fwccenter®verizon.net 2013 Issue IV

Message of Hope Father Walter Ciszek's return celebrated with mass

By JOHN E. USALIS

Five decades ago, the Rev. Walter J. Ciszek, S.J. , was released Oct. 12, 1963, after 23 years of captivity in the former Soviet Union, and the anniversary was remembered Sunday in his hometown and parish.

During the homily, Monsignor Anthony D. Muntone said Ciszek's cause for sainthood is moving forward in Rome and could advance soon to the next level.

The 29th annual Father Walter J. Ciszek Day was celebrated with Mass in St. Casimir Roman Catholic Church, his native parish, with the Most Rev. John 0. Barres, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown, as main celebrant. Concelebrants were Monsignor Muntone and the Rev. Thomas Sable, S.J., co-postulators for the cause for canonization of Father Ciszek in the Catholic Church; Monsignor Ronald C. Bocian, pastor of the Roman Catholic churches in Shenandoah and Lost Creek; Monsignor Myron Grabowsky, pastor of St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church, Shenandoah; and other diocesan priests.

A special guest, Dr. Marvin Makinen, attended the Mass for the anniversary. Makinen, who is a member of the faculty at the University of Chicago and is a founding member of the Human Rights Board at the university, returned to America with Father Ciszek as part of the spy swap between the two countries.

While traveling in the Soviet Union, Makinen was arrested for espionage

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Read newsletter online www.ciszek.org

Father Ciszek­Restoring Sanity to the World

By JOHN DEJAK

The Saint is a medicine because he is an antidote .... He will generally be found restoring the world to sanity by exaggerating whatever the ... world neglects, which is by no means always the same element.

- G.K. Chesterton, St. Thomas Aquinas

A growing conviction took hold of my heart: Father Ciszek exemplifies the three qualities that the world needs desperately in the aftermath of the events of September 11th: sense of solidarity; willingness to sacrifice oneself in the service of others; and a simple, solid spirituality.

-Fr. Dominic Maruca, S.J., Homily

in the Weeks after 9/11

It has been my privilege the past two years to be doing research into the life and writings of Fr. Ciszek with Fr. Marc Lindeijer, S.J. of the Jesuit Curia in Rome. In the course of this research, people have often asked me, "Why ought Fr. Ciszek be a saint? How is he, a Jesuit priest who suffered in the Gulag in the Soviet Union, relevant to me?'' Generally, the people who ask these questions haven't read With God in Russia or He Leadeth Me; but even for those that have and have drawn inspiration from these books, the same question often arises. How can Fr. Ciszek be an example for the house­wife and mother of a large family; for the young seminarian; for the soldier deployed overseas; for the parent whose adult children have left the faith; or for

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\~\._,/ .. We ask members of the Prayer League and/or the readers of this newsletter to pray for the success of a film project about the life of Father Walter Ciszek, that all the financial, legal, and technical difficulties may be overcome for the production of a successful and useful film.

DECEASED: Charles Thoman, Thaddeus Zmuda, Leila Bachanes

HEALTH: Eleanor Whitney, Edith Meissner, Marie Bianco, Jodi Radosh

SPECIAL INTENTIONS: Bishop John Barres, Msgr. Ronald Bocian, George and Margaret Homa, Joshua Brito, Tim Haughney, Rev. Tim Mcintire, OSFS, Heather and Phil, Bill Bachanes

MEMORIAL DONATIONS: In Memory of Charles Thoman req. by Richard and Joan Brinkmann.

In Memory of Charles Thoman req. by Joseph and Mary Ann LoCasale.

In Memory of Charles Thoman req. by Mary Cavanaugh. In Memory of Charles Thoman req. by Anonymous. In Memory of Charles Thoman

req. by Joseph and Samantha Andes. In Memory of Charles Thoman req. by Eleanor Reilley. In Memory of Charles Thoman

req. by Walter and Margaret Mack. In Memory of Fran Curry

req. by Atty. and Mrs. Paul Domalakes. In Memory of Robert L. Brown

req. by Atty. and Mrs. Paul Domalakes.

For all wlwse names were previously on our list, but who are still in need of our prayers; for all tlwse who have requested prayers of the League; for all prayer league members, for all tlwse who are praying through the intercession of Father Walter Ciszek; and for all who need our prayers.

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''For/From the Friends of Walter Ciszek, S.J." A Publication of the Father Walter Ciszek Prayer League Official Organization for the Promotion of the Cause of

Canonization of Father Walter Ciszek, S.J. 231 N. Jardin Street

Shenandoah, PA 17976

Editor: Executive Editor : Staff:

Circulation Manager Business Manager

DanielL. Flaherty, S.J. Elaine Cusat Msgr. Anthony D. Muntone, Rev. Thomas F. Sable, S.J., . Sister Doris Burkot, O.S.F. Elaine Cusat

"Friends of Walter Ciszek, S.J." is published four times a year for friends and contributors to the Father Walter Ciszek Prayer League. Copies mailed from Shenandoah, PA. For a subscription, write: The Prayer League, 231 N. Jardin Street, Shenandoah, PA 17976. Current cost is $10 a year. Manuscripts should be sent to: Editor, Prayer League, 231 N. Jardin Street, Shenandoah, PA 17976; please include a stamped, self-addressed return envelope. For changes of address or problems with your subscription write: Circulation Manager, The Prayer League, 231 N. Jardin Street, Shenandoah, PA 17976. Postmaster, please return undeliverable copies to The Prayer League, 231 N. Jardin Street, Shenandoah, PA 17976.

