MARIANNA POPIEŁUSZKO ABOUT HER SON

There was no place for lie in our home! Once I was summoned to school and the teacher told me that Alek spent too much time saying the rosary in the church. She threatened to give him a lower mark for his behaviour. The Holy Spirit inspired me and I told her that after all we had freedom of conscience.

PRELATE TADEUSZ KAROLAK
ABOUT THE WORK OF FATHER JERZY IN ZĄBKI, HIS FIRST PARISH CHURCH

Jerzy joined us as a neo-presbyter but soon afterwards he became conspicuous in the parish church. First of all, he established a rosary circle for youths. This wasn’t an ordinary prayer group. The youngsters collected gifts, which were taken to correction institutions every few weeks. Jerzy’s vision of the Church was not confined to eschatology.
His perception of the Church was far more specific, as he placed it within the framework of human needs. He had a strong feeling of obligation, which pushed him to work strenuously and make efforts that exceeded his weak health.

PRELATE TEOFIL BOGUCKI
ABOUT BL. FATHER JERZY POPIEŁUSZKO A YEAR AFTER HIS DEATH

As priest, Father Jerzy was not only warm-hearted but also wise and kind. He was always obedient to the Church authorities and was ready to go wherever the bishop sent him. He had a lot of personal charm. Only a few knew about his great sense of humour and vivid nature. From time to time he would play jokes, which surprised me. Once, being followed by his ”bad angels”, i.e. the Secret Service functionaries, he managed to lose them with a false moustache and a beard stuck on his face. On the eve of his death he he approached the agents tailing him and offered them a cup of hot coffee. READ MORE

FATHER KAZIMIERZ GERS MEMORY DATED 19TH OF MARCH 1993

When Father Jerzy was murdered and his body transported to Warsaw I went with others to pray and to pay homage to him. One of the priests asked me if I could stay a little longer and help with confession. I agreed. The gueues to confessionals were endless. (...) There were extraordinary events happening on that night. Though I am obliged to observe the confidentiality of confession I can say that on that night I witnessed undoubted miracles. Father Jerzy was fulfilling his pastoral duties from behind the grave and has continued to do so long after the funeral.

FATHER ANTONI PONIŃSKI MEMORY DATED 16TH OF DECEMBER 1996

To be honest, I found it very difficult to endure the 40 days of the trial. But there was an instance, which I consider the first small miracle performed by Father Jerzy. In the carefully planned agenda the prosecutor and the chairman of the Court demanded to hear the evidence of the ”anti-state and politically hostile activity of Father Jerzy&38221;. This report was to be read out despite ... READ MORE

FATHER CZESŁAW BANASZKIEWICZ MEMORY

I met father Jerzy Popiełuszko in 1978 when he moved to my neighbourhood and settled in the parish house of the Infant Jesus church, located at 6, Mierosławskiego Street in the Warsaw district of Żoliborz. He served as a curate in the church while I was its resident. This gave me an opportunity to remain in close contact with Father Jerzy and to admire his religious zeal, humility and complaisance. After visiting the disabled in the parish territory, he would take the Holy Communion to people living in a far away district of Wola.

I was an eyewitness of his malaise in the Infant Jesus church where he was saying mass. While reading an excerpt from the Gospel, he fainted... READ MORE

FATHER ZYGMUNT MALACKI,
THE LATE PARISH PRIEST IN THE CHURCH OF ST. STANISŁAW KOSTKA, IN 1998 – 2010

My service in the Academic Church of St. Anna began in 1984, i.e. 12 months after the suspension of the martial law and a few weeks preceding Father Jerzy’s death. He himself worked in this church in 1979 – 1980, so a few years before me. This martyr’s death came to me as a real shock on the one hand, and a clear calling on the other. We met in the seminary. One year older Jurek shared the seminary room with me for 12 months. Later on in life our ministry duties made us meet from time to time.

I still remember our last conversation. A few days before his tragic death, he visited me in my dean’s office. He was on his way back from the curia where he had met the primate. He paid me a visit to ask if I was all right in my new workplace... READ MORE