mercy in today’s world.
2. The call to be witnesses of mercy resounds with particular eloquence here, in my beloved Kraków, dominated by the Shrine of Divine Mercy of Łagiewniki and its new church which yesterday I had the joy of consecrating. Here this call sounds familiar, for it appeals to the age-old tradition of the City, which has always been known for its readiness to assist those in need. We cannot forget that this tradition includes the numerous Saints and Beati – priests, consecrated persons and laity – who devoted their lives to works of mercy. Beginning with Bishop Stanislaus, Queen Hedwig, John of Kęty and Piotr Skarga, and continuing to Brother Albert, Angela Salawa and Cardinal Sapieha, this heritage of mercy has been passed down by generations of Christians in this City over many centuries. Today this heritage has been placed in our hands and it must not be forgotten.
I thank Cardinal Franciszek Macharski whose words of greeting have reminded us of this tradition. I am grateful for the invitation to visit my dear Kraków and for the hospitality offered to me. I greet everyone present, beginning with the Cardinals and the Bishops, and all those who share in this Eucharist through radio and television.
I greet the whole of Poland. In spirit I retrace the luminous journey by which Saint Faustina Kowalska was being prepared to receive the message of mercy – from Warsaw, on to Płock, Vilnius and finally Kraków – and I recall all those who cooperated with the Apostle of Mercy on that journey. I embrace with affection my countrymen, particularly the suffering and the sick; those struggling with various difficulties, the unemployed, the homeless, the elderly and the lonely, and families with many children. I assure them of my spiritual closeness and I accompany them constantly in my prayer. My greeting also goes to my countrymen throughout the world. I also offer a heartfelt greeting to the pilgrims who have come here from various countries in Europe and from throughout the world.
3. From the beginning of her existence the Church, pointing to the mystery of the Cross and the Resurrection, has preached the mercy of God, a pledge of hope and a source of salvation for man. Nonetheless, it would appear that we today have been particularly called to proclaim this message before the world. We cannot neglect this mission, if God himself has called us to it through the testimony of Saint Faustina.
God has chosen our own times for this purpose. Perhaps because the twentieth century, despite indisputable achievements in many areas, was marked in a particular way by the "mystery of iniquity". With this heritage both of good and of evil, we have entered the new millennium. New prospects of development are opening up before mankind, together with hitherto unheard-of dangers. Frequently man lives as if God did not exist, and even puts himself in God’s place. He claims for himself the Creator’s right to interfere in the mystery of human life. He wishes to determine human life through genetic manipulation and to establish the limit of death. Rejecting divine law and moral principles, he openly attacks the family. In a variety of ways he attempts to silence the voice of God in human hearts; he wishes to make God the "great absence" in the culture and the conscience of peoples. The "mystery of iniquity" continues to mark the reality of the world.
In experiencing this mystery, man lives in fear of the future, of emptiness, of suffering, of annihilation. Perhaps for this very reason, it is as if Christ, using the testimony of a lowly Sister, entered our time in order to indicate clearly the source of relief and hope found in the eternal mercy of God.
The message of merciful love needs to resound forcefully anew. The world needs this love. The hour has come to bring Christ’s message to everyone: to rulers and the oppressed, to those whose humanity and dignity seem lost in the mysterium iniquitatis. The hour has come when the message of Divine Mercy is able to fill hearts with hope and to become the spark of a new civilization: the civilization of love.
4. The Church desires tirelessly to proclaim this message, not only by convincing words, but by the ready practice of mercy. This is why she ceaselessly holds up stupendous examples of individuals who out of love for God and for man "went forth and bore fruit". Today she adds four new Beati to their number. They lived at different times and led very different lives. But they are united by that particular feature of holiness which is devotion to the cause of mercy.
Blessed Sigismund Felix Feliński, Archbishop of Warsaw, during a difficult period marked by the lack of national freedom, urged everyone to persevere in generous service to the poor and to establish educational institutions and charitable works. He himself founded an orphanage and a school; he also brought the Sisters of Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy to Warsaw and supported the work they began. After the failure of the insurrection of 1863, in a spirit of mercy towards his brothers and sisters he openly defended the persecuted. This fidelity cost him deportment to the interior of Russa, which lasted twenty years. Even there he continued to be mindful of the poor and distressed, showing them great love, patience and understanding. It has been written of him that "during his exile, oppressed on every side, in the poverty of prayer, he remained always alone at the foot of the Cross, commending himself to Divine Mercy".
His was an example of pastoral ministry which today in a special way I wish to entrust to my Brothers in the Episcopate. Dear Brothers, Archbishop Feliński supports your efforts to create and carry out a pastoral programme of mercy. May this programme be the expression of your commitment, primarily in the life of the Church and then, as fitting and necessary, in the social and political life of the Nation, of Europe and of the world.
Inspired by this spirit of social charity, Archbishop Feliński gave himself fully in defending the freedom of the nation. This is necessary today also, when different forces — often under the guidance of a false ideology of freedom — try to take over this land. When the noisy propaganda of liberalism, of freedom without truth or responsibility, grows stronger in our country too, the Shepherds of the Church cannot fail to proclaim the one fail-proof philosophy of freedom, which is the truth of the Cross of Christ. This philosophy of freedom finds full motivation in the history of our nation.