By Rev. Thomas J. Sable, S.J.

The gift of divine life that comes from the Trinity is accomplished by the mission of the Son and the mission of the Holy Spirit, by their salvific sending. There is the visible mission in the Incarnation of the Son and the corning down of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, but there is also the invisible mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit. The interior sending of the Son and the Holy Spirit into our souls is accomplished by wisdom and charity. Wisdom is the gift of the sanctifying knowledge of God, which renders souls conformed to the Son. Charity renders souls conformed to the Holy Spirit.

Humans and angels who receive the "invisible" mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit are not "mixed" with the Son and the Holy Spirit. They remain creatures, but they become "divinized" creatures, new creatures who live and act for the Father in the radiant power of the Son and the Holy Spirit who have visited them. To act for the Father means to carry out the will of the Father, and this does not become easy. We must struggle to make progress in virtue, to achieve victory over temptations, to accomplish difficult tasks by charity. This struggle to attain the will of God Father Ciszek discovered in his early days in Russia.

" ... we would have understood much earlier that our sole purpose at Teplaya-Gora-as indeed in our whole lives-was to do the will of God. Not the will of God as we might wish it, or as we might have envisioned it, or as we thought in our - ---poor human wisdom it ought to be. But rather the will of God as God envisioned it and revealed it to us each day in the created situations with which he presented us. His will for us was the twenty-four hours of each day: the people, the places, the circumstances he set before us in that time. Those were the things God knew were important to him and to us at that moment, and those were the things upon which he wanted us to act, not out of any abstract principle or out of any subjective desire to "do the will of God." No, these things, the twenty-four hours of this day, were his will; we had to learn to recognize his will in the reality of the situation and to act accordingly. We had to learn to look at our daily lives, at everything that crossed our path each day, with the eyes of God; learning to see his estimate of things, places, and above all people, recognizing that he had a goal and a purpose in bringing us into contact with these things and these people, and striving always to do that will- his will-every hour of every day in the situations in which he had placed us. For to what other purpose had we been created? For what other reason had he so arranged it that we should be here, now, this hour, among these people? To what other end had he ordained our being here, if not to see his will in these situations and to strive to do always what he wanted, the way he wanted it, as he would have done it, for his sake, that he might have the fruit and the glory?"(He Leadeth Me, chapter 3)

It sounds so simple when we say it in the Our Father: "Thy will be done .. " The struggle, however, to make God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven is difficult and we need that divine visitation that daily comes to the Church because he dwells in us by faith and charity.

Father Walter Ciszek Prayer League

Message of-Hope continued from page 1

and sentenced to eight years in prison, two of which he spent in Vladimir Prison, about half of the time in solitary confinement.

"I'd like to welcome you all here as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Father Walter Ciszek returning from Russia to the United States," Barres said at the beginning of Mass. "Our homilist today, Monsignor Anthony Montone, who is co-postulator for Father Ciszek's cause, will talk about Father Walter moments -moments where the circle of God's love and providence all seem to come together. One such example occurs here today. I'd like to welcome Dr. Marvin Makinen and his wonderful wife, Michelle. Dr. Makinen, as we know, met Father Walter on that day on Oct. 12, 1963, and rode with him to the airport and they had a lifelong friendship from that moment."

Ciszek was born Nov. 4, 1904, in Shenandoah. He was ordained in 1937 as the first American Jesuit in the Byzantine Catholic Rite. He secretly entered the

Monsignor Myron Grabow sky, right, pastor of St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church in Shenandoah, uses incense during the panachyda (panakhyda) service during the Father Walter Ciszek Day Mass on Oct. 13 in St. Casimir Roman Catholic Church, Shenandoah. Assisting with Eastern Christian funeral prayer service was the Rev. Thomas Sable, S.J., left, co-postulator for the cause of canonization of Father Ciszek.

Soviet Union in 1939 as a missionary priest and was arrested in 1941 as a Vatican spy. After 23 years as a prisoner in the Soviet Union, he was released and returned to the United States. He died Dec. 8, 1984. His cause for canonization began in the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic and was later transferred to the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown. His cause has reached the stage that it is currently being reviewed in the Vatican. The cause is promoted by the Father Walter Ciszek Prayer League, which is donating $5,000 to the Allentown Diocese to defray expenses associated with the cause.

"It is so very nice to be back in Shenandoah," Montone said. "It is just so good to be with you as we gather together to celebrate this holy Mass that is always such a great, heartwarming event for us every year as we pray that this very, very, very exceptional Christian man, this very, very holy priest of God, will someday very soon will be declared a great saint in the Catholic Church."

