The Hindus sometimes ask me: "What makes you want to work in the lepers' village?"
There is only one answer - the words of Jesus who said:
Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
And also my fate, worse than the lepers': five years in the camps in Dachau and Gusen.
There is a lot to thank God for. He had led me
through the camp hell and saved me out of it.
Chronology of Life
Marian Żelazek was born on 30 January 1918 in Paledzie near Poznan, Poland. For 56 years he has been working in India, of which 31 years among lepers in Hindu holy city Puri, Orissa. He is one of the best known and recognized polish missionaries.
Award of Fr. Marian Żelazek
The award has been established to honor individuals, organizations or institutions who in an outstanding way support or promote the activity and mission animation of the Polish Province of Divine Word Missionaries.
Resources
Over the years there were published dozens of books and articles about the work and life of Fr. Marian. Here we present some of them as well as synopses for religion teachers, photos and audio/video resources.
Prayer for the Beatification
Loving Father, saved from the brutality of the Nazi Concentration Camp, you led your servant Fr. Marian Zelazek to be a religious missionary priest as a messenger of love and compassion to the people of India. In his obedience, humility and fidelity to Christ and to the Church, he dedicated his life to relieve the sufferings of the sick and the poor, especially the leprosy patients. May the inspiration of your servant prompt us to greater confidence in your love so that we may continue his work of caring for the needy and the marginalized.
We implore you to grant us the favours we ask through his intercession so that his holiness may be recognised by the Church to declare him Saint. We ask this through the intercession of Mary our Mother, Saints Arnold and Joseph, and in the name of Jesus our Lord and Saviour.
Amen.
Prayer of Fr. Marian Zelazek
Lord, I don't want anything else in my life if You are there beside me.
Whether You give me happines or give me sorrow, o Lord,
everything is the same for me if You are there beside me.
Looking for pleasure I moved away form You and wandered in the desert.
Though there is sun, moon stars and bight day, drifting away I am dying in darkness
Lord, I don't want anything else in my life if You are there beside me.
Amen!
Did you have a chance to meet fr. Marian Zelazek? Would you like to share your testimony? Or maybe you feel you were granted favours through his intercession.
Write do the Vicepostulator of the beatification process! Your testimony might be very important.
Fr. Henryk Kaluza SVD
ul. Rodziewiczowny 15
48-300 Nysa
m.zelazek-beatyfikacja@werbisci.pl