Cardinal

Through all [memories – ed.], his person is coming back to me, expressive, dynamic, priestly, bishop-like, involved, brave – a man of broad horizons, pioneer of Polishness, hierarch of the Church, servant of God and humankind. An unambiguous person, expressive person, historical person, unique person. I keep praying for his soul. He has remained close to me.

John Paul II

The Holy Father, 1978-2005

At the Second Vatican Council, one could also feel a certain kind of love for Christians all over the world. The ecumenical nature, which appeared very important to us, was emphasized. And then the initiative of Bishop Kominek was raised – the initiative of the Letter of Reconciliation that the Polish bishops issued to their German brothers at the end of the Council.

This was a truly happy moment. […] it was extremely brave for the Polish bishops to say: “we forgive and we ask for forgiveness.” Because of this, the Polish bishops had to accept in their country something more than just criticism from the political side. How is it thus? What should we Poles apologize for?

Are we really supposed to forgive? What the bishops expressed was decisive for the entire reconciliation process, which led to the year 1970 and then to the conference in Helsinki in 1975. We are and we remain full of respect and gratitude for this initiative.

Richard von Weizsäcker

President of Germany, 1984-1994

How important was this Letter of Reconciliation? Still today, it is referred to as a model element in conflict situations around the world. It shows that you can and should forgive each other.

Tadeusz Mazowiecki

First non-communist Prime Minister, 1989-1990

It was the year ’70. I was appointed to the dignity of the bishopric by Pope Paul IV and nominated as an apostolic administrator in Białystok. For the first time I participated in the Polish Episcopal Conference. I was assigned to a room in the place now occupied by the Apostolic Nunciature. Cardinal Kominek also had his apartment there so we would meet during meals, as well as in the conference room where he would sit among the dignitaries and we, the young ones, […] at the end.

During our conversations he inquired where I had been born, where I had been educated. There was such fatherhood, a very warm and kind approach in all this. You were not embarrassed in front of this dignitary of the Church. I opened myself up as if he was a very old friend about whom I knew a lot. And after the end of the Episcopal Conference, I had to go to Białystok to canonically take over the diocese.

I asked the nuns to order a taxi because I had to go to the Wileński Station. But no taxi was available. It was January: frost, snow… And then Cardinal Kominek came to help me and said: “Father, on our way to Wrocław, we will give you a ride to the station.” And they gave me a ride.

Cardinal Henryk Gulbinowicz

Metropolitan archbishop of Wrocław, 1976-2004

[…] under this beautiful statue of the Mother of God, in front of the cathedral which was supposed to be blessed by the organizer of the Polish order in the Western Lands, Cardinal Hlond, I met Archbishop Kominek. […] He asked meif I could browse through the missal a bit. I replied, enough to be able to say the mass. “Good. Tomorrow, Father, be so kind as to come to me at five minutes before seven. […] We will go into the field.” “But only tomorrow?” “This we will see.” We went to Świdnica and to Jelenia Góra. [At the beginning, he warned me:] “Remember one thing, Father: we must be at home at quarter to eleven. Without the Free Europe service we will not be able to go.”

This is like a commandment: first – honour God the Father, second – the Free Europe service. […] You Father are responsible for it.” I thought to myself: Lord Jesus, will we be so long? All Sunday! But then I saw how my new boss worked. He had two sermons with him. He looked through them and asked me, the fresh doctor, what I would add. [I was surprised]: the first time we were going together and such an intimate relationship! It was very nice. […] Then he took out a book and said: “I brought this for you, Father, to read over the next three, four days, and then we will discuss it.” And then he started prayers.

I never encountered any other hierarch who would pray on the road. He prayed the entire rosary and all five litanies. And when he was tired, he had a break, took a nap for two, three minutes, and when he woke up, he continued the litany where he had stopped. […] We came home at quarter to eleven in the evening in time for Free Europe, and he told me: “Father, tomorrow come at nine.” […] and that is how [our work together began] which ended on the day of his death in ’74.

Rev. Prof. Jan Krucina

Closest co-worker of Cardinal Bolesław Kominek

The life of Cardinal Kominek was for me the testimony of a man with a living faith. He had a simple, uncomplicated faith, even though he was very smart, intelligent and extremely well read in the fields of history, literature, and the geography of Lower Silesia. Driving in a car with the cardinal was a delight because when he took some rest after work […], he would begin to talk. […] He was not a man who walked on two or three planes. […] I remember that as a young priest, full of zeal, I treated certain things slightly harshly. And he would say: “Father, some things you need to do a little more lightly.” I told him once: “Father Cardinal, it goes quite poorly with gratitude in our Christian life.” He smiled and said: “Father, never expect gratitude from people and you will be happy!” He taught me a lot by this: “you will be happy!”

Priest Józef Strugarek

Chaplain to Cardinal Bolesław Kominek, 1968-1974

Cardinal Bolesław Kominek always remained an uncle to me. I expressed myself, we talked as relatives within the family. I approached him in the same way. But he was always the same. He was surely demanding and required from me that I fulfil my responsibilities as a priest well, but he was warm to me, father-like simply.

Priest Alojzy Swoboda

Nephew of Cardinal Bolesław Kominek

Cardinal Kominek was a typical priest, not “a prince of the church”, he never perceived himself in this way. He was a priest who was looking for contact with people and who wanted to overcome national conflicts, conflicts between neighbours – Germans and Poles. He understood himself as a “bridge” and since he worked so close to the Polish-German border, this was a continuous driver of his behaviour and thinking.

Hansjakob Stehle

Journalist, Vatican expert

For me, Cardinal Kominek is a symbol of the impact of hard work on reconciliation between nations.

Rafał Dutkiewicz

President of Wrocław from 2002 to 2018

Kardinal Bolesław Kominek

(1903-1974)