He continued, "I know that we're all very impatient to see that happen very quickly. I'm very often asked, 'When is Father Ciszek going to be made a saint?' I wish I could say 'Next week' or 'Next month,' but you know that I can't say that.

Father Walter Ciszek Prayer League

Read Msgr. Anthony Muntone's entire homily online www.ciszek.org

I don't know exactly when it will happen, but I do know for sure that it will happen."

Montone then provided some hopeful news for the cause. "One thing that I can tell you today is that we're on the

threshold of taking another very important step forward in the process of having Father Ciszek declared a saint," he said. "It's the step of having Father's great virtue declared heroic. The church requires this in the cause of canonization - a demonstration that the candidate for canonization, a 'Servant of God' as we refer to Father Walter now, that he has lived a life of such virtue, that is so far and beyond and above the ordinary, that it is heroic. We're on the threshold of having that happen. And when that happens, we'll take a step forward. Father Walter, who is now the 'Servant of God,' becomes the 'Venerable Father Walter.' "

Students from Trinity Academy sang during the Mass. After the liturgy, a reception was held in the parish hall.

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Social gathering after Liturgy

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Raffle Winners H. and H. Weachock ........... . . 500.00

Chelsea Zimmerman ............. 250.00

Maureen & Ed Sweeney .......... 100.00 Returned to Prayer League

Roseann Katchmaric .............. 50.00

Helen Yutko ..................... 25 .00

Dr. Marvin Makinen with Sister Doris

What a magnificent way to spend a glorious fall afternoon ............ sitting in the gorgeous cathedral-like setting of St. Casimir's RC Church ; enjoying the sounds of a choir of Angels; reflecting on the life, trials, sufferings and tribulations of one of God's chosen; joined in promoting the venerable cause of his Sainthood.

Kathleen A. Palubinsky, Esq.

Father Walter Ciszek Prayer League

Restoring Sanity to the World continued from page 1

the coal miner? Or lawyer? Or bartender? Or student? This is an excellent question and it ought to be asked!

The above quotes from G.K. Chesterton and Fr. Maruca, are apt in addressing this question. We live in a very dis­jointed and disordered time. The combination of worldly allurements, rapid technological advancement, religious indifference, and the decline of marriage and the family leave many Christians wondering how to live. The public morality is non-existent and it seems that government at every level is more concerned with not offending-which in practice means a practical atheism-than allowing believ­ers to live and teach as Christ would have them. Couple this with chronic economic woes, loss of neighborhoods, an ever-increasing individualism, and the humdrum day-to­day difficulties of living life and trying to maintain virtue, it might seem that human persons would be tempted to give up. This is where Fr. Ciszek comes in. He-both in Russia and in the United States-heroically overcame obstacles of these sorts. In the end, his was a life focused on the one thing that keeps everything in perspective: that we are made for God and that He should be our all. As Fr. Ciszek reminds us:

The upheavals in this world, or in the Church herself, are not the end of everything, especially of his love. They can in fact serve best as signs to remind us of his love and of his constancy, to make us tum once more to him and cling to him again when all else that we counted on is overturned around us.

Father's was a life lived knowing that no ultimate harm could befall him if he stayed with God. It is this key truth that the world has forgotten and that we neglect in our daily lives. But it is this truth-which was the hallmark of Father Ciszek's whole life-that will restore our world, as Chester­ton says, to sanity.

How can everyone practically live out this truth? Father Ciszek (via Fr. Maruca) shows us the way. First, a sense of solidarity. "Solidarity" is nothing other than seeing other persons as made in the image of God. Fr. Ciszek showed this solidarity with everyone he met-whether it was the bum who knocked on his door and for whom he fixed a sandwich; or the young woman who was facing an unin­tended pregnancy whom he comforted; or the children in the Bronx whom he paraded over to the fields of Fordham University for some summer fun, having donned a straw hat and a whistle. We can imitate Father's solidarity with all people by cultivating it ourselves-helping the mother of many children, visiting the elderly, visiting a prisoner, or writing a letter to someone. Second, a willingness to sac­rifice oneself in the service of others. This is nothing other than the daily grind of loving one's neighbor! Fr. Ciszek is an example for everyone in his heroic self-sacrifice. While the sacrifice he offered in risking life and limb in enter-ing Russia to serve others oppressed by the Soviet regime is well known, less well known-and more significant to

Father Walter Ciszek Prayer League

his sanctity, in my opinion-is his day-to-day sacrifice in being available .tb anyone, anywhere, any time. In this, he truly was an alter Christus-never turning anyone away, always offering a word of encouragement, spending long hours with a soul in trouble rather than caring about his own needs. Mothers imitate this when spending long nights with a crying baby, lawyers can imitate this when taking the time to listen to an unreasonable client, and all of us can imitate Father's self-sacrifice in listening to a very talkative lonely neighbor. Finally, we can imitate Fr. Ciszek by cultivating a simple, solid spirituality. Being one with God does not require advanced degrees in theology or knowing the niCe­ties of liturgical matters or even volunteering at your parish, it requires faith and prayer. For this, Fr. Ciszek tells us what to do:

[The faith] is ours to preserve or lose ... [w]e must make it the unspoken principle that guides our every action, the center of our being and of all that we do each day. It must become as real for us, as necessary to our lives, as the air we breathe-for without it our lives have no meaning and our soul may die. We must constantly work to strengthen it and make it operative in all we do.

