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The Pope John Paul II Center in Krakow, Poland
The inception
Center of John Paul II "Do not be afraid!" project was officially launched on January 2, 2006 when Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, the Archbishop of Krakow signed a decree establishing the Center as a public and church organization operating under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Krakow. "We all want to remember Him the way He was, with all his teachings, his poetry, his fondness of beauty and — above all else — his love for each and every human being."
The name
On October 22, 1978, only a few days after his election as Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope John Paul II called upon the words: "Be not afraid. Open wide the doors to Christ. To his saving power upon the boundaries of states, economic and political system, the vast fields of culture, civilization, and development. Do not be afraid!" The Center takes its name from this memorable address.
The mission
Center of John Paul II "Do not be afraid!" was set up to promote the spirituality, culture, and tradition relating to person of The Holy Father John Paul II, by offering on-going projects and activities on faith formation, education, and religious development.
The Center takes up the work started by the John Paul II Institute, founded by Cardinal Franciszek Macharski, to further the research into the works and teachings of Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, a professor of ethics and the pastor of the Archdiocese of Krakow.
Building the Center
To perpetuate the great spiritual, intellectual, and cultural legacy of the Holy Father, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz plans to build the Center near the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Lagiewniki. The Sanctuary of Divine Mercy, located across a short bridge within walking distance of the center, held a special place in the heart of Pope John Paul II. This site, chosen by Cardinal Dziwisz will enable pilgrims to worship at the Shrine and witness the spirituality which permeates the Center. This journey shall enrich the hearts and souls of each and every young and old pilgrim blessed to walk in the footprints of our late and beloved Holy Father, Pope John Paul II. To serve the Center’s needs appropriately, it will be comprised of the following:
- John Paul II House dedicated to the life and activities of the Holy Father
- Meeting place for youth
- Volunteer center
- Retreat house
- Theology and philosophy center and library
- Conference rooms, exhibition halls, and media rooms
During his first papal visit to Poland in May 2006, His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI blessed and bestowed his Apostolic Blessing upon the Corner Stone of the future John Paul II Center. This is currently located at the Center’s headquarters at 18 Kanonicza Street. Pope Benedict XVI bestowed his Apostolic Blessing upon his site to perpetuate the memory and Papacy of his predecessor and dear friend, Pope John Paul II.
We are undertaking this work...
to follow our heart’s desire — to show how obliged we are to John Paul II for all that he had contributed to the history of the Polish nation, to the life of the Church in our Motherland and far beyond — across the entire world…
We are undertaking this work...
in response to his call and testament to fearlessly face up to the challenges of our world, and to commit our energies to a new evangelization…
We are undertaking this work...
to emulate evangelical values of good, love, reconciliation, hope, and peace — the values that were embodied in the life and teachings of John Paul II, and to which he gave a convincing testimony.
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"The Holy Masterpiece", as displayed on the Be Not Afraid Inc. website,
was painted by world-renowned artist Ralph Wolfe Cowan.
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Web Site designed and maintained by:
Derek Carty
of CRD Web Design
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