BLESSED LADISLAUS FINDYSZ
BLESSED LADISLAUS FINDYSZ
PRIEST AND MARTYR
BLESSED LADISLAUS FINDYSZ was born on 13th December 1907 in Krościenko Niżne, near Krosno (Poland). He was ordained priest on 19th June 1932 in Przemyśl. In 1942 he was appointed as parish priest in Nowy Żmigród. During and after the Second World War he dedicated himself to the spiritual and material support of all the inhabitants of his parish, regardless of their nationality or denomination.
During the years of the Second Vatican Council he began the pastoral activity of the “Conciliar Works of Charity”, both through preaching and with letters exhorting people to a renewal of Christian life. The communist authorities reacted to his zealous pastoral work with repeated persecution.
On 17th December 1963 he was condemned and given a custodial sentence of two years and six months, accused of “forcing the faithful to participate in religious rites and practices”. In prison he suffered from malnutrition, as well as being subjected to physical, psychological and spiritual humiliation. The authorities made a premeditated decision not to allow him to undergo scheduled surgery to remove a cancerous growth. As he was extremely exhausted he was freed on certain conditions. He passed away some months later on 21st August 1964.
He was proclaimed Blessed and as Martyr on 19th June 2005 in Warsaw.