5. The desire to bring mercy to the neediest led Blessed Jan Beyzym to far-away Madagascar, where, out of love for Christ, he devoted himself to caring for lepers. Day and night he served those who had been emarginated and separated from social life. By his works of mercy on behalf of the abandoned and despised, he bore extraordinary witness. This was a witness that rung out first in Kraków, then in Poland, and afterwards among Poles overseas. Funds were collected to construct the hospital named after Our Lady of Częstochowa, which still stands today. One of those who promoted this help was Saint Brother Albert.
I am pleased that this spirit of solidarity in mercy continues to be active in the Church in Poland; this is seen in the many programmes lending assistance to the communities struck by natural catastrophes in different parts of the world, it is also seen in the recent initiative to purchase surplus grain and send it to those suffering hunger in Africa. I hope that this project will come to fruition.
The charitable work of Blesssed Jan Beyzym was an integral component of his fundamental mission: bringing the Gospel to those who do not know it. This is the greatest gift of mercy: bringing people to Christ and giving them the opportunity to know and savour his love. Therefore I ask you: pray for the birth of missionary vocations in the Church in Poland. Support missionaries unceasingly with your prayers.
6. Blessed Jan Balicki’s life was marked by his service of mercy. As a priest, his heart was always open to the needy. His ministry of mercy, besides offering help to the sick and the poor, found a particularly energetic expression in the confessional, where he was filled with patience and humility, always open to bringing the repentant sinner back to the throne of divine grace.
With this in mind, I turn to the priests and seminarians: I beseech you, Brothers, do not forget that, insofar as you are dispensers of Divine Mercy, you have a great responsibility; remember also that Christ himself comforts you with his promise handed on through Saint Faustina: "Tell my priests that hardened sinners will soften at their words, when they speak of my boundless Mercy and of the compassion that I feel for them in my Heart" (Diary, 1521).
7. The work of mercy traced out a path in the religious vocation of Blessed Santia Janina Szymkowiak, Sister "Seraphica". She had already received from her family an ardent love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and in this spirit she was filled with goodness towards others, especially the poor and the needy. She began to lend help to the poor first as a member of the Marian Guild and of the Saint Vincent Mercy Association; then, having embraced the religious life, she devoted herself to the service of others with greater fervour. She accepted the difficult times of the Nazi occupation as an occasion to give herself completely to the needy. She considered her religious vocation a gift of Divine Mercy.
As I greet the Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of Sorrows, the "Seraphic" Sisters, I turn to all religious and consecrated persons. Let Blessed Santia be your patron. Make your own her spiritual witness, summarized in a simple phrase: "To give yourself to God, you have to give yourself to the point of totally losing yourself".
8. Brothers and Sisters, as we contemplate these Beati, I wish to recall once more what I wrote in the Encyclical Dives in Misericordia: "Man attains to the merciful love of God, his mercy, to the extent that he himself is interiorly transformed in the spirit of that love towards his neighbor" (No. 14). On this path, may we rediscover ever more profoundly the mystery of Divine Mercy and live it in our daily lives!
Faced with the modern forms of poverty that, as we all know, are not lacking in our country, what is needed today is — as I called it in my Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte — "a new ‘creativity’ in charity" (No. 50), in a spirit of solidarity towards our neighbour, so that the help we lend will be a witness of "sharing between brothers and sisters" ( ibid.). May this "creativity" never be lacking in the residents of Kraków and in all the people of our homeland. It represents the pastoral plan of the Church in Poland. May the message of God’s mercy be reflected always in works of human mercy!
We must take a loving look around ourselves if we are to be aware of the neighbour by our side, who — because of the loss of work, home, the possibility to maintain his family in a decent manner and to educate his children — feels a sense of abandonment, of being lost, of distrust. This "creativity in charity" is needed to provide material and spiritual assistance to neglected children; to refrain from turning one’s back on the boy or girl who have gotten lost in the world of addiction or crime; to give advice, consolation, spiritual support to those engaged in an internal struggle with evil. May this "creativity" never be lacking when a needy person pleads: "Give us this day our daily bread!". Thanks to brotherly love, this bread will not be lacking. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (Mt 5:7).
9. During my 1979 pilgrimage to Poland, here in Błonie I said that "when we are strong with the Spirit of God, we are also strong with faith in man — strong with faith, hope and love, which are inseparable — and we are ready to bear witness to the cause of man before those who really have this cause at heart" (Homily at Mass at Błonie Kraskowie, 10 June 1979, 4). Therefore, I asked you: "Never disdain charity, which is ‘the greatest of these’ and which shows itself in the Cross. Without it, human life has no roots and no meaning" (ibid., 5).
Brothers and Sisters, today I repeat this invitation: open yourselves to God’s greatest gift, to his love that, through the Cross of Christ, has revealed itself to the world as merciful love. Today, living in different times, at the dawn of the new century and millennium, continue to be "ready to bear witness to the cause of man". Today, with all my strength, I beseech the sons and daughters of the Church, and all people of good will: never, ever separate "the cause of man" from the love of God. Help modern men and women to experience God’s merciful love! This love, in its splendour and warmth, will save humanity!
