About Holly Mary in Fatima so many books and movies exists, testimonies, researches and discoveries. Today I wished to talk about experience of some people engaged in realization of Fatima prophecies: priests and lay people from post-soviet world. I am including here also Poland. Everything I wish talk about I was personally participating.

1. Invitation

In January 1995 after 3 years spend in Russia I started efforts to be removed from diocese to Conventual Franciscans. Some people was bit surprised but, because I am “master of surprising”,

People was not angry, except Moscow Bishop. He looked sad but unexpectedly after talking with me about my wish he informed about his decision to send me to Fatima as his delegate with 4 another European Russia priests. Archbishop Kodrusiewicz is known as strong man, but his soul and sermons very sensitive. It happen he may cry during talking especially when he return to the past, time of persecutions. With me the same sometime he strongly criticized my behavior but same time he was giving me much favor. Being his delegate in the moment I wished to be removed from Russia was very big favor. Strategic mercy.

2. Waiting for the trip

Last days in Russia I took much parishioners with me to Poland. I wished to show them my native town Skrwilno and the best shrines in Czestokhova and Niepokalanov. We was traveling by Russian bus from Caucasus up to Poland during 2 days and about one week in Poland. Drivers were angry because I wished to show as much possible, so the distance became twice longer than they expected for. In the end of the trip I introduced to my parishioners fr. Jacek Soroka OFMconv as their new pastor in the period of my novitiate. Franciscan superior promised to me that after one year of prove I will come back to Russia, to continue my activities as Franciscan. It was very happy promises for me, so I was just waiting the trip to Fatima may happen. It was nice opportunity to give thanks for my missionary experience and to pray for my future. The flight to Fatima was planned 17-th July and I was not informed any detail of the trip. I was asking myself: “It really may happen or not”

3. The flight

In Warsaw airport I was one of the first. Soon some priests from Kazakhstan appeared and I was able too hear Russian language. It was very nice to hear such language in polish airport, very nostalgic feeling after 2 weeks being out of Russia. There was also my dean from Caucasus fr. Czaplicki. He helped me during controlling us, because my foreign Passport was very damaged. He explained as my superior that being priests in south Russia we are risking daily our lives and our passports ever in the pocket, so many soldiers controlling us, it is why documents cannot be nice.

The travel was sponsored by Polish Pallotine Fathers.

4. Fatima

There was about 50 priests in the group. Byelorussians, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Kazakhstan and we 4 priests from Russia. The flight to Lisbon a bit delayed, Fatima is 100 km north from Lisbon. We came to the place in deep night unable to visit any place. We were living in very poor rooms like scouts in summer camp. I was able to hear daily my dean Czaplicki praying breviary in another room, because the wall was just symbolic. In fact all the priests were living in the big hall sleeping on two floor bed. I was living with some German priest working in the city Marks on Volga. He was very kind controlling my religious life and giving good example by coming to holly chapel as the first one. Sometime I was loosing my short breviary so he was giving me without comment.

5. Competition

The nature in Fatima bit exotic. Climate very hot. The main square very big like few stadiums. A year later I was able to compare with st. Peter Square in Rome. In Fact Fatima make much bigger impression. Same time I felt as in my home town both places. It was surprising me, why I feel here so well. Possible, the mysterious presence of Holly Mary was giving such feeling. We were here to study and popularize in Russia all the details of Fatima Message. Most of us came first time this place. Everybody very excited. There was fr. Mazur from Byelorussia the future Siberian Bishop, Kazakhstan Bishop Lenga was very humoristic, Ukrainian Bishop Shyrokoradiuk former Franciscan, just became the bishop so not accustomed to be dressed in red. There was also Byelorussian United

Ester Rite Church superior, Sergius Gayek with his group some Marian Congregation priests. We came here to study the message, but also to relax after so many confusions and difficulties the post soviet world may give to catholic priests. People was very attracted by Portuguese wine and food. Clemens was confused time to time such atmosphere. He preferred spend time praying. Some priests was following him.

