We would like to present to the United States' society the personality of the Servant of God Rozalia Celak who - together with Saint Sister Faustyna preaching God's mercy to the world - may have an enormous impact on the future fate of the Church and the world. Rozalia speaks on behalf of God to modern societies pointing at God's imminent wrath and disclosing a way to salvation.

Rozalia's Biography

   A little daughter Rózia, the eldest of eight children, was born on the 9th of September 1901 to Joanna and Tomasz Celak in the Polish village of Jachówka, near Maków Podhalański. Her pious parents provided her with sound religious education. It was very early that the child intuitively realized that Virgin Mary wished to lead her along a spiritual path of God's Kingdom. Before Jesus first visited her heart in the Eucharist, she had already had love for Him nurtured by Our Lady.

   She always recollected with great sentiment the day of her First Holy Communion. It was when preparing for that grand event that Rozalia had her first mystical experience. She heard in her heart a voice full of love: 'My child, love me since my Heart loved you first, love me for the whole world. I shall extend the space of your heart and fill it with love so that you could reciprocate my love.' Jesus present in the Eucharist and Virgin Mary gradually became her whole world.

   She went through her first trials at the age of 16. She had to endure a spiritual struggle and physical suffering. Suddenly, she came down with a serious, unknown disease which could not be diagnosed. She was bed-ridden for a month and could not get up on her own. Where did she look for help? She referred to the Person she loved so much. She said the Novena to Suffering of Virgin Mary and on the ninth day of the novena Our Lady came to her rescue. As suddenly as she fell ill, Rozalia recovered to everybody's surprise. Suffering caused by the disease was a landmark in her life. During her illness, after much pondering, she understood that suffering lead to holiness and that holiness was based on love. The physical suffering strengthened her against approaching, more serious spiritual pain.

   When 19 years old, Rozalia entered the so-called spiritual night which would last for six long years. 'The suffering of that night - she claimed - was a thousand times worse than death itself (…). When my soul experienced constant torment, I gradually lost Our Lord from my sight. I was emerged in darkness so deep that the human mind becomes totally helpless (...). With every hour I seemed to be falling down into the infernal precipice.' The last year of the suffering was particularly painful for Rozalia: in 1925, during one of the visions of hell, the suffering reached its apogee. She felt as if she spiritually was in hell. She broke into perspiration, the blood rushed to her eyes and she seemed to be dying. She was surrounded by horrible darkness and laughing and yelling of satanic spirits, who would repeat: 'This is the hour of perdition. Today everything shall to come to an end for you.' She felt fire was burning her body. Rozalia fainted. When she regained consciousness, she felt she was transferred from hell to heaven. Since that moment she would always feel constant presence of God in her heart.

   In August 1924 Rozalia moved to Kraków and, under a spiritual direction, found employment at St. Lazarus Hospital in the ward of dermatology and venereal diseases. 'My child! There is a place for you in the hospital, intended for you according to my will ...' When nursing sick prostitutes, the young innocent girl discovered with dismay the world of evil. Horrible curses, blasphemy against God, hatred in her patients' speech and deeds drove her to dispair. She suffered witnessing how low a person could decline morally. She wished to escape from that place which she defined as a hell on earth. In 1928 she joined the Order of Saint Clare in Kraków. However, soon after she set foot in the convent, she heard the words in her heart which struck her deeply: 'This is not a place for you. God's will is different for you.' Further events convinced her about it. After two months spent in the convent, all of the sudden her health seriously broke down and she was forced to leave immediately. Following the spiritual calling, she resumed the hospital work at the ward of dermatology and venereal diseases. She was aided while making that decision by the vision of Lord Jesus who appeared to her being flagellated by patients of the venereal ward and persuaded her to return to that ward.

   Rozalia became more and more spiritually mature under the guidance of Virgin Mary. Every day after the Holy Communion Rozalia asked Her to be more closely united with Jesus through love. She did everything 'for Jesus through Virgin Mary's intercession, out of love to Virgin Mary in order to please Lord Jesus and His Mother.' Still, it was Jesus who was her aim and sacred love, for whom she lived, worked and suffered.

   The spiritual friendship between Rozalia and Jesus transformed into an incessant act of adoration for His presence in the Eucharist. 'In all circumstances throughout my life - she wrote - all matters are resolved before Our Lord in the Holy Sacrament. There, I can find my solace, escape, protection, and help; in other words, Lord Jesus in the Eucharist has always been everything to me.' The hospital where Rozalia worked was located nearby a newly erected Basilica of the Heart of Jesus in Kopernika Street in Kraków. Early in the morning before work she would attend the Holy Mass there for many years. After work she spent much time there on adoration and prayer. As a result, she quickly advanced in her spiritual development. During her mystical visions God began to reveal before her the reality which is normally obscured to human cognition and experience. Her visions of Jesus in different circumstances of her life became quite frequent.