The surest way to do this, I think, is by prayer. In prayer, we speak to God, we ask his help, we seek his pardon or we promise amends, we thank him for favors received. But we cannot pray as if we were talking to empty air; so in the very act of praying we unconsciously remind ourselves of the reality and the presence of God, thereby strengthening our belief in him. And that is why, again in my opinion, the Morning Offering is still one of the best practices of prayer-no matter how old fashioned some may think it. For in it, in the beginning of each day, we accept from God and offer back to him all the prayers, works, and sufferings of the day, and so serve to remind ourselves once again of his providence and his kingdom.

This is good, old-fashioned Catholic spirituality! This is why Fr. Ciszek is a model for all of us wherever we are or whatever our circumstances. He can help us keep God first and thus, keep the world sane. Father sums this up,

Our primary responsibility, then, the main object of all our efforts, must be the transformation of ourselves, of our hearts and our lives .... What this means in the concrete is that each of us must faithfully fulfill the duties of our daily life .... Whether we are married and taking care of home and family, or studying in school, or working in an office or a factory or on a farm, whether we are dedicated to the priestly or religious life, matters little-in whatever we do

' we must always seek first the kingdom of God. That is, all of our actions of every day must be accepted as from God and referred back to him, must be done in a way that fulfills his will, for in this way alone is the kingdom of God promoted and spread upon the earth.

This is Father Ciszek's relevance to our generation, in­deed it is every saint's relevance to every generation: that he shows us how to get to God.

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An Oetober 13th Impression On Oct 13 as I drove from Northern VA to Father

Ciszek's Mass my engine light came on in Maryland. The car seemed to be working fine without any sign of overheating. I thought about Father Ciszek's work as a mechanic and even recalled an article from a truck driver in a previous newsletter who was in trouble and called on Our Lord and an intercessory prayer to Father Walter. I did just that since I truly desired to be present on this special anniversay Mass. I made the next 100 miles+ safely there and back home the next day. As I parked the car near the police station in Shenandoah I recalled Father Walter's description of his youth and the trying times he gave his parents, especially his own father who went to extraordinary steps to guide his son on the right path when he took Father Walter to the police station. Later, I had a good chuckle because I may have had a Father Walter moment since a police car was behind me after I parked and I had no idea this side lot had a one-way sign which I saw only as I walked toward the church.

Walking up the steps and entering the beautiful church I thought of ')oy" that has come into my life since I have read both of Father Walter's books , especially He Leadeth ~1e. I made it there during Eucharistic Adoration and the joy I felt upon entering and seeing the faith-filled people, many elderly from near and far whose lives were and are still being touched by Father Ciszek's virtuous life all working together for his cause to sainthood. Thanksgiving for my high school friends who are Byzantine and Ukranian heritage in the Minersville Area who first introduced me to Father Ciszek in the past. The Bemardine Sisters who are behind the scenes working for the cause and all the Sisters who pray in monasteries and schools, as well as lay teachers who nurture the young to live a faith-filled life in today's world. Bishop Barres, Msgr. Bocian, and all the priests who minister and further the cause by their actions and the joy that extends from the children's choir to the adult choir I felt like I was closest to heaven. The beautifully decorated church and the Blessed Mother Icon with its unique history, all for the greater glory of God.

I enjoyed every person's comments while waiting in any line at the reception. It was a festive occasion from the Knights of Columbus from Ohio to the beautiful singing of the children's choir to the robust adult voices which always put me in "awe". As a young child in our area I truly couldn't wait for the next song to be sung and to think of those being in union closest to God. I had the privilege of spending this day with family from New Jersey which made it extra special.

My faith education continues to grow and Father Walter has helped me to surrender to God. This special anniversary Mass on 13th October continued to when I was pleasantly surprised to see my first Jesuit church in New Orleans,

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LA, Immaculate C0~ception and be there on Father Walter's birthday, 4 Nov 13. The last day in New Orleans prior to corning home I learned that it was a Jesuit day , 5 Nov when 40 Jesuit priests were honored for their Sainthood. I look forward with anticipatory joy when Father Ciszek's name will be in that recognized group.

I want to share some thoughts with you on the absolutely wonderful day that was provided for all of Father Walter's friends. The warm welcome we all received as we entered the church, the small but symbolic gift, the fellowship was . very evident. I especially enjoyed the homily about Father Walter and to hear about Walter moments. Then after a very beautiful and touching mass, to have a delicious late lunch was just wonderful, warm and memorable. You all did a wonderful job and such a tribute to the man we all believe is a saint, he is just waiting for the official title.

My husband Ed and I drove 4 hours from Cape May NJ and our friends, Colleen and Owen Magurie drove 2 112 hours from Philadelphia. The four of us have great belief in Father Walter's powers to heal, comfort, enlighten and strengthen.

I want to give you some history on how I personally came to trust and pray and talk daily to Father Walter.