6. Consecration

Except studying we were also celebrating. The daily Mass was in Polish because it was much easier for the most people was from polish roots, another was understanding even Germans from Kasakhstan. Translation of classes was also from Portuguese to polish. In the evening daily rosary and procession of candles. Rosary was in many languages, these days mostly in middle or east European languages. The last day Bishops consecrated own nations to the Holly Heart of Marry asking forgiveness for atheism, alcoholism, abortions and many other national sins. Cardinal Swiatek from Byelorussia, blessed hundreds of statues and other memories we were taking back to Russia.

In the bus every priest traveling from Fatima back to Lisbon was introducing himself…such nice atmosphere finally we got in Fatima, so the travel was very fast and Warsaw appeared immediately in the screen of plane.

7. Coming back

Everything what happened in Fatima gave me much impressions. I still had much time. Franciscan novitiate started in September, so I made pilgrimage to Czestokhova by foot. This time Polish people was talking much about starting catholic TV in Niepokalanow, st. Maximilian shrine. Franciscans just got license to start such project, but big donations and much prayer were expected, because very expensive project. It was very dangerous moment so I was also praying much even writing many letters to responsible people. I was so naïve that my appeal about TV and Fatima in same envelope I send first to all the Polish Bishops and superiors of all Religious Congregations. I was sharing with them my Fatima impressions and urging them to support TV. Both topics were under Bishop control, so there was no need to remember them about it. Some little time later I got new that Polish Episcopacy decided National Pilgrimage of Fatima Statue in all polish Deaneries. Fist I was thinking it was not possible, but even my native small Skrwilno a new center of Deanery got such a mercy so bit later my pious mother has many niece impressions and stories to tell me.

8. A.D. 1995

1995, thanks to post-communist liberal media was very anticlerical time in Poland. It was also time of difficult choice. How many negative talks about Polish nation and politicians I got new in monastery. I was just simple friar, cleaning corridors, church, the garden, helping sisters of st. Clair their poor life especially praying daily Mass for them. When Polish people elected communist president I was crying loud voice in the chapel in the deep night. It was just that moment I got sureness that Fatima message was also addressed to Poland, to be converted same way as Russia from deep atheism. Sister Lucia, one of three Fatima children, still alive was asked by card. Swiatek if “conversion of Russia” includes also another soviet nations she said “Yes it includes also soviet allies as Poland”. So in fact Poland has to be converted. It is why our catholic church is so poor testifying Christ in missions, because still not converted! Meantime Holly Mary in Fatima Statue miraculously after “polish visit”, entered to Russia. Start of pilgrimage was 13-th of October in Kaliningrad so she entered st. Petersburg 7-th November 1996…

9. St. Anthony

In my life many changed. These days Franciscans and all the catholic world celebrated 800-anniversary of st. Anthony. Anthony s relics were visiting Poland also same time as Fatima Statue. Possibly it was why people not reacted so warmly st. Anthony visits, but myself I saw these relics personally in Miedniewice and Niepokalanow, even took in my hands. It is very easy to testify how much Fatima and st. Anthony incline each other . Seems to be paradox, but st. Anthony from Padua(north Italy), born in fact in Lisbon, and not many people know it, so he born in Portugal. Same country as Fatima, just visited by me with so many soviet priest. We were happy visiting st. Anthony church built on the place were he born, just in the middle of his anniversary.

10. Paradox

Relics I met in Miedniewice, were visiting also Russia, also same time with Fatima Statue. It may be said much comments about it, I will tell just one thing. Archbishop Kondrusiewicz “strategic Mercy”

Was successful. I escaped from Franciscan novitiate…remembering Fatima and too much nostalgic to my former activities in Russia I came back to my parishioners as betrayer, humble and ready to prepare Holly Mary trip there and also to venerate st. Anthony with my people. Both visits I paid by car accidents, both near to be died. I got Russian land car NIVA from German benefactor and not accustomed to drive proper way, too much hurrying, trying to cape loosed time. My Russian friends called my car “miraculous one”. This moment my story is becoming too much personal so maybe better to make a break.

Fr. Jaroslaw Wisniewski