Gifts for the Holy Father from Young Poles
T-shirts of the Olympic athletes, this year’s Lednica package, and the positio for the beatification of Fr. Franciszek Blachnicki were presented to the Holy Father Francis as gifts from the young Poles. Yesterday afternoon, they were delivered to the Synod of Bishops in Rome by the Polish delegation.
As Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, said that the Polish delegation to the Synod of Bishops was giving these gifts to the Pope on behalf of Poland’s young people. Among them was the positio for the beatification of Fr. Franciszek Blachnicki, founder of the Oasis Movement [also widely known as the Light-Life Movement] in Poland. “We consider him an apostle of youth, the most fruitful apostle of youth in the post-war period. In fact, no one else has done as much for the young and their faith, through the Oasis Movement and everything that emerges from the Oasis Movement,” said the President of the Episcopate.
The Holy Father also received this year’s Lednica package. “This is certainly the outcome and continuation of what has already been introduced in the sense of youth ministry,” said Archbishop Gądecki about the Lednica movement.
The young Poles also gave the Pope t-shirts of the Olympic athletes, with an eagle on a white background and numbers 1 and 10, worn by the attackers. As Bishop Marian Florczyk, the PBC delegate for Sports Ministry and a Synod Father, explained, they represent the attitude in the battle against evil. “Our athletes deserve praise. We have many athletes who impress us with their attitudes. They are eagles because they are not only physically fit, but also have a good spirit; they are also masters of the spirit, because they base their lives on values — said Msgr. Marian Florczyk — these athletes, who observe the values of fair play, reject drugs, and convey the values of the Gospel, are models for the young,” he added.
The Polish delegation met with the Holy Father before yesterday’s work. The was also given Archbishop Grzegorz Rysia’s book on the 10 principles for priestly life and “The Guidebook to the Effective Prevention of Youth Problems,” edited by Dr. Szymon Grzelak with the recommendation of Prof. Philip Zimbardo, and published by the European Institute for Integrated Prevention. According to the editor, this scientific publication shows how to effectively support young people and prevent risky behavior of the young.
Press Office of the Polish Bishops’ Conference
