Father Franciszek Blachnicki
Father Franciszek Blachnicki (24 March 1921 - 27 February 1987) – was a Polish Catholic priest and a lecturer at the Catholic University of Lublin. He was the Founder of the Temperance Crusade and the Light–Life Movement. In his personal life, Father Franciszek was also the great uncle of the Merkaba Foundation’s Founder and President Kate Rozz.
Father Franciszek’s exceptional life, martyrdom and loving attitude towards people have heavily influenced the foundation. Alongside other ‘silent’ heroes found in stories told by our ancestors, the priest truly remains our guiding light.
His early-life experience consisted of but was not limited to a membership in scouts and involvement in conspiracy organisations. Suffice to say, the aforementioned childhood encounters inspired him to create the Light-Life movement. Such was founded on close relationships within small groups of members.
The priest not only took part in the September campaign but also in plot against the German Third Reich. He survived life-changing and shifting trauma. In April 1940, Father Franciszek was caught by the Gestapo, arrested and immediately deported to the German Auschwitz concentration camp.
He spent a total of 14 months there, 9 of which in the penal company; with one month in the same bunker where Father Maksymilian Kolbe died later. In September 1941, the priest was first transferred to a prison in Zabrze followed by another transfer to Katowice. On 30 March 1942, Father Franciszek was sentenced to death by beheading for conspiring against the German Third Reich. It was on death row when he first experienced a religious conversion, which was to last until his death 44 years later. Let his words be a mantra to all of us:
“For me, faith has always been a personal decision to dedicate and engage myself completely – at least on the level of intentions.”
Nearing 5 months on death row, the priest’s sentence was reduced to 10 years of imprisonment. His faith was crucial in helping him survive through every calamity and eventually defined his life path; as a vicar.
The retreat he first established was a closed retreat for the Children’s Oasis Movement. Helping people, especially children, was at the core of his daily service. He was actively engaged in both the Temperance Crusade and the Oasis project (a programme of 15-day retreats for the youth, adults and entire families).
Father Franciszek fought for liberation from the Communist movement by teaching the Theology of Freedom. Due to a pending arrest warrant, he could not return to Poland during his lifetime. His body was returned to motherland posthumously, on 1 April 2000. His remains were buried in the lower chapel of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Krościenko.
According to the investigation conducted by the Institute of National Remembrance in 2001-2005, Father Franciszek had been invigilated by the Security Service through his closest associates Jolanta and Andrzej Gontarczyk (secret agents of the Polish Security Service). An investigation into his alleged death by poisoning was discontinued in 2006 and resumed in 2020. There are no updates as of yet.
To honour Father Franciszek’s heroic and saintly service, the Holy See gave its consent to launch his beatification process in 1995. In 2014, the Roman Theologian Commission recognised his heroic virtues. In 2015, Pope Francis promulgated the decree concerning the heroic virtues of the Servant of Good Father Franciszek Blachnicki, by which he became the Venerable Servant of God.
May Father Franciszek’s contribution to religious studies, such as his ‘theology of freedom' and his successful teaching project ‘Oasis Movement for children and youth’, as well as his integrity and heroism always be an example for us to follow.