As I said, we came up to the (FWCD) with another couple who we have known for many years. In fact they were the couple who introduced me to Father Walter, bringing a copy of his book that was signed by Walter and had been given to my dearest oldest friend's father, Mr. Devine. I was in the hospital just diagnosed with a terminal heart condition called IHSS. This condition is also known as "Sudden Death Syndrome" it is passed along the family and just recently, medicine stated that Sudden Infant Death (SID) is also cause by the same genetic disorder.

My doctors were not at all optimistic in fact, they told me to go home and get my affairs in order. I was 46 years old at the time with 2 teen age children. Today I am 73, have had 5 pacemakers!! CD implanted every 4 years, did have an episode this past August 8, 20 I 3 where my heart did stop for 19 seconds, my Internal Cardiac Defibulator (!CD) gave me a jolt back to life, but I am sure that Father Walter was watching over me, and he is not ready for me to meet him in heaven just yet.

Our friends who came with us to Father Walter Ciszek Day, my husband Ed & I all prayed together at the Philadelphia Hospital, 27 years ago, we all asked Father Walter to give me a little more time. I have not missed a day talking with Father Walter and thanking him for the many blessings he has given to me personally, my family and friends. Below is a list of my Father Walter moments.

My husband went into Acute Kidney Failure 13 years ago, near death, he received a Kidney transplant from a woman in Bethlehem, Pa. He has been well for the past 9 years.

I have had 5 friends all diagnosed with Cancer, all are currently in remission because I prayed to Father Walter.

-Marilyn Sweeney

Father Walter Ciszek Prayer League

Father Ciszek's life has deeply impacted my own life 1

My name is Sr. Rita Petrarca and I am an Apostle of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I·was born on August 31, 1940 in New Haven, CT, the oldest of 3 children born to Armand and Rose Petrarca, my parents. I attended elementary and secondary schools taught by the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and their spirit so captivated my heart that on September 1, 1958 I entered their novitiate in Hamden, CT. I professed First Vows on March 2, 1961 and Final Vows on August 22, 1966 and throughout these years I have served as teacher, principal, pastoral associate and member of the leadership team for our prov­ince, in Connecticut, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. I also had the wonderful experience of a sabbatical year in Rome. I currently minister as the pastoral associate at St. Joseph parish in Shelton, CT.

I was a young temporary professed sister when I first heard about Fr. Walter Ciszek. The newspapers were filled with the story of his release from prison after almost 23 years in the Soviet Union, and I remember seeing a picture of him at that time looking out a car window and smiling. His story seemed so remarkable to me at the time.

My next contact with Fr. Ciszek was through his book "With God in Russia" published in 1964, and I was fascinated not only by the story of his imprisonment with all its physical hardships, but also by his lack of bitterness and spiritual strength in the midst of all that suffering. I remember thinking how little my own difficulties were in comparison, and his acceptance of suffering gave me inspiration for the little ups and downs of my own life.

I was so pleased when his second book "He Leadeth Me" was published in 1973, and it truly became my second Bible in the years to come. I have read it over and over again, especially in times of difficulty and suffering, and I have highlighted and underlined so many excerpts which stand out whenever I need to read them.

How did Father's books change me as a person?

Fr. Ciszek's life has deeply impacted my own life in helping me to seek always to discover God's Will in every circum­stance of my life. Seeing his trust that God was always with him, even in the prisons of Russia, has helped me to trust that God is with me too, no matter what the situation. So often in the past when I have been tempted to doubt that, just repeating the phrase "He Leadeth Me" reminds me of that reality as I conjure up images of Fr. Ciszek.

How has Fr. Ciszek's life story impact me or my prayer life?

I have learned many profound lessons from my repeated readings of Fr. Ciszek's book. Recognizing the importance of letting go of my will, and trusting that the present situation, and even the future, is hidden in God's Will are just two such powerful insights which have brought me an amazing amount of peace. The inner serenity whtth radiates so beautifully from Fr. Ciszek's writings have had a very powerful impact on my life.

My prayer life has definitely been affected by this book. From Fr. Ciszek I have learned that prayer is placing myself in the presence of God, no matter where I am, and as I distance myself from the even painful circumstances in which I might find myself, I find the presence of God. There, alone with the Father in the power of prayer, I receive the grace to say "Thy Will Be Done".

What is the biggest difference in my day-to-day life which could be related to knowing Fr. Ciszek?

The peace that comes from taking up the cross daily with all it brings and seeing it as the will of God.

In what way has he drawn me closer to God's heart and mission for the Church?

His volunteering to serve in the "Russian missions," his fidelity to carrying out that mission at the cost of his own suffering and imprisonment, and his willingness to continue that mission at the risk of his life, are a very powerful example to me of his dedication to the mission of spreading God's Kingdom and bringing others to the loving Heart of God. The sacrifices he ac­cepted and willingly endured call me to greater generosity in the little ways I am asked to sacrifice and willingly endure.

Do I pray to him?

Yes, I do, at times. I've read his book so often he seems very alive and real to me. I also visited his burial place in Wer­nersville and have prayed to him there.

What was the most moving part of the book for me?

