The postulator of the beatification process of Robert Schuman, fr. prof. Bernard Ardura will come to Poland at the invitation of the Institute of Schuman’s Thought. The purpose of the visit, which will take place on December 8-10, is to present the spiritual and social potential of Robert Schuman for the development and future of Poland and Europe.
The decision to visit Poland was made in Rome after a meeting with prof. Zbigniew Krysiak, founder and chairman of the Program Council of the Institute of Schuman’s Thought. “Fr. Professor Ardura positively assessed what is happening in Poland in terms of the Schuman Groups, the activities of the Institute of Schuman’s Thought, which created the Robert Schuman Society, undertakes the work of building Schuman Youth Groups, also integrates the young generation from the Three Seas Initiative, undertakes a whole range of specific actions” – said in an interview for AWPE prof. Zbigniew Krysiak, pointing out that this gives a prognosis for the further spread of the cult of the father-founder of the European Community, and thus – brings the moment of his beatification closer.
O. Ardura believes that in the current conditions of turmoil in Europe, an attack on faith and Christian values, there will be a consolidation of activities of people – including politicians – for whom these values are important. He emphasized that politics is the path to holiness and expressed the hope that many of them will follow this path. In the opinion of Fr. Ardura, the spreading evil in the form of attacks on life, family, teaching and the person of St. John Paul II will elicit more formed attitudes from decision-makers and believes that many of them will follow in Schuman’s footsteps. “This beatification process, publicizing Schuman’s ideas, Fr. Ardur treats as an important challenge, because thanks to this constant publicity, they will reach those politicians who may already be thinking of following Schuman openly, but maybe they do not have the courage. In this context, Fr. Ardura will be in Metz on May 6-8 at a meeting of young people from Europe (a delegation of young people from Poland will also take part), where he will give a speech on the early activities of Robert Schuman. He wants to show young people that Schuman has been very socially active since his studies and that his model was very effective. On December 8-10 this year, Fr. Prof. Ardura will come to Poland for the meeting we are organizing in Poznań and there he will give speeches on the virtues, character and model of Robert Schuman’s action” – enumerated Prof. Krysiak, paying attention to the functioning of this “disciple of Christ” and “saint in a suit”.
“In Poznań, we will have days of recollection with Schuman, to which we want to invite, apart from the supporters of the Schuman Thought Institute, other Poles from various regions of Poland” – he added. “Father Ardura is very encouraged by what the Institute of Schuman’s Thought is doing” – he emphasized. “This is a great cause, because the main postulator of the beatification process is coming to Poland. It is an extraordinary thing. It also shows how much Father Ardura attaches importance to the beatification process and the promotion of Schuman, also to what is happening in Poland in in this direction” – said Prof. Krysiak, noting that the Institute will want to spread this message to the whole of Europe by broadcasting it on the Internet.
Prof. Krysiak, after talking with Fr. prof. Bernard Ardura said that the postulator in the beatification process of Robert Schuman is aware that today, through media instruments and schools, ideologies reach young people, destroying their sensitivity and knowledge, and because they did not function in the realities of the past, it is difficult for them to reach for memory. In his opinion, especially now, when there are demands to lower the voting age, when children are prematurely introduced to the world reserved for adults, a good formation in the spirit of Robert Schuman is extremely needed. “The matter of voting age, or in general introducing young people and children to sexual behavior that destroys sensitivity and intellect – Fr. Ardura is aware of all this and his presence at the meeting of young people in Metz is proof of this. He was happy that we are building Schuman Youth Groups, that it is also beginning to happen in the Three Seas Initiative” – pointed out the chairman of the Program Council of the Institute of Schuman’s Thought, adding that this is a great task. “A large part of young people who have already entered the electoral age, because they are manipulated, choose those who are the destructors of social and economic life in individual European countries. Schuman said that they will put us to sleep in a sense of security and prosperity, but they lead to the destruction of the spirit of our nations, and Schuman went on to say, what Fr. Ardura has very much encoded in his heart, that we should oppose not only to oppose, but to preserve the soul of our nations and to protect our children from the world in which destruction will rage” – explained Prof. Zbigniew Krysiak. “Father Ardura emphasizes the need to mobilize young people to engage in social and political life, to form these people in such a school of social and political service that they become disciples of Christ in politics” – he concluded.
Anna Wiejak