AN EDUCATOR OF FREE PEOPLE

MAGDALENA KOWALEWSKA

Within the celebrations of the 30th death anniversary of the creator of the Light-Life Movement in the Seym there was a symposium devoted to the life of Fr. Franciszek Blachnicki. Also statuettes Truth-Cross-Adoration were awarded, referring to the program of moral renewal of the nation and the society of this God’s servant.

The award was mainly given to, among the others, to the prime minister Beata Szydło for implementing Catholic social teaching into the national life, especially in the sphere of supporting families, prof. Bogdan Chazan – for his steadfast pro-life activity of the unborn and Radio Maryja - for longtime supporting the idea of the Crusade of Human Liberation and promoting the Light-Life Movement together with the Home Church.

For the ministry to the Church and the nation

The gala of giving awards took place in the headquarter of the Development Ministry. On behalf of the prime minister Beata Szydło, the statuette was received by the chairperson of the Permanent Committee of Ministers Henryk Kowalczyk. He noted that in every statement and in every action of the Prime Minister, her care about families is expressed. He emphasized that we should not be ashamed of faith, that a lot of people who hold state functions, were formed by the Light-Life Movement. – Such people are needed to serve to the society - emphasized among the others Kowalczyk, who had also grown up in the religious movement. Whereas prof. Chazan said during being awarded, that he dedicated the award to young Polish doctors who are fired from work for their faithfulness to Christian values.

The God’s Servant Fr. Franciszek Blachnicki, called ‘a hotspur of God’s kingdom’ is one of unprecedented people of the Polish Church. The formation created by him has brought up hundreds of thousands Poles. Fr. Blachnicki was steadfast towards communistic authorities. Being on a compulsory time-off in Niepokalanów, he studied ideas of Fr. Maksymilian Maria Kolbe thoroughly and when in 1956 he decided to return to his diocese, he planned to build ‘Silesian Niepokalanów’. About 100 thousand adults joined the Crusade of Abstinence founded by him. – The authorities were not able to tolerate it and in 1960, at the moment of a counterattack of Gomułka, the headquarters of the Crusade of Abstinence was liquidated – the director of the Institute named Fr. Franciszek Blachnicki dr Robert Derewenda reminded.

A sign of opposition

Fr. Franciszek did not give in. he wanted real freedom of every man. In 1979 he was promoting the abstinence movement which was the Crusade of Human Liberation, and a few years later he initiated the activity of Christian Social Ministry, whose purpose was evangelization and formation for social responsibility in the social spirit. Then Fr. Blachnicki established the Christian Ministry of Nations Liberation.

When the communists were trying to secularize the society in all possible ways, this priest responded to it by establishing the Light-Life Movement aimed at forming families and young people, who joined the Solidarity movement courageously. It was reminded during the symposium by the defence minister Antoni Macierewicz: - Fr. Blachnicki was not only a great social activist, soldier or educator of the nation, but he was also a great sign of opposition towards despise and destruction of values, which later conspired against Poland. He devoted his life for it, in the circumstances about which we are still saying that they are mysterious – he said. Whereas in the introduction to the conference, among the others, Kowalczyk mentioned: - This forming the community helped us feel strength, power, a great value of freedom then and that we had to use it skillfully. During the times of communist Poland it was a courageous but reasonable opposition; Fr. Franciszek Blachnicki did not call for a military opposition but for moral opposition. Whereas Robert Derewenda said that ‘at the time of hopelessness, martial law and post-war time, members of the religious group Light-Life Movement undertook tasks bringing hope to our nation’.

From the oasis to the World Youth Days

In the 70s and 80s of the last century, young Poles were joining the religious group in big numbers. – There has not been such a Christian movement anywhere else. Nowhere else, from Łaba to Władywostok had there been such a big house for young people who could participate in the formation, experience the community and learn responsibility – said an euro-deputy Marek Jurek, during the gala ceremony. – John Paul II used to meet with the members of the religious group in Castel Gandolfo, and they used to sing at the fireplace. Later Pope wrote that the idea of the World Youth Days popularized experiences of the oasis movement all over the world – reminded Robert Derewenda.

At present in the oasis communities there are 30-40 thousand young people. A dozen thousand families also belong to the family branch of the Light-Life Movement. – In order to be a free man, one should live in truth, give oneself to others and serve to them selflessly. This is advice which was given to us by Fr. Franciszek Blachnicki – the general moderator of the Light-Life Movement Fr. Marek Sędek emphasized.

Truth – Cross – Liberation is a great program of moral renewal of the whole society and nation and a task addressed to each of us. It depends on us whether this work will be continued by us – emphasized Wojciech terlikowski, a coordinator of the ceremonies of the 30th death anniversary of Fr. Franciszek Blachnicki, which are held under the honourable patronage of the President of Poland. Within them in the Seym a mobile interactive exhibition was opened which is devoted to the activity of Fr. Blachnicki. Organizers of the ceremonies are: Association the Liturgical Service Team of the Light-Life Movement, Parliamentary Group of Members and Fans of Light-Life Movement, Catholic Action and Catholic Families, and also the Institute named Fr. Franciszek Blachnicki.

AA

„Niedziela” 13/2017

Editor: Tygodnik Katolicki "Niedziela", ul. 3 Maja 12, 42-200 Czestochowa, Polska
Editor-in-chief: Fr Jaroslaw Grabowski • E-mail: redakcja@niedziela.pl