History’s Darkest Hour Is Their Shining Legacy - - - by Stephanie Age 16

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Blessed Joseph Kowalski





Blessed Joseph Kowalski was born in Siedliska, Poland on 13 March, 1911. Before his elevation to blessed, Joseph Kowalski's past and story was by no means ordinary.

To understand his way of life, one must understand his background. The Polish Culture is deeply rooted in Catholic Faith. The landscape is one of fields and forests where dreams are born and visions begin. In Poland, there is a sense of being wronged by history, but the Poles see their nation's suffering as unification to the Sacrifice of Calvary. They see how Poland suffers again and again, yet there is hope because Christ Himself rose on the third day. One can tell in the air that there is peace with death and the afterlife because the culture is uniquely united with the living and the dead. Born in Poland during the Soviet Reign, Joseph’s life began with suffering. The reason for perseverance in Poland, and a good majority of Europe, was love of Christ and hope for eternal life. For during those times, and much of the 20th Century, there was no other reason to live but for God's Will.

Brought up in a Traditional Roman Catholic home, Joseph Kowalski was the seventh of nine children born to Wojciech and Zofia Kowalski. Like many southern Poles, his parents were farmers and owners of a plentiful farm. His childhood was one of devotion to Our Lady of Czestochowa and love of the Blessed Sacrament. Along with his devout personality and indomitable spirit, Joseph was also a good student and a hard worker. In his youth, he kept a diary expressing his love for Christ, the Church, and of course, Our Lady of Czestochowa. On one page he wrote: "Oh Mother Mary! I have to become a saint because this is what I am intended for. Oh Jesus, I offer you my poor heart ……. May I never be separated from You and may I remain faithful until death: May I die rather than offend You, not even with the slightest sin. I must become a holy Salesian, like my Father Don Bosco was." When Joseph was 8 years old, Poland was liberated from Soviet Rule. Poland had finally found freedom, but not for long. Not only would time bring change for Poland, and the world in general, but Joseph's wish would come true and his destiny for heaven would be fulfilled.

When Joseph grew-up, he entered the Salesian College at Oswiecim (Auschwitz). It was there that people realized how special Joseph was. He had always been different, but at college Joseph amazed his peers and instructors with his optimistic view and commitment to "study and service". After college, Joseph joined the Immaculate Conception Sodality and the Missionary Association, where he soon became its President. He was devoutly and totally captivated with the Salesian charism and its Founder, whom he wished to follow dearly. In 1928, Joseph made his first profession in Czerwinsk and was ordained a priest in Krakow on May 29, 1938 by Archbishop Adamo Stephano Sapieha. Following his ordination, he was appointed provincial secretary. As a priest, he was a role model for the youth of his parish. He cared for them greatly, and they admired and loved him with great devotion. Unfortunately, all of the beauty and peace that he encountered as a priest would soon be overshadowed but never forgotten by history's darkest hour.

On 1 September, 1939, the Nazis stormed into Poland. Now, as the 'ruler' of Poland, Nazi General Hans Frank ordered all youth groups that operated in Poland at that time to cease functioning or risk imprisonment. This did not stop Father Kowalski! Along with many priests in Poland, including Stefan Wyszyński, Fr. Kowalski continued to operate youth groups underground. He knew as well as Hitler did that in order to control people, one must win the consent of the youth. What better a time than this to have youth meetings when the world was being destroyed? The youth needed a hero, and Fr. Kowalski was just that. Unfortunately, the Gestapo arrested Father Kowalski along with eleven other Salesians in Krakow on the 23 of May, 1941. His trials and tribulations were only beginning but Our Lady was with him always.