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Address of the Holy Father - Kraków-Łagiewniki posted on August 18, 2002
APOSTOLIC VOYAGE TO POLAND
Address of the Holy Father
Dedication of the Shrine of Divine Mercy
Kraków-Łagiewniki, 17 August 2002
"O inconceivable and unfathomable Mercy of God,
Who can worthily adore you and sing your praises?
O greatest attribute of God Almighty,
You are the sweet hope of sinners"
(Diary, 951).
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
1. Today I repeat these simple and straightforward words of Saint Faustina, in order to join her and all of you in adoring the inconceivable and unfathomable mystery of God’s mercy. Like Saint Faustina, we wish to proclaim that apart from the mercy of God there is no other source of hope for mankind. We desire to repeat with faith: Jesus, I trust in you!
This proclamation, this confession of trust in the all-powerful love of God, is especially needed in our own time, when mankind is experiencing bewilderment in the face of many manifestations of evil. The invocation of God’s mercy needs to rise up from the depth of hearts filled with suffering, apprehension and uncertainty, and at the same time yearning for an infallible source of hope. That is why we have come here today, to this Shrine of Łagiewniki, in order to glimpse once more in Christ the face of the Father: "the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation" (2 Cor 1:3). With the eyes of our soul, we long to look into the eyes of the merciful Jesus, in order to find deep within his gaze the reflection of his inner life, as well as the light of grace which we have already received so often, and which God holds out to us anew each day and on the last day.
2. We are about to dedicate this new church to the Mercy of God. Before doing so, I wish to offer heartfelt thanks to those who contributed to its construction. In a special way I thank Cardinal Franciszek, who has put so much effort into this undertaking as a sign of his personal devotion to the Divine Mercy. My thoughts turn with affection to the Sisters of the Merciful Mother of God, whom I thank for their work in spreading the message left behind by Saint Sister Faustina. I greet the Cardinals and Bishops of Poland, headed by the Cardinal Primate, as well as the Bishops coming from various parts of the world. I rejoice in the presence of the diocesan and religious priests, and the seminarians.
My cordial greeting goes to all those taking part in this celebration, especially the representatives of the Foundation of the Shrine of Divine Mercy who oversaw the work of construction, as well as the builders involved in the various projects. I know that many of those present offered generous material support to the work of construction. I pray that God will reward their magnanimity and their commitment by his blessing!
3. Brothers and Sisters! As we dedicate this new church, we too can ask the question which troubled King Solomon when he consecrated the Temple of Jerusalem as the house of God: "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house which I have built!" (1 Kg 8:27). Yes, at first glance, to bind certain "places" to God’s presence might seem inappropriate. We can never forget that time and space belong to God in their entirety. Yet even though time and the entire world may be considered his "temple", God has chosen certain times and places to enable people to experience in a special way his presence and his grace. Impelled by their sense of faith, people journey to these places, confident that there they will truly find themselves in the presence of God.
In this same spirit of faith I have come to Łagiewniki to dedicate this new church. I am convinced that this is the special place chosen by God to sow the grace of his mercy. I pray that this church will always be a place where the message of God’s merciful love is proclaimed; a place of conversion and repentance; a place for the celebration of the Eucharist; a fountain of mercy; a place of prayer and of constant appeals for mercy for ourselves and for the whole world. I pray in the words of Solomon: "Have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his supplication, O Lord my God, hearkening to the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prays before you this day; that your eyes may be open night and day towards this house... Hearken to the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray in this place. Hear in heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive" (1 Kg 8:28-30).
4. "But the hour is coming, and now is, when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him" (Jn 4:23). When we read these words of the Lord Jesus here in the Shrine of Divine Mercy, we are particularly aware that no one can come here except in Spirit and truth. It is the Holy Spirit, the Comforter and the Spirit of Truth, who guides us along the ways of Divine Mercy. By convincing the world "concerning sin and righteousness and judgement" (Jn 16:8), he also makes known the fullness of salvation in Christ. This "convincing" concerning sin is doubly related to the Cross of Christ. On the one hand, the Holy Spirit enables us, through Christ’s Cross, to acknowledge sin, every sin, in the full dimension of evil which it contains and inwardly conceals. On the other hand, the Holy Spirit permits us, again through the Christ’s Cross, to see sin in the light of the mysterium pietatis, that is, of the merciful and forgiving love of God (cf. Dominum et vivificantem, 32).
Consequently, this "convincing concerning sin" also becomes a conviction that sin can be laid aside and that man can be restored to his dignity as a son beloved of God. Indeed, the Cross "is the most profound condescension of God to man [...]. The Cross is like a touch of eternal love upon the most painful wounds of man’s earthly existence" (Dives in misericordia, 8). The cornerstone of this Shrine will always be a reminder of this truth, for it was brought here from Mount Calvary, as if from beneath the Cross on which Jesus Christ triumphed over sin and death.
I firmly believe that this new church will always be a place where people will come before God in Spirit and truth. They will come with the trust which accompanies all those who humbly open their hearts to the working of God’s merciful love, to that love which is stronger than even the greatest sin. Here, in the fire of divine love, human hearts will burn with desire for conversion, and whoever looks for hope will find comfort.
