The Vatican already has documents regarding the beatification of Father Józef Kurzai

The Roman Curia received documents regarding the beatification process of priest Józef Kurzei.

In the Vatican Dykasteria of the canonization, representatives of the Polish Church donated the documentation of the beatification process of the Servant of God Father Józef Kurza (1937-1976).

The documents of the beatification process, kept at the diocesan level, brought to Vatican His postulator, priest Andrzej Kopicz and the canonization clerk of the Archdiocese of Krakow Andrzej Skyber. The Undersecretary of Dykasteria of the canonization matters was present, Father Bogusław Turek – was announced in a communiqué.

The beatification process of Father Kurzai

Father Józef Kurzeja came from justified in the Limanowski poviat. He was the first pastor of the parish of St. Maksymilian Kolbe and the initiator of the construction of the church in Mistrzejowice in Krakow.

The beatification process of Father Kurzei began in 2005. During it, the testimonies of 70 witnesses, 940 pages of files and 2340 pages of documents were collected. The diocesan phase ended in Krakow on April 2.

In the Vatican, after approving the request directed by the postulator, the next phase of the beatification process will begin.

Father Józef Kurzeja with a victim of persecution in the times of the Polish People's Republic

Józef Kurzeja was ordained a priest in 1962 in the Wawel cathedral at the hands of the then capitul vicar of Bishop Karol Wojtyła. He then worked as a vicar in four parishes.

In 1968 he was transferred to the parish of St. Małgorzata in Raciborowice. The village of Mistrzejowice belonged to her, which, according to the spatial development plan of Krakow, was soon to turn into a 40,000 housing estate of the Nowa Huta district.

Its inhabitants from the 1960s asked for the construction of a church. The construction of the second temple in Nowa Huta, Father Kurzeja, began the newly emerging estate. As priest Scyber reminded in the statement cited in the announcement, it was a period of constant struggle of Fr. Kurzei with the communist authorities to build a church.

“He was still harassed by the communist authorities, the Security Office, the militia. He was appointed college and arrests. All this led him to loss of health and premature death. He died at only 39 years old” – he emphasized. Church dedicated to St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe consecrated John Paul II in 1983.

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