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A parish steeped in devotion and reverence for St. John Paul II recently welcomed back Msgr. Slawomir Oder, the postulant for the cause of his sainthood who is now seeking the canonization of the former pope’s father, Karol Joseph Wojtyla, and mother, Emelia Kaczorowska.
Father Robert G. Lynam, pastor, St. Augustine of Canterbury Parish, Kendall Park, said Msgr. Oder was scheduled to go to Chicago for the Oct. 22 feast of St. John Paul II, but at his invitation, agreed to celebrate Mass at St. Augustine of Canterbury Church Oct. 16, the 44th anniversary of the saint’s election as pope.
In his homily, Msgr. Oder said: “During the beatification process of St. John Paul II, one of the witnesses, when talking about the Marian aspect of the spirituality of the Pope, used a beautiful and eloquent expression: ‘John Paul II learned to look at the world with the eyes of Mary. His love for the mother of God and intimacy with her has allowed him to see the world with her eyes. What does it mean? How to understand it?’”
Msgr. Oder reminded the faithful that John Paul II, who served the Church as pope from 1978 to 2005 and was canonized April 27, 2014, made his life a gift for the Church and for his brethren.
“He never preserved himself, but when, after the attempt against his life, on May 13, 1981, he realized that his life was given to him for the second time, he gave it completely to God through Mary.”
Msgr. Oder said St. John Paul II, like all saints, became a vessel of mercy and its source. “He used to breathe the spirit of God!”
“Your community is so blessed,” he continued, “that because of the leadership of your pastor, Father Canon Bob Lynam, you are constantly invited to follow the example of this great pope…
“My dear friends,” he concluded, “let us pray to the Lord, through the intercession of the Blessed Mother and St. John Paul II, so that we too may continue to experience that we are loved. Let us open our eyes and hearts to a world in which we can give good gifts to repay the debt of love!
“Let our life be a vessel filled with grace and a source from which good comes forth! Let us breathe with the spirit of God! Let our lips speak of the abundance of our hearts so that our life will take the form of love. Amen.”
St. Augustine of Canterbury is home to a first-class relic of the saint, born Karol Józef Wojtyła in Wadowice, Poland; and a reliquary containing a life-like replica of him in its Chapel of Saints; pictures; signed papal blessings; and his zuchetto.
Father Lynam had attended five Masses in the private papal chapel, and was later present for the pope’s funeral, beatification and canonization Masses.
In August 2015, Father Lynam was appointed a canon of the Church for his dedication and honor to the life of St. John Paul II, and assigned to the Basilica of St. Florian in Krakow, Poland. St. Florian’s was the pope’s second parish as a priest.
On May 1, 2012, at the invitation of Father Lynam, Msgr. Oder served as principal celebrant of a Mass of thanksgiving at St. Augustine of Canterbury Church, the first anniversary of the Beatification of St. John Paul II.
Msgr. Oder, a judicial vicar who served for about 30 years in the Vicariate in the Diocese of Rome and as president of its Ordinary Court, recently returned to serve in the Diocese of Toruń in Poland, after 36 years.