5. "Eternal Father, I offer to you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, for our sins and those of the whole world; by the sufferings of his Passion, have mercy upon us and upon the whole world" (Diary, 476). Upon us and upon the whole world ... How greatly today’s world needs God’s mercy! In every continent, from the depth of human suffering, a cry for mercy seems to rise up. Where hatred and the thirst for revenge dominate, where war brings suffering and death to the innocent, there the grace of mercy is needed in order to settle human minds and hearts and to bring about peace. Wherever respect for life and human dignity are lacking, there is need of God’s merciful love, in whose light we see the inexpressible value of every human being. Mercy is needed in order to ensure that every injustice in the world will come to an end in the splendour of truth.
Today, therefore, in this Shine, I wish solemnly to entrust the world to Divine Mercy. I do so with the burning desire that the message of God’s merciful love, proclaimed here through Saint Faustina, may be made known to all the peoples of the earth and fill their hearts with hope. May this message radiate from this place to our beloved homeland and throughout the world. May the binding promise of the Lord Jesus be fulfilled: from here there must go forth "the spark which will prepare the world for his final coming" (cf. Diary, 1732).
This spark needs to be lighted by the grace of God. This fire of mercy needs to be passed on to the world. In the mercy of God the world will find peace and mankind will find happiness! I entrust this task to you, dear Brothers and Sisters, to the Church in Kraków and Poland, and to all the votaries of Divine Mercy who will come here from Poland and from throughout the world. May you be witnesses to mercy!
6. God, merciful Father,
in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have revealed your love
and poured it out upon us in the Holy Spirit, the Comforter,
We entrust to you today the destiny of the world and of every man and woman.
Bend down to us sinners,
heal our weakness,
conquer all evil,
and grant that all the peoples of the earth
may experience your mercy.
In You, the Triune God,
may they ever find the source of hope.
Eternal Father,
by the Passion and Resurrection of your Son,
have mercy on us and upon the whole world!
Amen.
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Arrival Ceremony Kraków-Balice Airport posted on August 18, 2002
APOSTOLIC VOYAGE TO POLAND
Arrival Ceremony
Kraków – Balice Airport
Address of the Holy Father
16 August 2002
Mr President,
Your Eminence the Cardinal Primate,
Your Eminence the Cardinal Metropolitan of Kraków,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
1. Once again I greet Poland and all my countrymen. I do so with the very same sentiments of emotion and joy that I feel every time I return to my homeland. I am most grateful to His Excellency the President for the words of welcome he has spoken in his own name and on behalf of the civil authorities of the Republic. I am grateful to Cardinal Franciszek for the words of kindness addressed to me on behalf of the City of Kraków, so dear to me, as well as on behalf of the Polish Episcopate and the whole People of God in our country.
This time I shall stay only in Kraków, but with affection I embrace the whole of Poland and all its people. I greet His Eminence the Primate, the Cardinals, my Brother Bishops, the priests, the representatives of the men and women Religious, the seminarians and all the lay faithful. I extend a word of greeting also to the State and local authorities; to the members of the Diplomatic Corps, with their Dean, the Apostolic Nuncio; to the civil authorities of the city of Kraków, of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska and of Wadowice.
In a special way I wish to greet my own city of Kraków and the whole Archdiocese. I greet the scientific and cultural communities, the universities, and all who by their intense work in industry, agriculture and other sectors of public activity help to build the spiritual and material splendour of the city and the region.
I embrace the children and young people. I thank the youth for the example of faith that they gave just recently in Toronto at the unforgettable Seventeenth World Youth Day. In a special way I salute all who bear the weight of suffering: the sick, people who are alone, the elderly, those who live in poverty and need. In these days I will continue to commend to God’s Mercy your sufferings, and I ask you to pray that my apostolic ministry will be fruitful and meet every expectation.
I express my respect and recognition to our Brother Bishops and faithful of the Orthodox Church, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and to the Christians of the other Churches and Ecclesial Communities. I greet the Jewish community, the followers of Islam and all people of good will.
2. Brothers and Sisters! "God, rich in mercy". This is the motto of this pilgrimage. This is its proclamation. It comes from the Encyclical Dives in Misericordia, but its source is here, in Kraków, at Łagiewniki. Because from here, thanks to the humble efforts of an unusual witness, – Saint Sister Faustina – the Gospel message of God’s merciful love rings out. That is why the first stage of my pilgrimage and its chief purpose is my visit to the Shrine of Divine Mercy. I am happy to be able to dedicate the new building, which is becoming a world centre of devotion to the merciful Christ.
The Mercy of God is reflected in human mercy. For centuries, Kraków has found glory in great figures who, trusting in God’s love, bore witness to mercy through practical deeds of love of neighbour. It is enough to mention Saint Hedwig, Saint John of Kęty, Father Piotr Skarga or Saint Brother Albert. Today they will be joined by the Servants of God whom – with God’s help – I shall have the joy of raising to the glory of the altars at Holy Mass in Błonie Park. The beatification of Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński, Jan Beyzym, Sancja Szymkowiak and Jan Balicki are the second reason for my pilgrimage. Already I hope that these new Beati, who have given an example of the practice of mercy, will remind us of the great gift of God’s love and predispose us for the daily practice of love of our neighbour.
