On Tuesday evening in the Relics Chapel of John Paul II’s Centre „Do not be afraid!” met cardinals, bishops, priests, and secular and monastic clerics so as to pray for the clergy and for new vocations.


The meeting started with singing „Barka” (“Barge”). Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz shared his experience of growing to priesthood vocation in the countries of the former USSR. He talked about faith and constant prayer of his family and the local church. “I always saw my parents and siblings praying. We did not have a priest in our village. There was no Mass Service delivered. Yet all the villagers went to church on Sunday – there was the Rosary and the Way of Cross” – recalled the Archbishop. “Once, by mistake, I took the prayer book of mother’s. I found a picture with my mother’s prayer for calling her son to priesthood. She never said a word, but she prayed for my vocation” – said the visibly moved Minsk-Mohylev Metropolitan. He decided to become a priest only when he was 30. “I went to the seminary so late, because I didn’t know where seminaries are in the USSR (in the 70s’ of the 20th c. there were only two theological seminaries in USSR – ed. note). I began engineering studies first” – recalled the Archbishop. He talked about difficulties he met during his pastoral service in Russia, Lithuania and Belarus. Finally, he addressed directly the clergy: “there is no crisis of vocations, but there is the crisis of the called. We must help people discover and strengthen their vocations.”

The second testimony was delivered by Rev. German Saksonoff from Argentina. He talked about the Merciful Jesus, whom he discovered while reading St. Faustina’s “Diary”, before entering the seminary. “With all the problems of the priestly life we are called to trust in the Divine Mercy. Losing hope would be wrong-wishing to God. This trust teaches us no to be discouraged by our falls and to constantly rise, convert” – he said. Fascinated with the message conveyed by the Polish nun, he has proclaimed it to people he met in his work. He has witnessed many conversions. “People need peace which comes from God, rather than psychological experience. Hence the veneration of the Divine Mercy among my fellow-citizens seems to be understandable” – he explained.

Both testimonies were enthusiastically received and applauded. Then the gathered clergy engrossed themselves in the adoration of the Holy Sacrament. After the blessing rite the Our Lady of Częstochowa Appeal was sung to be followed by the Compline. The letter to the clergy by St. Francis of Assisi, commemorated on 4 October,  was read out as well. The service was presided over by Bishop Franciszek Ryś who emphasized that St. Francis had  never been ordained. “His words show how much a priest can learn from a non-priest” – said the auxiliary bishop of Cracow. He also asked the congregated for embracing in a prayer Cardinal Franciszek Macharski who celebrated his name-day  today. “Let us express our gratitude with a prayer. Many of us were ordained by his hands. We are his spiritual sons or grandsons” –said the Bishop. In the end “Bogurodzica”(“Mother of God”) hymn was chanted.