The Church calls for solidarity
Fr. Ireneusz Skubiś
I'm still impressed by the visit of Pope Benedict XVI in Benin which was beautiful but difficult, even because of the climate, for 84-year-old Pope in the pilgrimage to this African continent. His meeting with children on the African continent was really beautiful. The Holy Father mentioned his Day of the First Communion when he confessed his love to Jesus during the Eucharist. How grateful we are to the Radio Maryja and Television Trwam for the transmission of these unusual events which freed love in us towards the General Church.
However, returning to our reality, I do not know whether we, Polish Catholics from the Vistula or Odra rivers realize the significance of the Church well enough; because something is happening under our eyes, which awakens thinking. The events of recent months show that the option extremely hostile to the Church during the parliamentary elections gains so many mandates! So many Poles are building their vision of life and the world on their reluctance and even hatred towards the Church. How to think about the Catholicism of our country? What perspectives can we expect? And, first of all, where does this hatred to the bishop, parish priest, vicar and catechist come from? A priest does not teach anything bad! The Gospel which he preaches is a lesson of love. Therefore such an attitude towards the Church is astonishing, on which some people build the whole political structures. And from another source - it is interesting from where the funds were taken for the big electoral campaign of this movement, and who stands behind its electoral strategy and so strong existence in the media space. We know that careers in history were sometimes built on extreme emotions, as well as the hatred to the Church and priests. It was so in Nazi Germany, more in Bolshevik Russia, and also in other parts of the world. Unfortunately, it was always leading to murdering and destroying, to clenched fists. Innocent people were killed, the secular and clergy. Mentioning also the extermination of the Jewish nation during the Second World War, today, from the perspective of years, we cannot understand how so many innocent people could be sent to the crematorium! Such spreading strength was the hatred at that time, being insanity for many Germans. Where does this infatuation with hatred come from? Why is there so much hatred among people of media that it is so easy for them to prepare lies about the Church and priests? The truth is usually different and a journalist, before he gives his words the public dimension, he should, first of all, check how it is in fact; whereas, in the Catholic country one can feel a climate similar to holocaust around the Church and clergy. How is it possible in the country which is proud of the name of the country of right, which enjoys its gained freedom? In the nation, whose a vast percent of sons and daughters think wisely and reasonably and understand, and whose greatness are proved by so many saints and the Blessed, and among them this contemporary - admired John Paul II by the whole world? It seems that satan possessed people so much today and maybe exorcisms are needed, to declare a fierce fight against him. In this dramatic situation it is necessary to ask about the Catholic solidarity. We recall the years just after the election of John Paul II to the Peter's throne. At that time the nation managed to be together. At that time everybody knew what the Church is for us, as the nation. Beaten and kicked for over 50 years, it helped Polish workers find a liberating thought and strengths, helped them survive a difficult time of repression, internments and transformations, so that Poland became an example for Europe and the world. Today some people do not want to remember that thanks to the Polish solidarity the Berlin Wall collapsed, without shots, without bloodshed, that thanks to the idea and convincing Poles, Germany managed not only to get united but also rebuild the arrears of the former NRD so much that it became a great leading country in Europe again. At present Poland is again in the situation when it does not have much national property, it does not have industry, banks, or press titles whose owners would be Poles; so many of us are forced to look for work abroad again. We are scared of an empty house and we do not know what is going to be tomorrow. In addition, media are not very interested in telling the whole truth about the situation in the country, problems of families, low and uncertain pensions, low salaries, the state of the medical service, services getting more and more expensive day by day, the costs of transport...Therefore we must ask about the Catholic solidarity. I do not want to speak about the reality of political groups because I do not know them and it is not my opinion. But thinking about our Church, community in which we are to feel well and safe, like at home, I am thinking whether we should not, first of all, look at our priests in a different and friendlier way. Each of them, who were joining to the seminary, had one purpose: develop God's kingdom on the Earth. It is obvious that nobody alone, without the contribution of others, is able to do it. So, our prayer for priests is extremely important, with which we can strengthen them and also specific help: human hands which are the extension of priests' hands; and also joining great pastoral work, which is able to do a lot, like, among the others, the Rosary Crusade in the intention for our Homeland. If we do not gather together or unite in the good God's purpose, in Catholic Poland there will be rubbles and debris, like it happened in Bolshevik Russia where hatred to Christianity caused so much harm especially to the human morality and led to the annihilation of much good.
Dear Readers! We can do a lot in Poland but there must be Catholic consciousness in us. We must know what it is about and we must know the Catholic social teaching - the Catholic looking at life. It is a very ordinary thing. The Church, our faith do not demand from the man anything more than only maintaining the Decalogue, and, first of all, evangelical right of love of God and our neighbour. However, when life leads us into details, then there may appear doubts or question marks. Therefore, there is catechization at schools, so that a pupil could ask a catechist how to be a good Catholic. Therefore, there are Catholic newspapers - not only 'Sunday' - so that everybody would find a way of life in them. For the time being, we can use it. I pay attention to the 'Sunday for Youth', the additional edition to 'Sunday' which we should pass to the young people in families and environment. Today all of us also have an access to electronic media, to Internet, in which also - especially young Catholics - can find many pages devoted to the teaching of the Church. Certainly, the conveying news by Radio Maryja or Television Trwam is priceless, and also of diocesan Catholic radio stations. So there are many possibilities for a Catholic to learn and build as best as possible his community which is the Church. We must not escape from these propositions because there is a chance for the Polish Catholicism in them. We must not be a lost generation. Let's not banish the future generations before God; because only with Him a real happiness is built - one's own, social, of the older and younger.
Let's pray to Blessed John Paul II, so that he would ask for a grace of love to the Church and those who minister as priests or monks in his beloved Homeland.
Blessed John Paul II, save Poland! Help in rebuilding Polish solidarity! Defend the young generation of Poles from destruction! And those who are possessed by hatred and evil, ask the Heavenly Father for our reason and sincere faith conversion....
(AA)
"Niedziela" 52/2011