There is also a third reason for my pilgrimage which I wish to mention. It is the prayer of thanksgiving for the four hundred years of the Shrine of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, which I have been associated with from childhood. It was there, praying as I walked along its paths, that I sought inspiration for my service of the Church in Kraków and in Poland, there that I made various difficult pastoral decisions. It was precisely there, among the faithful people at prayer, that I came to know the faith that guides me also on the Chair of Peter. Through the intercession of Our Lady of Kalwaria I want to thank God for this gift.
3. My pilgrimage and meditation on the mystery of Divine Mercy cannot proceed without some reference to the daily experience of those living in Poland. Therefore I wish to be very close to your concerns and to commend them to God, trusting that he will bless your efforts with success, and that with his help difficulties and problems will find a solution.
Events in Poland are very close to my heart. I am aware how much our homeland has changed since my first visit in 1979. This is a new pilgrimage, during which I can see for myself how Poles are managing their regained freedom. I am convinced that our Country is bravely marching towards new goals of development in peace and prosperity.
I am happy that many of my fellow countrymen, following the social teaching of the Church, are involved in building the common house of the nation on the foundations of justice, love and peace. I know that many observe and measure with a critical eye the system that seeks to govern the contemporary world with a materialistic view of man. The Church has always reminded society that a positive future cannot be built on the impoverishment of man, on injustice, on the suffering of our brothers and sisters. Those who work within the spirit of Catholic social ethics cannot remain indifferent to the fate of those who are without work, live in a state of increasing poverty, with no prospect of improvement for themselves or for their children’s future.
I know that many Polish families, especially the largest ones, and many unemployed and elderly people are carrying the weight of social and economic change. I wish to tell all of them that I spiritually share their burden and their fate. I share their joys and their sufferings, their plans and their efforts directed towards a better future. Every day I support them in their good intentions through fervent prayer.
To them and to all my fellow countrymen I bring today the message of hope that springs from the Good News: God, rich in mercy, daily reveals his love in Christ. It is he, the Risen Christ, who says to each and every one of you: "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore" (Rev 1:17-18). This is the message of Divine Mercy that I bring today to the nation and to my countrymen: "Fear not!" Trust in God who is rich in mercy. Christ is with you, the unfailing Giver of hope.
Dear Brothers and Sisters! May these three days of my stay in my homeland lead to a rebirth in us of a deep faith in the power of God’s mercy. May they unite us ever more closely in love; may they encourage responsibility for the life of every man and woman, and for their daily circumstances. May they dispose us to goodness, to mutual understanding, that in the spirit of mercy we may grow closer to one another. May the grace of hope fill your hearts!
Again I cordially greet everyone present, and I warmly bless all who share in our common pilgrimage.
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Poland Prepares For Papal Visit posted on August 14, 2002
WARSAW, Aug 14, 02 (CWNews.com) - Polish officials are preparing for Pope John Paul's visit this weekend by banning the sale of alcohol and foods that spoil in hot weather around Krakow.
Officials said the ban will begin on Thursday and end on Monday. The ban affects takeout sales of food items that spoil easily such as ice cream or salads with mayonnaise. "The restrictions are to prevent pilgrims from massive food poisonings," said Stanislaw Pawlus from the Krakow branch of the nationwide Health Inspection Authorities. Authorities also said 8,500 policemen and thousands of volunteers will be patrolling Krakow during the visit which begins on Friday.
Poland has one of the highest per capita rates of liquor consumption in Europe, with 20 percent of road accidents attributed to drunk driving. Meanwhile, police on Wednesday were searching for a man who conned 4,000 people who bought invalid train tickets and tickets to the Sunday papal Mass. The man collected the cash and absconded with the money. The man, identified by police as Piotr K., collected 120,000 zlotys ($25,000). "The man seemed trustworthy," said a crestfallen Father Zbigniew Zielinski, pastor of the parish organizing the pilgrimage from Gdansk. "He organized the transport. Everything was prepared professionally, we even received phone calls giving references from the members of the pilgrimage," he told public radio.
Up to 4.5 million people are expected to travel to Krakow for the Pope's ninth visit to his homeland since 1978. Over two million are expected to attend Sunday's Mass in a Krakow park. Back to Home Copyright © 2000 - 2005 Catholic Radio - KSM Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Vatican Dispels More Papal Retirement Rumors posted on August 12, 2002
VATICAN, Aug 12, 02 (CWNews.com) - The Vatican on Monday dispelled another media rumor considering a possible papal retirement.
The latest rumor was reported by the French newspaper Le Journal de Dimanche on Sunday and said that Pope John Paul II might not return to Rome from his vacation is his native Poland next week, preferring instead to retire in his homeland. Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the Pope will return as scheduled from Poland on August 18 after a speech at Krakow airport in Poland. He also said he would not respond to a German newspaper report that the Poland trip would be the Pope's last visit abroad.