Father Kowalski and his companions, along with thousands of other priests in Poland, were immediately deported to the prison in Montelupich. From Montelupich, he was scheduled to be deported to Dachau. While the prisoners were waiting in the cold bath house unclothed, one Nazi noticed Father Kowalski's clenched fist. When he discovered that the prisoner was holding a Rosary, he knocked it from his hands and ordered him to stomp on it. Steadfastly refusing to do so, Father Kowalski was assigned to a hard labor gang and deported to Auschwitz. There he was given number 17.350., but being a prisoner did not mean he could not be a priest! In Auschwitz he continued his priestly duties. He heard confessions, celebrated Mass, gave clandestine conferences, and said the Rosary. Imagine the multitude of souls he saved! He truly acted as Christ, gave others hope, and best of all, a second chance through the grace of Confession! Now, surely the prisoners received renewed strength and courage! While in Auschwitz, he wrote his parents saying "Do not worry about me; I am in God’s hands. I want to assure you that I feel His help at every step. Despite the present situation, I am happy and completely at peace. At every step I feel the power of God. Wherever I am, whatever happens to me I am in the hands of Divine Providence which watches over nations and over every individual!" Seeing his dedication and love, many Nazis did not like him. Therefore, he underwent much suffering and humiliation. On June 3, 1942, the Nazi guards were ferociously cruel to the prisoners. Throughout the entire day, human beings of all creeds and nationalities were randomly chosen to be humiliated, tortured, beaten, and killed. Father Kowalski was chosen to be beaten and thrown into the cesspool. When the Nazis dragged him from the cesspool, they thought that it would be amusing if the priest would bless the prisoners who were being tortured. At that very moment, the little priest knelt on the blood-spilled ground. He was covered in filth without clothing, yet he still believed. There he knelt with his head bowed in prayer all by himself, praying out loud and making the sign of the cross. As one prisoner later recalled, it was "a prayer like the world has never heard." Then, he was drowned in the cesspool. Joseph Kowalski was 31 years old when he was martyred on July 4th, 1942. Following his martyrdom, his body was burned in Auschwitz's crematorium and his ashes were scattered in the dust. After his death, Poland began to commemorate his life because they believed that he brought about many vocations. He was beatified on June 13, 1999, by the first Polish Pope, Karol Wojtyla.

Although never given the right to a proper burial like millions of other human beings, Joseph Kowalski's ideas, dreams, visions, and perseverance did not die. Now it is up to us, a new generation that sees the horror in the present day and the denial of the Holocaust, to preserve our Church, our country, our minds, and our souls. We must never ever allow sin to conquer the world again. To see neighbors hate each other just because one has darker skin than the other, or for another negligible reason, is utterly inhumane and unjust. I wish to take his name, Joseph, as my confirmation name because I have dedicated myself to never allowing another Holocaust to occur, even if it means that I have to give my life up for something bigger than myself, just like Blessed Joseph and millions of others. I also wish to take his name because of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, and because my great-grandfather, Johann Josef Sapinski, also carried his name. How those men and women, and my family, could ever live through the Holocaust, is something I will never be able to understand. My grandfather always told me that he hid his Rosary, why it was never found and why he survived is God's Will but he always prayed the Divine Mercy Novena just like Father Kowalski. I wonder how many of my relatives walked among the saints? World War II was history’s darkest hour, but coming out from the darkness were the heroes of the 20th Century: Thousands of saints and blesseds, Pope John Paul II the Great, Pope Benedict XVI, and millions of untold selfless souls who changed the world by believing in something, whether they were Catholic or not, and following through until the end. Those people, like our Holy Fathers, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, give hope to others who come from humble beginnings and believe that faith can help them persevere.

As Karol Wojtyla, Pope John Paul II, who had witnessed the Holocaust at his front door, said to the people of the Diocese of Krakow, old and young alike:

"Woe be to the states that reduce people to starvation. Woe be to the states that reduce people to torture. I say to you: Your suffering will not be in vain. This Church is with you. On Your side! We are the citizens of our country, but we are also the people of God. You, the workers of Nowa Huta, have put up a cross in a city that is supposed to be a city without God. But your will has prevailed! Let this be a lesson! Religious freedom is the highest expression of human dignity. To stifle it, is a crime. This rock was given to me in Rome by Paul VI. AND ON THIS ROCK, WE WILL BUILD OUR CHURCH!

To me, that is one of the greatest ways that someone can show the world that they are a Confirmed Catholic. When it is my turn to take a stand, I want to show the world that the Holy Spirit is with us. The Living God walks beside us. Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the World. Just like countless of others have stood for what they believed in, like our Holy Fathers, I will be proud to stand in front of the world, no matter what the cost, and say:

I am proud to be an American!

I am proud to be Catholic!



A Catholic Priest and a Jewish Rabbi imprisoned in Auschwitz. Illustration by David Olere.

JESUS, MARY, JOSEPH, WE LOVE YOU! SAVE SOULS!

Prayer:

Almighty and eternal God, you gave to the blessed Martyrs, Joseph Kowalski and the five young men: Franciszek Kesy (22), Edward Klinik (23), Jarogniew Wojciechowski (20), Czeslaw Jozwiak (22), Edward Kazmierski (23), the grace of sharing in the Passion of Christ, help us in our weakness, and as they did not hesitate to die for you, grant also to us the strength to live our lives confessing your name. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.