On April 26-27, 2025, the eve and feast day of Divine Mercy, two days of prayer were held for the beatification of the Venerable Servant of God, Friar Wenanty KATARZYNIEC, OFM Conv. The event took place in Kalwaria Pacławska, Poland, under the title: “Father Wenanty – Pilgrim of Hope,” a direct reference to the 2025 Jubilee Year.
Since the prayer days were held in the shadow of the funeral of Pope Francis, the program was partially modified.
On Saturday, April 26, the faithful gathered at the Servant of God’s tomb in the basilica in Kalwaria Pacławska. At midday, they participated in Mass presided over by Friar Tomasz CZAJKA, the Rector of the Conventual Franciscan Major Seminary in Cracow. In his homily, Friar Tomasz presented Friar Wenanty as a man of hope, anchored to God and Jesus Christ. He recalled how Friar Wenanty faced several difficult trials in his life. Wenanty let the Lord God enter his life, he relied on Him, he allowed the Lord God to act, and he trusted Him. Friar Tomasz continued: Wenanty tells us that if we do not let the Lord God enter into our lives during difficult moments, we sin against hope. Those who are presumptuous sin against hope, as do those who abandon hope. They are sinners because they do not want to trust in the Lord God; they do not want to find strength in Him.” He quoted the Servant of God: “One can always have hope,” noting a practical reality on how to let hope enter one’s life: “There is no one who does not feel this desire. Just let your thoughts gather for a moment. For one hour, stop dealing with the things of the world and soon you will hear a cry from deep in your heart, perhaps too muffled and dull to be heard clearly, but a voice that says: “Remember you are destined for higher things. Remember this is not your purpose and your end.”
On Sunday, April 27, Mass was presided over by Friar Mariusz KOZIOŁ, the Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Anthony and Bl. James of Strepar in Poland (Cracow). In his homily, he mentioned that Friar Wenanty specialized in revealing the mercy of God through his ministry of confession and his service to the sick. “Here in the church we see the confessional where he heard confessions for long hours, in the cold, at the cost of his health and his rest.”
Finally, let us remember that next year will be the 105th anniversary of the death of Friar Wenanty KATARZYNIEC. To read a biography on our confrere, go to: https://ofmconv.net/en/venerabile-fra-wenanty-katarzyniec-sacerdote-1889-1921/.
Friar Jan M. SZEWEK