The Vatican has several international trips scheduled for the Pontiff in the next six months. "If every time someone asks me if this will be the pope's last trip, I would be forced to say: 'How do I know if this will be his last?'" Navarro-Valls said. Last month, the Pope told young people at World Youth Day in Canada that he planned to visit Croatia. Navarro-Valls said the Pope's remarks about Croatia were more authoritative that anything he could say.
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World Youth Day Registration and Financial Results posted on August 9, 2002
Toronto, August 9, 2002 – WYD today released financial and registration information and is appealing for assistance to cover the estimated $30 million shortfall.
Archbishop Anthony Meagher, Chair of the Bishops’ Committee for WYD said: “We witnessed a miracle of faith during World Youth Day. It gave us all hope for the future knowing that so many young people are committed to their faith and to working for a better world.”
“The Catholic Church in Canada organized World Youth Day as an investment in the youth of the world. We knew that there was likely to be a shortfall and now we think it will be $30 million. We appeal to anyone who wants to help with this investment.”
Dioceses across Canada are assuming the shortfall. All suppliers will be paid.
Anyone wishing to help with a donation for which you can receive a receipt for tax purposes can do so in the following ways:
•Call WYD and make a donation by credit card. The toll-free number is 1-888-559-9930 (beginning operation on Monday, August 12 and available from the United States on August 14. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.)
•Mail a cheque to World Youth Day 2002 at 415 Yonge St., 9th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 2E7
•Make a deposit at any Scotiabank branch (account name World Youth Day 2002)\
•Make an online donation at the WYD website: www.wyd2002.org (as of August 12, 2002)
The final estimate of paid participation is approximately 187,000. The numbers at the main events of WYD swelled much beyond this number as a result of individuals who attended without registering.
Fr. Thomas Rosica, C.S.B., National Director and CEO, said: “World Youth Day was an invitation to all people of good will to rejoice in the gift of our young people and to work together for a world of hope, justice, and lasting peace. Millions of people found inspiration and goodness in the events. For this reason we turn to the public to assist us with donations to help cover the expenses of this great event that has touched our country and our world. Any support you can give us toward this project for young people is an investment in a bright future of hope and peace."
WYD will undertake a newspaper advertising campaign to appeal for donations in the coming week, appealing to newspapers to run ads for free if possible.
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Backgrounders attached
For further information, please contact:
Paul Kilbertus
Telephone: (416) 913-2088, ext. 653
Backgrounder 1
Estimated Attendance at Major WYD Events
Date Event Estimated Attendance
Thursday, July 25 Papal Welcoming at Exhibition Place 375,000
Friday, July 26 Way of the Cross on University Avenue 500,000
Saturday, July 27 Vigil with the Pope at Downsview Lands 600,000
Sunday, July 28 Papal Mass at Downsview Lands 800,000
Notes:
These estimates come from WYD and are based on input from the 680 News Eye in the Sky, except for the Way of the Cross as the weather did not allow a fly-over
Paid Participants
Number who registered prior to WYD and attended 175,000
Thursday Day Passes sold 3,500
Registrations sold during WYD 8,500
TOTAL 187,000
Paid Participants from Canada
East 1,907
Quebec 6,993
Ontario 33,988 (of which 23,360 were from Toronto)
West and North 6,082
TOTAL 48,970
Backgrounder 2
Paid Participants by Country
Country Participants
1 Afghanistan 5
2 Albania 6
3 Algeria 2
4 American Samoa 1
5 Angola 35
6 Anguilla 30
7 Antigua and Barbuda 37
8 Argentina 126
9 Aruba 21
10 Australia 1,347
11 Austria 874
12 Bahamas 55
13 Bangladesh 9
14 Barbados 40
15 Belarus 7
16 Belgium 442
17 Belize 7
18 Benin 4
19 Bolivia 9
20 Bosnia and Herzegovina 9
21 Botswana 4
22 Brazil 1,685
23 Brunei 5
24 Burkina Faso 27
25 Burundi 16
26 Cambodia 92
27 Cameroon 65
28 Canada 48,970
29 Cape Verde 9
30 Cayman Islands 2
31 Chile 929
32 China 1
33 Colombia 640
34 Congo 27
35 Costa Rica 254
36 Croatia 414
37 Cuba 200
38 Czech Republic 122
39 Denmark 47
40 Dominica 53
41 Dominican Republic 1,160
42 East Timor 32
43 Ecuador 649
44 Egypt 65
