During the ceremony of the conferring of the Premio San Giovanni Paolo II, which took place on 22 May in Sala Regia at the Vatican, Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski, Metropolitan of Krakow, who is also the superior authority of the Vatican John Paul II Foundation, indicated that the award was born out of a deep conviction of the need to support initiatives that draw on the Pope’s legacy, and at the same time out of an awareness of the mission that this foundation carries out in the universal Church. Below is the text of the speech by the Archbishop of Krakow.
Most Reverend Cardinals and Bishops,
Venerable Prelates,
Dear Brothers in the Priesthood,
Reverend Father Leonard Olobo,
Distinguished Authorities,
Dear Members of the John Paul II Foundation
Ladies and Gentlemen
Forty-three years have passed since John Paul II established the Foundation that bears his name in the Vatican City State to support “religious, cultural, pastoral, and social programs and activities serving faithful Poles in Poland and elsewhere for the purpose of maintaining and strengthening the traditional bonds between them and the Holy See”, as stated in the foundation decree of 16 October 1981. It came into being thanks to the close cooperation with the Holy Father of the circles of Polish emigrants all over the world, but also of many people of other nationalities, forming together circles and associations of Friends of the Foundation.
When St. John Paul II established the Foundation, he foresaw – as he had already expressed it in his speech on 7 November 1981 – that the bonds between the Church in Poland and Rome would acquire a special depth and dimension to meet the challenges of our times and the needs of the universal Church and the local Churches.
After ten years of activity, the Foundation opened its arms to support the study and formation of young people from Central and Eastern European countries. This was an important and far-sighted step. It linked up with the efforts of Catholics from Western countries to come to the aid of young people from Eastern Bloc countries. “This work is invaluable! Whosoever invests in the human person, in his overall development, never loses. The results of this investment are imperishable”, John Paul II told the members and supporters of the Foundation on 23 October 2001, thus emphasising both the Foundation’s increasingly international nature and its growing global impact. This expresses the Catholic dimension of the Church, which unites people from different countries and speaking different languages with bonds of faith and responsibility for witnessing the Gospel of Christ.
In his decree of 16 October 2003, after more than 20 years of activity, sanctioning the new statute of the Foundation, John Paul II emphasised that it should serve to strengthen the bonds [that unite] the Holy See with the various peoples of the world, and in particular with the beloved Polish nation. There is, therefore, a certain change in the fact that the Foundation’s mandate is to serve various nations.
In his last address to the Foundation community, on 4 November 2003, John Paul II developed this point by stating that: “Today the Foundation’s scope and work have been extended and have taken on an international character. Nevertheless, we cannot forget the Polish roots” of the establishment of this Foundation in the Vatican. This has not only historical significance, but also theological and ecclesial significance, showing that the Christian faith unites people in the common mission of bearing witness to Christ.
Rome is a special place where the routes of pilgrims and missionaries converge, where the paths of culture and history of entire peoples and of Christianity itself intersect. In Rome, the universality of the Church is also made evident, of which a particular expression is the mission of the successor of Peter to “confirm the brethren in the faith” (cf. Lk 22:32). The Vatican Foundation of John Paul II is not only the custodian of the memory of the Polish Pope, but – as its founder wished – it is also “a tangible point traced at the crossroads of those highways going from Rome towards the world and those leading to Rome” (7 November 1981).
Our meeting today, on the occasion of the conferring of the St John Paul II Award, bears witness to this. This initiative stems from the awareness that “sentire cum Petro” means at the same time “sentire cum Ecclesia”. The purpose of this prestigious award is, therefore, to serve the good of the entire Church. At the same time, its establishment is the mature fruit of the reflections of the members of the Administrative Board who wish, in this way, that the Vatican Foundation – probably one of the oldest institutions bearing the name of John Paul II – will continue to support and award activities that draw on the legacy of the Polish Pope. In this way, the John Paul II Vatican Foundation wishes to fulfil its mission in the universal Church.
Thank you for your attention.
Fot. Grzegorz Gałązka