Another compelling feature in today’s opening session of the World Congress of Families IV was when the letter of welcome from Archbishop Kazimierz Majdanski was read aloud. The Archbishop had been eagerly anticipating the conference but his declining health suggested he may not be able to come in person to welcome the WCF assembly. Therefore, he had written (and re-worked) a personal letter in order to convey all that was in his heart. It turned out to be one of the last ministries of his very rich life. Archbishop Majdanski passed away ten days before the Congress convened.The letter written by Archbishop Majdanski (shown here receiving a present from World Congress of Families general secretary, Alan Carlson) emphasized the intensity of the spiritual warfare that now raging in the world and confidently pointed out a truth that has become too “old-fashioned” for many clerics to voice; namely, that the devil is not only quite real, but that he is a wicked despoiler of souls, a liar and a murderer. Christians do not wrestle with mere flesh and blood then; we fight an extremely powerful spiritual force that has corrupted modern culture to such an extent that it aborts babies, engages in sexual perversion, and brazenly mocks God’s Word. Among the terrible consequences of this godlessness is the dying of Europe. Yet, the Archbishop's earnest hope was that this death might still be averted if events such as this Congress can better equip, stimulate and mobilize Christians to fight the good fight in the power of the Holy Spirit.
As you would guess, these stirring remarks, coming as they did from such a human rights hero as Archbishop Majdanski, a concentration camp survivor and good friend of John Paul II, provided an especially motivating charge for the Congress’s first session.
For more about watch this video about Majdanski's experience at Dachau and read this brief testimonial.
