The Pope wants his almoner to seek out the poor
instead of expecting them to come knocking at the Vatican’s door. The new papal almoner, Konrad Krajewski, said this in a statement at the end of his Episcopal consecration.
Mgr. Krajewski who will turn 50 next November was appointed as Archbishop Guido Pozzo’s successor on 3 August.
Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano wrote that the Pope did not concelebrate mass for the occasion but assisted, taking his place at the right hand side of the altar and at the moment of the consecration he imposed his hands upon the new bishop.
The President of the Vatican Governorate, Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, also presided at the rite of consecration, assisted by Bishops Piero Marini (who was master of ceremonies during John Paul II’s reign and the early part of Benedict XVI’s pontificate) and the Emeritus Bishop of Łódź, Mgr. Władysław Ziółek.
At the end of the consecration ceremony, Francis’ new almoner who has the responsibility of distributing alms to the poor thanked the Pope “for his prayers and his trust”.
He said that by choosing him for the role, Francis had given him “the chance to adore and touch Jesus through the poor, the abandoned and the marginalised. It allows me to discover the face of Jesus through that of my neighbours. He wants me to seek them out instead of waiting for them to come knocking at the Vatican’s door. Your Holiness, I know my duty as a priest is to serve others,” he said, addressing Francis directly.
Mgr. Krajewski explained his mission by describing the mosaic of the crucifixion created by the Slovenian Jesuit Ivan Rupnik in the Redemptoris Mater which adorns the Redemptoris Mater chapel in the Vatican.
“To the right of the cross there is the figure of
a Roman centurion. We can’t see the soldier’s head. He is facing Christ
who has his eyes shut as Mary embraces him from behind and collects the
blood and water pouring out from his chest in her hands. The blood and
water symbolise the salvation he brought. As Mary does this she looks at
the centurion and sees his face.” The prelate explained that in Poland “they say bad people don’t have a face. They’ve lost it. But Mary looks at the centurion. Given he is one of the men who crucified Jesus he should be faceless; and yet she sees him.”
“Only those who truly love are able to see the faces of those who to all others have no face: the missing, the poor, those who are far away from the faith or who do not believe. Mary sees the face of a stranger, a non-believer. And yet it was he who professed his faith in Christ in the first place: he really was the Son of God! So it is not true that he is a stranger, a lost man who is far from the faith, he is the first non Jewish believer, the closest to Jesus”. This teaching is very relevant to modern mankind. “If those of us here present cannot see the soldier’s face, it means we do not love like Mary does, that we love too little! Mary invites each and every one of us to grow in love and open up to others; to find God in to hers,” Mgr. Krajewski said.
Mgr. Krajewski went on to thank those present at the ceremony for the friendship they had shown to him: “John Paul II said a real friend is a person that makes us become better people. I can say that having worked in the Vatican for 14 years, it is tank to you that I have become a better person. So I really mean it when I say you are my true friends!”
“You immediately called me “Fr. Corrado”. Thank you for the trust you have shown in me and for this wonderful title which encompasses my life’s path. I humbly ask you to keep on calling me “Fr. Corrado”. I must above all be a father to myself and to others,” he added.
The most moving part of the ceremony was when Mgr. Krajewski spoke about a priest – who was present at the mass – who has been by his side since his youth. “He was spiritual leader to us and our families. His home was always open to us young people. His mother often had to perform the miracle of the multiplication of the plates at a minute’s notice. We would go to parsonage and stay for dinner. The kneeling stool was the most important piece of furniture in his house.”
We often saw him praying. We would go on those famous pilgrimages to Częstochowa on foot. He wasn’t attached to material things because he paid for our religious education, our schools, the seminary, our books and our first tunics. He helped so many families.” “He is a real almoner,” Mgr. Krajewski said. “He is a man of few words and many good deeds and doesn’t want any recognition for it! I take the liberty to kiss his hands and with this gesture I express my gratitude to all of you.”