“I have been teaching Karol Wojtyła’s philosophy for 80 years, the ethics of the Roman Catholic Church – a great science. He is not only holy, but also wise and not only wise – he knows what is beautiful. He is an exceptional man and knows one thing that I do not meet with ordinary priests, that values people very much” – said in an interview with the AWPE portal prof. Wanda Półtawska, a friend and close associate of St. John Paul II.
“Karol Wojtyła, when he became pope, invented conventions of youth from around the world. No one had done it before him, but no one is doing it now. What was it really? It was extramural ethics lessons, because the state removed ethics lessons from schools. Nobody taught young people what is good and what is evil – there is no sin, because it is not certain who created us and why. And now what to do? Everyone criticizes everything and ordinary journalist is a judge, and the Holy Father kept repeating: ‘Do not judge. Judgment will come, but you will not judge. Your deeds will judge you. No one else'” – Prof. Wanda Półtawska recalled St. John Paul II.
“I have been teaching Karol Wojtyła’s philosophy for 80 years, the ethics of the Roman Catholic Church – a great science. He is not only holy, but also wise and not only wise – he knows what is beautiful. An exceptional man and he knows one thing that I do not meet with ordinary priests, that he values a man very much” – she added.
Pointing to the free will of man and his conscience, Wanda Półtawska reminded: “Karol Wojtyła spoke very clearly about conscience, because he believed that every adult should have his soul father, because he must form a conscience. It is a mistake that people without a formed conscience choose what they choose. And why do they divorce? Because they made a stupid choice and they regret it. And why did you choose that? So he wanted the man to know what he was choosing, because he has the brain to see it.”
“Karol Wojtyła was looking for a man. Me too. Money – no. Money will always be found. Matter is always there. And where will you get a man? Who are you? It was Karol Wojtyła’s task and all his statements aim at this: you are not just anyone. I haven’t heard such sermons as Karol Wojtyła taught. These statements at youth congresses are all ideas of this saint, because he himself gave the topic. When he had many different sermons, he prepared a lot of priests, but he chose sermons to young people and no teacher he doesn’t imitate it. He showed. What was the purpose of the first meeting? The first meeting was in Paris. The whole meeting was about him answering why man is on earth. Everyone is interested in where he came from and what he is for, but nobody answer this, and he said: ‘Remember that man is not created for the earth and his life here is only a way, a way to heaven, because man is not created for earth, but for heaven'” – said Prof. Półtawska. She also pointed out that when Karol Wojtyła, already a professor of ethics, returned from the West, the first thing they did was to teach adults “because it turned out that adults do not know who they are.”
Prof. Wanda Półtawska emphasized the great importance for St. John Paul II had youth formation. “The Holy Father had the last statement to young people: ‘Do not be satisfied with mediocrity. Strive for ideals, and if no one requires it from you, demand it from yourself'” – she recalled his words.
Referring to the need to shape Europe of values, referring to the concept of Robert Schuman, prof. Wanda Półtawska revealed a secret of St. John Paul II. “The Holy Father had his own concept of Europe, but it never came true. He wanted a pan-Slavic Europe – all Slavic nations as one, under one man who would know what [he is called to – ed.]. He never said it like that, but it was like that, however, he saw that one man cannot, but when there are those who feel who they are in the same way, it becomes strength. And he had a fundamental grudge against Poland that there was a senseless division: the Church and the laity. And yet they are the same people, there are no two. Nobody took into account that it makes no sense what they do. And you have to find the common core that is.”
In the context of the above, she added: “He summed up all his teaching in one sentence: that all the problems of the world are solved by biblical genealogy, the fact that you are not just anyone. There is no man who is an animal. Everyone is made in the image of God. He really believed that. He valued man, everyone”.
Małgorzata Jaroszek, Anna Wiejak