45 El Salvador 884
46 Estonia 10
47 France 8,379
48 French Guiana 44
49 French Polynesia 282
50 Gabon 28
51 Germany 6,124
52 Ghana 30
53 Greece 19
54 Grenada 92
55 Guatemala 110
56 Guyana 45
57 Haiti 191
58 Honduras 384
59 Hong Kong S.A.R. 84
60 Hungary 260
61 India 103
62 Indonesia 12
63 Ireland 965
64 Israel 73
65 Italy 20,455
66 Ivory Coast 21
67 Jamaica 138
68 Japan 153
69 Kenya 102
70 Korea 576
71 Latvia 1
72 Lebanon 280
73 Liberia 15
74 Libya 11
75 Lithuania 157
76 Macau S.A.R. 16
77 Madagascar 31
78 Malaysia 17
79 Malta 25
80 Martinique 62
81 Mauritania 1
82 Mexico 3,447
83 Monaco 141
84 Mozambique 35
85 Myanmar 11
86 Namibia 1
87 Nepal 8
88 Netherlands 504
89 Netherlands Antilles 145
90 New Caledonia 46
91 New Zealand 5
92 Nicaragua 91
93 Nigeria 80
94 Norway 39
95 Oman 1
96 Pakistan 28
97 Panama 179
98 Papua New Guinea 7
99 Paraguay 277
100 Peru 520
101 Philippines 1,515
102 Poland 3,827
103 Portugal 693
104 Puerto Rico 384
105 Qatar 28
106 Reunion 157
107 Romania 201
108 Russia 65
109 Rwanda 6
110 Saint Kitts and Nevis 5
111 Saint Lucia 64
112 Samoa 1
113 Saudi Arabia 6
114 Scotland 315
115 Senegal 24
116 Seychelles 67
117 Singapore 22
118 Slovakia 235
119 Slovenia 185
120 South Africa 97
121 Spain 6,939
122 Sri Lanka 22
123 St. Vincent and the Grenadines 41
124 Sudan 16
125 Suriname 26
126 Swaziland 6
127 Sweden 302
128 Switzerland 759
129 Syria 89
130 Taiwan 190
131 Tanzania 49
132 Thailand 30
133 Togo 25
134 Trinidad and Tobago 380
135 Turkey 18
136 Turkmenistan 8
137 Uganda 120
138 Ukraine 51
139 United Arab Emirates 155
140 United Kingdom 1,169
141 United States 51,273
142 Uruguay 72
143 Uzbekistan 4
144 Venezuela 391
145 Vietnam 15
146 Yugoslavia 41
147 Zambia 16
Other 407
TOTAL 174,790
Inscriptions et bilan financier
de la Journée mondiale de la jeunesse
Toronto, le 9 août 2002 – Aujourd’hui, la JMJ a divulgué des renseignements concernant sa situation financière et les inscriptions qu’elle a enregistrées et sollicite de l’aide en vue de combler le manque à gagner estimé à 30 millions de dollars.
L’archevêque Anthony Meagher, président du Comité des évêques pour la JMJ a déclaré : « Nous avons été témoins d’un miracle de la foi durant la JMJ. Le fait de savoir qu’il y a tant de jeunes déterminés à vivre leur foi et à oeuvrer à l’édification d’un monde meilleur nous remplit d’espérance pour l’avenir. »
« La Journée mondiale de la jeunesse organisée par l’Église catholique du Canada se voulait un investissement dans la jeunesse du monde. Nous nous attendions à un manque à gagner et aujourd’hui nous croyons que cette perte serait de 30 millions de dollars. Nous sollicitons l’aide de quiconque désire contribuer à cet investissement. »
Les diocèses de toutes les régions du Canada assument le déficit. Tous les fournisseurs seront payés.
Quiconque désire contribuer en offrant un don, pour lequel il recevra un reçu aux fins de l’impôt, peut le faire des façons suivantes :
• En téléphonant au numéro sans frais 1-888-559-9930. Les dons pourront alors être faits au moyen d’une carte de crédit. Le numéro sans frais sera activé le lundi 12 août pour le Canada et sera opérationnel aux États-Unis à compter du 14 août. Des téléphonistes prendront les appels du lundi au vendredi de 9 h à 21 h.
• En postant un chèque fait au nom de la Journée mondiale de la jeunesse, au 415, rue Yonge, bureau 900, Toronto (Ontario) M5B 2E7.
• En se présentant à une succursale de la Banque Scotia et en demandant qu’un don soit déposé dans le compte spécial de la Journée mondiale de la jeunesse 2002.
• En faisant un don en ligne sur le site Internet de la JMJ : www.jmj2002.org
Selon les dernières estimations, quelque 187 000 participants ont payé les frais d’inscription. Le nombre de personnes ayant participé aux principaux événements de la JMJ dépasse largement ce chiffre compte tenu du nombre d’intéressés qui ont participé sans faire d’inscription.
Père Thomas Rosica, C.S.B., directeur général et national de la JMJ a déclaré : «La Journée mondiale de la jeunesse a été une invitation à tous les gens de bonne volonté pour jouir du don que représentent nos jeunes et œuvrer ensemble à édifier un monde d`espérance, de justice et de paix durable. Des
millions de gens ont trouvé inspiration et bonté dans les événements. C`est
pour cette raison que nous demandons au public de nous aider, par leurs
dons, à couvrir les dépenses engagées pour réaliser cet extraordinaire
événement qui a touché notre pays et notre monde. Toute forme de soutien que
vous pouvez nous offrir pour ce projet jeunesse est un investissement dans
un brillant avenir d`espérance et de paix.»
