“God, return Father Jerzy to us"- proclaimed one of the banners in front of Warsaw's St. Stanisław Kostka Church. All of Poland had already been aware of the abduction of charismatic priest Jerzy Popiełuszko on 19 October 1984. In Żoliborz, a district of Warsaw where he had held his famous masses for the homeland, crowds of people prayed day and night for his safe return.
Late in the evening of 30 October, however, Father Jerzy Przekaziński brought the worst possible news to those gathered: Jerzy Popiełuszko was dead. The martyrdom of 37-year-old Father Jerzy Popiełuszko – abducted by communist Security Service officers, tortured and finally murdered - was the culmination of the path taken and followed consistently by this great priest. Always faithful to God, courageously serving others and loving Poland - he did not refuse when, during the heated August 1980, he was sent to celebrate Mass at the striking Warsaw Steelworks. He later became one of the chaplains of ‘Solidarity’ and the voice of his compatriots persecuted under Martial Law. He stigmatized the brutality of the communist authorities, while preaching about overcoming evil with good. Fr. Popiełuszko's popularity and uncompromising nature were the thorn in Wojciech Jaruzelski and his associates side. An exceptionally vile press campaign, with the personal involvement of the government spokesman Jerzy Urban, was unleashed against the priest. Popiełuszko had repeatedly been dragged to interrogations, and even had explosives planted in his apartment. When that failed, the communist bandits did not back down and decided to murder him.
Today, Father Popiełuszko is a blessed of the Catholic Church and a Knight of the Order of the White Eagle, posthumously awarded to him by Polish President Lech Kaczynski. The Polish Institute of National Remembrance has dedicated numerous publications, conferences and exhibitions to Father Jerzy. Enjoying freedom, we have no right to forget those who paid the highest price for fighting for it.
Karol Nawrocki Ph.D.,
President of the Institute of National Remembrance
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