Fr. KONRAD KRAJEWSKI AN ARCHBISHOP AND A PAPAL ALMONER
The Holy Father Francis appointed prelate priest Konrad Krajewski the papal almoner, who has worked in the Office of Papal Liturgical Celebrations since the year 1998 and is a papal master of ceremonies. Also the pope Francis honored him with the title of the titular archbishop of Benewent in North Africa.
The new chief of the Office of Apostolic Charity, prelate priest Konrad Krajewski was born on 25 November 1963 in Łódź. In 1982 he joined the Seminary in Łódź. In 1988 he gained the MA degree in theology at the Catholic University of Lublin. On 11 June 1988 he received priestly ordinations from archbishop Władysław Ziółek. He had worked in pastoral ministry for two years. In 1990 he started studies in the field of liturgics at the Papal Liturgical Institute ‘Anslemanium’, graduated with the ecclesiastical BA degree in 1993. In 1995 he gained PhD degree in theology with specialization in liturgical field at the Papal University of St. Thomas Aquinas ‘Angelicum’. After his return from Rome in 1995, he was a master of ceremonies for archbishop Waładysław Ziółek, a lecturer of liturgics and a director of the library of the Seminary in Łódź. In 1997, during the visit of blessed John Paul II in Poland, he was engaged with liturgical preparations of all meetings with the Holy Father. Since 1997 he had had a function of a prefect of the Seminary in Łódź and since 1 November 1998 he had worked in the Office of Papal Liturgical Celebrations. Since 12 May 199 he has been a papal master of ceremonies.
He belonged to the close cooperators of blessed John Paul II. He shared his poignant memories about the person of the Holy Father in front of cameras of the public TV, in the film ‘A mystery of John Paul II’.
Prelate priest Konrad Krajewski had been an editor of ‘Niedziela Łódzka’ for a few years. Performing his responsible duties, he was also active in pastoral ministry.
The papal almoner is an archbishop who belongs to Famiglia Pontificia, that is, the closest people of the Holy Father and he is always present near the prefect of the Papal House at ceremonies and audiences. His tasks include giving alms to people in need on behalf of the pope. He is also engaged with giving papal blessings – there is his signature on their form. Any means thereof are designed for papal works of mercifulness and some charity institutions belonging directly to the Holy See, and also for a few schools in Rome and Castel Gandolfo.
(AA)
"Niedziela" 32/2013