« La JMJ lancera une campagne de publicité-presse en vue de recueillir des dons au cours de la semaine à venir, invitant la presse à publier des annonces gratuitement si possible. »
– 30 –
P.j. Fiches d’information
Pour de plus amples renseignements, communiquez avec :
Paul Kilbertus
Téléphone : 416 913-2088, poste 653
Cellulaire : 416 771-7451
Fiche d’information 1
Nombre estimatif de personnes ayant participé aux principaux événements de la JMJ
Date Événement Nombre estimatif de participants
Jeudi 25 juillet Cérémonie d’accueil du Pape à Exhibition Place 375 000
Vendredi 26 juillet Chemin de croix sur l’avenue University 500 000
Samedi 27 juillet Vigile avec le Pape sur les terrains de Downsview 600 000
Dimanche 28 juillet Messe papale sur les terrains de Downsview 800 000
Remarque :
Ces chiffres proviennent de la JMJ et sont basés sur des données émanant des prises de vue aérienne de 680 News, sauf pour le chemin de croix, les conditions atmosphériques n’ayant pas permis de survoler le lieu où l’événement s’est déroulé.
Participants ayant payé les droits d’inscription
Nombre de personnes ayant fait leur inscription avant la JMJ et participé aux événements 175 000
Laissez-passer vendus pour la journée du jeudi 3 500
Inscriptions vendues durant la JMJ 8 500
TOTAL 187 000
Participants du Canada ayant payés
De l’est 1 907
Du Québec 6 993
De l’Ontario 33 988 (dont 23 360 sont de Toronto)
De l’ouest et du nord 6 082
---------
Total 48 970
Fiche d’information 2
Nombre de participants par pays ayant payé les droits d’inscription
Pays Participants
1 Afghanistan 5
2 Albanie 6
3 Algérie 2
4 Samoa américaines 1
5 Angola 35
6 Anguilla 30
7 Antigua-et-Barbuda 37
8 Argentine 126
9 Aruba 21
10 Australie 1 347
11 Autriche 874
12 Les Bahamas 55
13 Bangladesh 9
14 Barbade 40
15 Bélarus 7
16 Belgique 442
17 Belize 7
18 Bénin 4
19 Bolivie 9
20 Bosnie-Herzégovine 9
21 Botswana 4
22 Brésil 1 685
23 Brunei 5
24 Burkina Faso 27
25 Burundi 16
26 Cambodge 92
27 Cameroun 65
28 Canada 48 970
29 Cap-Vert 9
30 Îles Caïmans 2
31 Chili 929
32 Chine 1
33 Colombie 640
34 Congo 27
35 Costa Rica 254
36 Croatie 414
37 Cuba 200
38 République tchèque 122
39 Danemark 47
40 Dominique 53
41 République dominicaine 1 160
42 Timor portugais 32
43 Équateur 649
44 Égypte 65
45 El Salvador 884
46 Estonie 10
47 France 8 379
48 Guinée française 44
49 Polynésie française 282
50 Gabon 28
51 Allemagne 6 124
52 Ghana 30
53 Grèce 19
54 Grenade 92
55 Guatemala 110
56 Guyana 45
57 Haïti 191
58 Honduras 384
59 Hong Kong R.A.S. 84
60 Hongrie 260
61 Inde 103
62 Indonésie 12
63 Irlande 965
64 Israël 73
65 Italie 20 455
66 Côte d’Ivoire 21
67 Jamaïque 138
68 Japon 153
69 Kenya 102
70 Corée 576
71 Lettonie 1
72 Liban 280
73 Libéria 15
74 Libye 11
75 Lituanie 157
76 Macao R.A.S. 16
77 Madagascar 31
78 Malaisie 17
79 Malte 25
80 Martinique 62
81 Mauritanie 1
82 Mexique 3 447
83 Monaco 141
84 Mozambique 35
85 Myanmar 11
86 Namibie 1
87 Népal 8
88 Pays-Bas 504
89 Antilles néerlandaises 145
90 Nouvelle-Calédonie 46
91 Nouvelle-Zélande 5
92 Nicaragua 91
93 Nigéria 80
94 Norvège 39
95 Oman 1
96 Pakistan 28
97 Panama 179
98 Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée 7
99 Paraguay 277
100 Pérou 520
101 Philippines 1 515
102 Pologne 3 827
103 Portugal 693
104 Puerto Rico 384
105 Qatar 28
106 Réunion 157
107 Roumanie 201
108 Russie 65
109 Rwanda 6
110 Saint-Kitts-et-Nevis 5
111 Sainte-Lucie 64
112 Samoa 1
113 Arabie saoudite 6
114 Écosse 315
115 Sénégal 24
116 Seychelles 67
117 Singapore 22
118 Slovaquie 235
119 Slovénie 185
120 Afrique du Sud 97
121 Espagne 6 939
122 Sri Lanka 22
123 Saint-Vincent-et-les-Grenadines 41
124 Soudan 16
125 Suriname 26
126 Swaziland 6
127 Suède 302
128 Suisse 759
129 Syrie 89
130 Taïwan 190
131 Tanzanie 49
132 Thaïlande 30
133 Togo 25
134 Trinité-et-Tobago 380
135 Turquie 18
136 Turkménistan 8
137 Ouganda 120
138 Ukraine 51
139 Émirats arabes unis 155
140 Royaume-Uni 1 169
141 États-Unis 51 273
142 Uruguay 72
143 Ouzbékistan 4
144 Venezuela 391
145 Vietnam 15
146 Yougoslavie 41
147 Zambie 16
Autre 407
TOTAL 174 790
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