Fr. Karol Wojtyla, parish priest

The Catholic world recalled on April 2 the first death anniversary of Pope John Paul II whose baptismal name was Karol Wojtyla. As usual in an event like this, the Holy Mass was the celebration piece. But the occasion too inspired people to remember the life and work of contemporary Church's "greatest Pope". For Karol Wojtyla was a colorful and dynamic spiritual leader in the twentieth century, a multi-talented man, a teacher, philosopher, playwright, poet, social worker, and in a subtle way, a freedom fighter.

In the various roles he played, from a parish priest to Supreme Pontiff, Fr. Wojtyla was truly a man of all seasons - and more, he was an authentic Christian, a living saint. A recall of one window frame of his apostolic life as a parish priest reveals these.

John Paul II's biographer, George Wiegel, recounts that as a priest Fr. Wojtyla was first assigned as a vicar or assistant pastor in a rural village called Niegowic in Krakow, Poland. This was in 1948 immediately after the priest's return from Rome where he studied and finished a doctorate in theology. A church doctor in a depressed rural parish? Clearly it was a let down for some people but not for Fr. Wojtyla. Willingly he reported to his parish, walking part of the way through a newly harvested field, and upon reaching the village, he knelt down and kissed the ground, a gesture of thanksgiving and humility. Indeed, without this attitude it would have been difficult for the new priest to accept what he got for a quarter: An old wooden structure without electricity nor running water nor sewage.

Karol Wojtyla's primary duty as a village priest was religious instruction in five elementary schools. Using a horse-drawn cart provided by the farmers, he would go from school to school regularly to bring the world of God to the young. Employing varied approaches, he made Gospel lessons enjoyable and interesting. No wonder the kids welcomed his very presence in their schools.

Their parents too looked forward to his visits in their households (for visiting homes was also practiced by the new priests). Having seen his simple and frugal ways, they took to liking him, a poor man among poor folks. Like his school visits, these domestic incursions became moments of friendships and joy, more so during feast days and Christmas when the priests would come up with seasonal songs together with the young.

Celebrating the Holy Mass was of course Fr. Wojtyla's basic commitment. On top of this he made himself "a person in the confessional". To the priest the confessional was more than a means of reconciliation; it was an intimate encounter with people in the depth of their humanity; it was a session which helped the person on the other side of the confessional screen "enter more deeply into the Christian drama of his or her own unique life". For this reason the priest spent hours every day hearing confessions. Asked why, he said that if a priest stopped hearing confessions he would become a mere office manager or a bureaucrat.

Simplicity for himself, but not for other people nor for God. On one occasion when the village folks were discussing plans to celebrate the ordination anniversary of Wojtyla's superior, there were proposals to do minor repair work on the church, but he inspired them to build a new church instead. And they did just that after months of hard work and sacrifices. That brick church stands in the village even today, a reminder of Fr. Wojtyla's work in that place.

Fr. Wojtyla's duties towards his parishioners extended beyond the walls of the convent and the church. Sensing that even simple folks loved the art of make-believe, he organized drama clubs and directed plays in which he sometimes took part as one of the actors. In addition, he embarked on a marriage preparation program, organized choral groups, and held song competitions. He also spearheaded sports fests and formed regular discussion groups - all in the interest of drawing people together to foster fellowship under a Christ-inspired atmosphere.

Fr. Wojtyla's stay in Niegowic however lasted only eight months, really a brief watch for a parish priest. But it was long enough for him to have shown what an ideal village priest should be. That short tenure was really a modeling one for all men of the cloth, especially those entrusted with the pastoral care of depressed parishes.

Are our parish priests as self-sacrificing as Father Karol Wojtyla? Only their parishioners know the answer.