There are many parts that deeply moved me, but one in particular was when, during the interrogations at Lubianka, worn down, weakened, in turmoil and confusion, he signed the papers confessing that he was a spy. At first, feeling guilty and defeated, he experienced great shame. Then, through his prayer and God's grace he realized that he had been trying to do everything on his own, asking for God's help but really counting on his own strength and ability. This moment of failure became a great grace for Fr. Ciszek as he humbly learned the truth of his total dependence on God. This part moved me because it showed how powerfully God worked through Fr. Ciszek's human weakness.

What do I feel are the most outstanding virtues?

Fr. Ciszek was a man of great faith, of great courage and great love! Through his suffering he also became a man of great humility. His trust in God's providence and his perfect surrender and acceptance to God's Will were the result of his fidelity to prayer, and this, in tum, brought him to great peace.

Father Walter Ciszek Prayer League 7

Father Ciszek and Me By MICHAEL W. TUCCITTO

Life is full of coincidences, or as Fr. Ciszek said on occasion, "full of God's Providence". By the time I was born in September, 1941, he was already a Soviet pris­oner locked in Lubyanka, the NKVD high security prison in Moscow. Seven months later, in March, 1942, his niece, Theresa, was born, joining her sister, Marie, who had been born a year or two before me. Theresa's mom, Loretta, Fr. Ciszek's sister, and my mom, Helen, were friends, new mothers that lived across the street from each other in Hartford, Connecticut. My mom's uncle, Joseph Piorkowski, and his family lived in Shenandoah, Pa. With that much in common, it was easy for two Polish Catholic girls living on a border street between Italian and Polish neighborhoods to become really good friends . At one end of the block was the White Eagle Hall, the Polish Home that broadcast and Gene Wisniewski Polkas, and Sts. Cyril and Methodius, the Polish Roman Catholic Church and school. At the other end was Front Street, and what would be called today, "Little Italy."

"Tereska" and I were oblivious newborns, and at the same time, unknown to the whole family, Uncle Walter was locked in solitary confinement, hidden from the world in an underground cell of Stalin's prison for spies. A priest and a spy? His journey from that darkness into the light of freedom was intr9d~d to me at about age seven in the morning preparations for Sunday Mass at Immacu­late Conception Catholic Church. "Make sure you say prayers for Fr. Walter, " Loretta would say every Sunday before we walked to Mass, when I had slept over for just that Saturday night, or for a few days. On those other nights we said prayers for Fr. Walter before going to sleep. When the Nazis had attacked Poland, Fr. Walter had just disappeared from the world. There was no communication at all, and without any notice of his death, or proof of life, we prayed for him to be safe and well, and to come back to us. Our Faith told us it was up to God, when!

As we grew older, our families would drive together, traveling to Shenandoah for short holidays and for fam­ily celebrations. We stayed in each other's family homes, and enjoyed big Polish family dinners together. We kids played in the coal piles and went to Church, because this was just an extension of our homes in Connecticut. "Shenando" was home, too! Wherever we were, Loretta's voice would be heard saying, "Don't forget to pray for Fr. Walter." And, if we visited Sister Evangeline or Sister Conrad, we heard it from them, too. Sister Evangeline painted a picture of a lone Stag standing on a hill crest. She gave it to my mother, and thinking about it now, I kind of feel that it represented Fr. Walter, alone, looking at us, strong and secure in the feeling that we were safe, but Sister, also knew that Fr. Walter was strong and secure in his faith and in the Lord's hands, just like the stag.

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When I was eleven, my father survived three heart attacks, and when he recovered, the doctors suggested we move to a wari'ner climate, so off to Florida we went. The echo of Loretta's encouraging voice kept Fr. Walter in my prayers, and after some time went by, I remember my mother telling me of Loretta's happiness and joy in the receiving of the post card from Fr. Walter from Siberia telling the family he was indeed alive and well, and work­ing as a mechanic. I remember the picture she showed us of his "grave" that the Soviets sent to try to convince the family he was not in Soviet custody, but had died, as just, "another casualty of war." Still we prayed, and prayed more than ever in thanksgiving and for his return to the · United States, his homeland.

I joined the US Air Force on October 16, 1959. I was stationed near Fairbanks, Alaska. When the plane taking me there landed, it was November, and already -37 below zero. That first winter was one of the coldest on record, temperatures dropping to -68 and even -80 in some places. It snowed over 250 inches before the gauge broke. I re­member thinking that this cold had already passed through Siberia, where it was probably colder, and the people there, including Fr. Walter, who in all truth didn't have the comfort and warmth we had and could come home to after a day's work. They really suffered in the cold. We endured because we knew when we would eventually go home, back to the lower 48 of the United States after finishing our tours of duty. The cold, the dark-as-night winter days, the loneliness of being away from family and friends, the isolation and desolation of the freezing white­ness of the wilderness tundra all bore heavily on mind and soul. Yet, we were able to freely go to Mass, go to Con­fession and receive the Eucharist without worry or fear of reprisal and punishment. Those parts of Fr. Ciszek's books dealing with the dangers he and others experienced accomplishing these same cherished things under stress and in spite of the pure danger made me appreciate on a deeper level the priestly dedication, sacrifice and courage of "Uncle Walter."

