Priest Processes Alone to Save His People

You are not signed in as a Premium user; you are viewing the free version of this program. Premium users have access to full-length programs with limited commercials and receive a 10% discount in the store! Sign up for only one day for the low cost of $1.99. Click the button below.

See All Plans

UPDATE, 3/20/2020: Father Matuszny's prayer initiative was halted by the metropolitan of Lublin Abp. Stanisław Budzik, as reported by Polonia Christiana on March 20. For information, Abp. Budzik's e-mail is sekretarz@diecezja.lublin.pl.

LUBLIN, Poland (ChurchMilitant.com) - A priest is processing alone through the quarantined streets of his Polish town, praying for an end to the plague and the preservation of the Faith.

Father Mirosław Matuszny of the Parish of the Conversion of St. Paul in Lublin said he was processing alone so as not to endanger the faithful. He is accompanied only with relics of St. Anthony of Padua — the city's patron saint.

The Lublin pastor encouraged the townspeople to participate in the procession by "standing in prayer in the windows of their homes." He also appealed to the faithful to display pictures or figurines of St. Anthony and the Holy Crucifix.

He also asked the people to light candles: "Let us take care of our patron [St. Anthony] and let the light of candles be a sign of hope for us."

Father Matuszny acknowledged the broadcasts of Holy Mass in the media, but "the point is for people, not only faithful in my parish, to feel a real community of prayer in this difficult time."

"Let us unite in prayer," said the Polish priest.

The priest announced after the evening Mass on March 17 that he would take to the streets with the city's relics. He said he would do so "to dismiss the plague that took over the world."

Earlier in the day, he announced in a Facebook post that his procession would also take place "against the danger of losing faith."

The priest is also imploring the Lublin faithful to pray to St. Anthony together in the upcoming Tuesdays. He initiated this 13-week prayer vigil with this intention: "Saint Anthony! Save us from the plague and loss of faith."

The attack of Poland's steadfast faith in the Church by powerful leftist forces can be seen in some of the reactions to Fr. Matuszny's efforts. Leftist trolls "attack the priest and traditional Catholics' belief in the power of the holy sacraments and Holy Eucharist with a lot of hate," according to a Church Militant contact in Poland.

The contact added that most Poles "would like to see more priests like Father Miroslaw Matuszny who go out and pray for the people and bless the city with the Holy Eucharist. It would give many people strength and make them see that such priests really believe and don't treat the Faith as a kind of folklore we should be ashamed of."

But many Poles tweeted about the priest's demonstrations of faith, including videos of his procession.

"When there was no quarantine, people would come to church," he said. "Today few come, so I will go to them to bless them in their homes."

Fr. Matuszny said his one-man processions with relics of St. Anthony would go on and vowed to continue his processions until the end of the plague.

He contines to pray to God "to save us from hunger, fire, war and loss of faith."

Have a news tip? Submit news to our tip line.

We rely on you to support our news reporting. Please donate today.