Poland's 'living memorial' to St. John Paul II marks 25 years of transforming lives

WARSAW, Poland (OSV News) -- Thousands of young Poles made their way through the streets of Czestochowa July 19, singing and praying as they approached the Jasna Góra Marian shrine.

This year's annual pilgrimage and camp were not just traditional summer gatherings of the community. It marked the 25th anniversary of the Foundation "Dzielo Nowego Tysiaclecia" (Work of the New Millennium), a vibrant "living memorial" to St. John Paul II, supporting talented youth from underprivileged backgrounds.

Mass, celebrated by the apostolic nuncio to Poland, Archbishop Guido Filipazzi, was at the heart of the celebration, who reminded the young gathered that "gratitude to God and to others is of enormous importance in our lives, especially in a cultural context like ours, where people often feel completely autonomous and self-sufficient."

Cultivating gratitude toward God "helps us not to waste his gifts" and "inclines us to reciprocate the love with which he surrounds us," Archbishop Filipazzi said. "I encourage you to thank God for the gift of this foundation and for the people through whom this work could arise and continue."

The foundation, called "The Work" in Poland was envisioned in response to St. John Paul's call to support young people and promote a "culture of life." Following the pope's pilgrimage to his homeland in 1999, Polish bishops launched the initiative to help talented youth from smaller towns and rural areas, providing not only scholarships but also a spiritual formation.

Over the past 25 years, the foundation has provided more than 10,000 scholarships to students, shaping not only their educational paths but also nurturing their faith and civic responsibility.

"This is a community for life," said Father Dariusz Kowalczyk, president of the foundation."

Many of our alumni now have children -- many children, actually -- and they represent a wide array of professions. Some came from truly difficult beginnings, broken families and challenging environments. Today, they are grateful for having been part of a community that offered them a new perspective, rooted in faith and in the example of St. John Paul II," Father Kowalczyk told OSV News.

The priest believes that the figure of John Paul remains fundamental in forming young people today, particularly those from broken or struggling homes.

"Karol Wojtyla lost his mother, brother and father. At the age of 21, he was completely alone, without immediate family. Sociologically, he would have been a perfect candidate to fail in life," said Father Kowalczyk. "But he didn't. What made the difference was his deep connection to God and the church. This universal truth enabled him to survive fascism, communism, and personal tragedy."

"Many young people tell me, 'I live from one meeting to the next,' because encounters with the foundation community give them the strength to continue," he added. "The end of the scholarship program doesn't mean the end of their bond with us -- it lasts a lifetime."

Jacek Laszczak, a military academy student in Wroclaw, shared that the foundation made his dream of becoming a soldier possible. Coming from a modest family, the costs of training and equipment would have been a burden. "Of course, the foundation is not only financial help," he said. "It is formation, community and meeting people who aim for great goals."

Kasia Stalmach, a law student and active volunteer in hospice and emergency services, emphasized how the foundation motivated her to pursue excellence while serving others. "The formation and contact with other scholarship receivers make me a better person," she said. "I am grateful to be part of this wonderful family and to be a 'Living Memorial' of this extraordinary man, St. John Paul II."

Daria and Rafal Dobosz, now married with three sons, met at a foundation camp in 2008. "We are enormously grateful to God for the help we received," they shared. "We gained education, good professions, each other, and the invaluable experience of participating in a living church community."

Another married couple of "The Work" -- Dorota and Kamil Polomscy -- say they owe their meeting -- and now 10 years of marriage -- to the foundation. It was during the summer camps for scholarship holders, amid shared prayer and teamwork, that their friendship grew into a vocation. The scholarship allowed them to leave their small town for high school, followed by university, without financial fear, leading Kamil to a career in finance and Dorota to become a certified translator.

"The foundation was a place where we grew in faith, built lasting friendships and found each other," they said.

The foundation now looks toward strengthening its alumni association, recognizing that now-professionals and parents, continue to seek community, faith formation, and opportunities to give back. "They need it, and they want it," Father Kowalczyk emphasized. "And this is our mission going forward," he told OSV News.

"Gratitude is fundamental," Archbishop Filipazzi told the youth at the foundation's jubilee Mass, which came some days ahead of the Youth Jubilee in Rome July 28-Aug. 3. "Do not waste the gifts you have received," the nuncio said.

Father Kowalczyk added: "This place proves that faith can build a community that endures and transforms lives."