Vatican remembers Blessed Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, the mentor of Saint John Paul II

This May 28, the Catholic Church in Poland celebrates Blessed Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, who is considered the mentor of Saint John Paul II and whose teaching has been highlighted today by the Vatican.

The Polish cardinal was remembered through a post published by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints on the social network X.

“The shepherd does not abandon the flock. He goes out to find the wolf; Even if he himself is wounded by the wolf, he protects to the end the spirit of the nation, of the people, of the children of God, so that they are not mutilated by lies, falsehood, hatred and anger,” the Vatican published quoting the words of Cardinal Wyszyński, who was beatified on September 12, 2021.

For its part, the Episcopal Conference of Poland he recalled in his X account that, although the cardinal’s feast day is celebrated this Tuesday, “every day, faithful from Poland and abroad come to the tomb of Blessed Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, in the Archcathedral of Saint John in Warsaw, to pray for his intercession.”

The relationship of Blessed Cardinal Wyszyński with Saint John Paul II

Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński (1901-1981) is known for helping preserve Catholicism in Poland during communist persecution between 1945 and 1989.

Additionally, he helped secure the approval of Father Karol Wojtyla as Archbishop of Krakow in 1964.

In a letter dated October 23, 1978, seven days after being elected pontiff, Saint John Paul II assured his compatriots that “he would not be on the Chair of Peter” if it had not been for the faith of Cardinal Wyszyński, “who “He has not been daunted by prison and suffering.”

“Do not forget to pray for me in Jasna Gora and throughout the country, so that this Pope, who is the blood of your blood and the heart of your hearts, may serve the Church and the world well in the difficult times that precede at the end of this second millennium,” he concluded in his letter.

The following year, Saint John Paul II visited his native country and in his address to the bishops expressed that the Cardinal primate, in reference to Wyszyński, “is the keystone of the Church of Warsaw and of the entire Church of Poland” and “ manifests the strength of the foundation of the Church which is Jesus Christ. In this lies his strength.”

“The Cardinal Primate has been teaching, for more than thirty years, that he owes this strength to Mary, Mother of Christ. We all know well that thanks to Mary the strength of that foundation that is Christ can be made to shine, and that it can effectively become the keystone of the Church,” said Saint John Paul II in 1979.

Unable to attend Cardinal Wyszyński’s funeral in May 1981—days before the attack against Saint John Paul II had occurred—the Polish Pope sent a letter to express his sorrow for the death of his mentor and friend.