- February 1, 2013
- 351
MEMORIES PRESERVED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS: Contributions to the memorial of Rev. Prelate Józef Obrembski
Last June we experienced the first death anniversary of Rev. Prelate Józef Obrembski – one of the oldest European clergymen. Rev. Prelate Obrembski, often called also the Patriarch of Vilnius Region, passed away at the age of 105.
The priest was buried near the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven in Maišiagala. A great priest and patriot who was a custodian of faith and morality. He was an extremely kind person who left us his last will. The priest asked us to love God with all our heart and soul and respect each person.
Rev. Prelate Obrembski’s wish was to establish a museum in memory of priests from Vilnius Region in his flat, which he had called jokingly “a little palace”. During the Soviet occupation, many priests found a shelter here, several of them passed away in “the little palace”. For several decades, priests had been constantly visiting their Patriarch, seeking faith and wisdom. Rev. Prelate Józef Obrembski brought up a few generations of Catholic Poles, offered help and shelter for persecuted priests during the Soviet occupation. Moreover, beggars and lonely people could always rely on his kindness.
Now the flat of Rev. Prelate Józef Obrembski is being renovated. After the renovation, the Museum of Priests form Vilnius Region will be established here. Furthermore, we will be able to see the exhibition of the priest’s personal possessions, including his medals, paintings and books. There is an initiative to erect a memorial of Rev. Prelate Józef Obrembski next to “the little palace”. We can support the project by buying a “little brick”, a financial contribution to the building of the memorial. Waldemar Tomaszewski, a member of the European Parliament, recalled words of the priest who had always repeated that the faithful had to participate in the life of Church, local community and society. “This little brick is for each person who admires our honourable priest and wants to help preserve his memory”, said the member of the European Parliament.
“The little bricks” possess the nominal value of 5, 10, 20, 100 LTL. The full name of a benefactor is written on “the brick” and recorded in the book of remembrance. “The little bricks” are distributed in the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven in Maišiagala, the secretarial office of Vilnius region Municipality administration (ul. Rinktinės 50, Vilnius) and in other churches of Vilnius Region.
Bank accounts:
DNB Bank LT254010042403808730 (Collection of money for the memorial of Rev. Józef Obrembski)
DNB bankas LT254010042403808730 (Kunigo Juzefo Obrembskio paramos lėšos)
Tłumaczenie Karolina Rolka w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Karolina Rolka the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.