In more recent times, in 2001, I was diagnosed with "Hairy-cell" leukemia, a form of Lymphoma, considered stage 4, because it involves the bone marrow. I prayed. Friends and relatives prayed. I said a few prayers to Fr. Walter for courage and strength, along with St. Peregrine for healing. I received the chemo therapy, and was back at work within a month. Thank you, Lord! In 2003, I had a small lump in my neck and was diagnosed with a form of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, and prepared for and received the chemo therapy. So, I said to Fr. Walter, without pre­suming too much, that if my prayers for him had been of any value, could he please look out for me a little? I fully realize that the tools and medicines my doctors would use would have their effect, but I was in God's hands, and what would be, would be wholly dependent on God's Mercy and Will. "Not my will, but the will of my Father

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Father Walter Ciszek Prayer League

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in heaven be done." After a time, I went into remission. In 2005, I found a golfba1i-sized lump hiding behind my beard below my chin. "Here we go again," I said. Surgery and chemo, the same routine! By this time, I made my phone calls, and my "prayer team", led by my wife Mari and our boys, went into action, again. I prayed for Fr. Walter to stick with me. I thought to myself, that God is giving me these gifts, these circumstances of life which serve His purpose, and urge the soul to seek Him, acknowledging ever more clearly that He is our Hope, Comfort and our Refuge. I went into remis­sion. Thank you, God.

So, it was not really a surprise in 2008, that I received another visit from Mr. Lymphoma. This time, it was not localized, but spread out in various lymph centers in my joints. The same "routine" of chemo was prescribed, and, I received my share. I thanked God for putting Fr. Walter in my life, and all the angels and saints that have been my help and support throughout my life. I have been upbeat and accepting of all these gifts I have received during these times. From the beginning, I have not had the kinds of side effects from chemo that others have experienced. I lost almost no hair, and even after radiation, I was pretty much reaction free . I've had worse sore throats from colds. I have been in remission since 2008, but, just so I wouldn't become overconfident, in 2011, I had open heart surgery to replace an aortic valve. So, here I am, closing in on 72, blessed with life. Theresa and I have been friends our whole lives. We have raised our separate families in Connecticut and Florida, respectively, but the sound of her mother's voice, saying, "Pray for Fr. Walter, don't forget," is in our ears, our minds, our hearts, and will be forever. Even though Mari and I have visited and prayed to Our Lady at Fatima and Lourdes, and joined the Pilgrims of the Camino at Santiago de Compostela, Spain and Ignatius's Montserrat near Barcelona, Spain, and even visited Shenandoah for a Fr. Ciszek Memorial celebration, I am in awe of the Grace and Blessings I have received from being a part of the Fr. Ciszek family and the life and joy his presence in our lives has brought to all those who have sought to know him and find comfort in his words and prayers. It is 50 years since Fr. Walter came home. We still pray for him, and by his holy example, he leadeth us!

At the Byzantine Carmelites' Holy Annunciation Monastery at Sugarloaf, PA, I purchased WITH GOD IN RUSSIA by Father Walter J. Ciszek. This was about eight years ago. Ever since reading . it, I have become increasingly interested in his spirituality. Currently, I am studying his other book, HE LEADETH ME. The annual Father Walter Ciszek Day is a real delight for me.

Recently, I was graced with the opportunity to visit his grave at Wernersville, PA. Two of my best friends who are my prayer partners afforded me this gift. I felt his presence there. Also, I feel his presence in my home as I pray to him and for his canonization. His picture is on my refrigerator and many other places in my home. I tell of his heroic virtue to all who will listen. Happy the day Father Walter is canonized!

Sara A. McNelis

Father Walter Ciszek Prayer League

Brochures Pastors and Prayer League Members

Father Walter brochures or prayer cards are available to be placed in church vestibules if so desired.

Marty Kielbasa (the little guy with the glasses )along with five of his fellow Knights, who represent Immaculate Heart of Mary Church of Austintown, as well as Monsignor Mears Council #3930 of the Knights of Columbus drove 300 miles to Shenandoah to attend the anniversary and then drove back to Ohio that same evening. Four of them were in full regalia for the event to serve as an honor guard. They considered it both an honor and a privilege to participate.

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Pennsylvania Artist Honors Father Walter Ciszek and God

By LOUISE ROCHON

"Do you have any thing that could be a gift item to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Father Walter Ciszek's return from captivity?" I cast a variety of small pewter figures, which I attach to anthracite coal bases. Considering that Father Ciszek was originally from Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, a town with a rich heritage of coal mining, a coal-crafted item would be appropriate.

The pewter casting process that I implement uses eight-inch diameter rubber molds. Pewter, heated to ~00 degrees is poured into the mold that has been placed m a spin caster machine, which works like the spin cycle on a clothes washer. The speed of the spin, correct temperature of the pewter, how fast it is poured from the ladle into the mold, and the pressure applied to the plate holding the mold in place are all factors that determine the quality of the finished piece. After the figures are snipped out of the mold, all sharp edges and mold lines are removed by grinding or hand-filing and then polished in a tumbler of teel shot. The finished piece has a silver-like shine which

will mellow in time to a soft gray patina.

The pewter piece I crafted for Father Ciszek's 50th Anniversary was a simple cross. The cross represents great suffering and a greater hope through our crucified Lord. This hope sustained Father Ciszek throughout 23 years of captivity in a Soviet prison and shone through his life as a true Servant of God.

I knew nothing about Father Ciszek when asked to make 500 of these crosses on coal, but from what I have learned about him, I am sure he would have been pleased that any remembrance of him would lead people's thoughts to the cross.

I really enjoyed the challenge of making this gift item, although, there were moments where the project seemed overwhelming. At first, I could only make three at a time from a model mold that I had adapted from a necklace to a solid figure. It quickly became clear that I would have to make a new mold of multiple crosses to be able tp supply the 500. I made sure to start working on the order (due in early October) in mid-August so that if I couldn't make a new mold, I could let them know, and they would have time to find an alternate gift.

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Very peacful and spiritual event. We thought that Father Ciszek was with us.

Nancy Gilgannon and son Randy

I hadn't made a mold in ten years so I enlisted the help of my son who has a much steadier hand needed to cut the pewter flow lines in the mold. He was gracious and worked with me many hours, three different days to make a successful mold. It took three attempts to get it right after solving numerous problems in the process. ~h~ final mold gave me 15 consistently, so I only had to spm 1t 35 times. Once I knew I could produce the crosses needed, I went to work on the coal.

The pewter cross was one inch tall so the coal base needed to be approximately the same size. I "pick" my own coal once a year at the Stockton Coal Company just outside of Hazleton Pa. My husband helps by driving his truck to be weighed at the entrance of the coal yard. After registering his vehicle, we are allowed to collect whatever size coal we want from the hundreds of 10 feet high coal piles on the property. As you leave, the vehicle is re­weighed to determine how many pounds of coal you are purchasing.

We have fun searching for the nicest shaped, best quality coal and load up as many five- gallon buckets can fit in the truck. I choose coal from the size of a tennis ball to softball size that is shiny even when it's dirty. Occasionally I find some "peacock" or "rainbow" coal that is colored with areas of blue, purple, green, gold and is really beautiful.

After washing the coal, I break it into the size needed with a hammer and chisel, and then use a belt sander to smooth out sharp edges to make a level base. I wash it again before attaching the pewter piece with epoxy mixed with finely ground coal. The coal is such fine quality no further treatment is needed to enhance its natural shine.

All of the coal cracking and grinding produces a lot of coal dust. Even though I cover myself, complete with face shield and dust mask, I end up wearing a lot of coal dust too! I managed my work sessions in 100 units, from casting, filing, polishing pewter, to cracking, cleaning coal pieces, assembling pewter on coal and packaging. I

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Father Walter Ciszek Prayer League

Celebrate one of God's greatest gifts to us:

Celebrate one of God's greatest gifts to us: hope. By looking at Scripture, Church teachings and the examples of inspirational figures, you will come to a deeper understanding of how hope is necessary in the life of a disciple. Hope brings healing in the face of pain, strength in moments of temptation comfort in the midst of sorrow, and clarity in times of doubt. Practice this most vital virtue today.

Father Philip Bochanski is a Catholic priest and a member of the Philadelphia Congregation of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri. He received his M.A. In Theology from StCharles Borromeo Seminary. Father Bochanski has published several books and articles on spirituality and history and serves as a peer reviewer for the Linacre Quarterly, the journal of the Catholic Medical Association. He is the co-author and editor of Our Faith-Filled Heritage: The Church of Philadelphia Bicentennial as a Diocese and the Wonderful Works of God: A Sesquicentennial History of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany.

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told myself, "If I can just get this 100 done, I'll get everything done in time." Everything was on schedule until pewter cross met coal. I was having a hard time getting them to set straight. A leaning cross would never do, but most either leaned or fell over completely. A couple days of trial and error on the first 100 pieces, and it all came together with the idea of setting them up against Styrofoam bowls. The coal fit under the edge, which held the cross straight. I still had some that had to be reset each time 20 to 30 lined up around their bowls, but that was a great improvement over the beginning.

This is a very time intensive craft that I often refer to as a "hobby that got out of hand." I really enjoy doing it and thinking about whom else might eventually enjoy these small pieces of coal art too. It was humbling to hear that the crosses on coal meant more than could be expressed in words by those who received them. I do not profit a great deal monetarily with what I do, but knowing how appreciated these crosses are makes it all worthwhile and truly beyond words to me.

I live by the verse found in Saint Paul's letter to the Colossians 3:22. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men .. .it is the Lord Christ you are serving."

To Him be all glory given. Title 12: Total Surrender to God's Will. Father Walter Ciszek

Contact Father Walter Ciszek Prayer League to arrange a speaker at your church, school or group.

Father Walter Ciszek continues to impact spiritual encouragement for me. He is a beacon of perseverance, tolerance, and hope. The Mass on 13 October 2013 provided joys of shared faith for his inspiration and promotion to sainthood.

Dr. Vi Supon

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