   Finally, her heart came to resemble the Heart of Jesus and the flame of love once kindled in her heart did not quench; on the contrary, it filled her whole heart. She achieved a complete communion with Jesus. Then, God whom she loved so much showed her how people can completely and in the most beautiful way express their love to their God and devotion to Him. He also revealed to her the way to save the world which is morally corrupt, full of evil and cruelty. Lord Jesus showed Rozalia a gate which He opened for people as the last chance for salvation: 'Every effort must be made in order to carry out the Enthronement. That is the final effort that Jesus' love makes for people at the end of days!' Rozalia wholeheartedly accepted that truth and from then on God could act through her freely. She became a tool of God's grace, chosen, purified, and ultimately humble. Jesus the King through her agency started to call upon Poland and the world.

   Rozalia gradually faded away, weakened by hard work, diseases and sorrow since her call kept being ignored. When she received the Holy Communion for the last time she burst into tears. Before she fell asleep not to wake up again, Rozalia made the sign of the cross saying: 'In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' At 2:00 in the morning on the 13th of September 1944, Rozalia sighed calmly and departed as silently as she lived, to Him who had revealed to her the future fate of the world.

   Although she was unknown in her lifetime, upon her death the light of Rozalia's holiness shone out. The numerous faithful gathered at the funeral. They paid her the last tribute, still unaware of her mission but deeply convinced of her heroic love for God and her neighbours. Soon, amazing miracles were reported at her grave; and a number of God's interventions through her intercession have been documented so far.

   After almost fifty years of endeavours made mainly by the laypersons, already on the 5th of November 1996, upon the request of the Fund of Sacred Heart of Jesus, her canonisation procedure was initiated in the Kraków Archdiocese. On that date Rozalia Celakówna was granted the title of the Servant of God and the work of her life became recognized in Poland. Unfortunately, it must be said that her message is still relevant, since her vision of the cracked globe has not been fulfilled yet and the state and church authorities have not yet proclaimed Jesus as the King of Poland.

Rozalia's Mission

   Since 1930, Lord Jesus requested through Rozalia that Poland should proclaim Him as their King. He explained to her that it was a matter of great importance and that many prayers should be said and much suffering accepted in order to bring forward the enthronement in Poland. What did Rozalia do then? She confessed to her spiritual director: 'When I came to work in hospital, I offered all my efforts, my little problems and sacrifices to Jesus, asking Him that His Kingdom would come to souls, to all hearts, so that He, Jesus, could rule in them with all His power.'

   However, Jesus the King demanded more of Rozalia; He expected tangible actions to be taken and on a scale that exceeded her abilities. Consequently, she turned for help to her spiritual director, the Reverend Kazimierz Dobrzycki: 'I have been forced for some time now by some mysterious power to tell you, Father, what I feel in my heart; namely, that you should write to His Eminence, Cardinal Hlond, the Primate of Poland, to bring forward the enthronement (...). Lord Jesus wishes to save Poland this way.'

   She explained to Rev. Dobrzycki what should be understood by the enthronement and what it should consist of: 'Lord Jesus wants to be our King, the Lord and at the same time the most loving Father.' She added later: 'In particular, Our Lord wishes to be our King, that is what His will is. Poland must, in an exceptional way, officially proclaim Jesus as their King by means of enthronement (…). The enthronement is not only a form of offering, but also a spiritual rebirth, submission to the sweet reign of Love!'
   Since the original demand that Poland, officially through the ceremony of enthronement, should announce Jesus as their King astonished and involved huge difficulties in carrying it out, Lord Jesus many times repeated the request to Rozalia in a tender yet decisive way: 'My child, tell father to write to the Primate of Poland about this matter. This is the most appropriate moment, you should take advantage of the time of grace.' Rozalia reported everything to her spiritual director and encouraged him in the most cordial manner to undertake relevant steps: 'Dear Father, something strange is happening in my soul, I have an overwhelming desire to do everything in my power and to suffer much so that Jesus could reign in our beloved Country, and through Poland in the whole world. I dare to claim that Poland shall be powerful, the most influential not only in Europe but also worldwide if she follows the call of Jesus. If not, she shall perish. These are not my thoughts and words (…). This is what God has revealed to me.'

   Rozalia realized that Jesus entrusted her with a very difficult mission and that there were slight chances for its completion. 'When thinking about it, she wrote, I was overcome by enormous pain. As Our Lord is still being horribly hurt by people, and there is little chance that the change of human hearts may take place in the near future, the enthronement is also a distant event.' In fact, Poland was under the attack of evil, and moral corruption spread among the nation.

   Since September 1937, Rozalia experienced a number of prophetic visions, in which Jesus' demands from Poland and the world became quite explicit. God made the fate of our Country and of other nations conditional on compliance with those demands. The meaning of those revelations may be summarized as follows: 'If Poland wants to save herself, she must proclaim Jesus as her King through the Act of Enthronement. It must be carried out by the whole nation, and in particular by the state and church authorities, who should conduct the ceremony on behalf of the nation.' Other nations should follow the Polish example and they also should enthrone Jesus as their King. Any nation who would not recognize Jesus as their King should perish.

   The messages fraught with consequences were a challenge for Rozalia and her spiritual director, Rev. Kazimierz Dobrzycki, a Pauline monk. Rozalia was entrusted with a mission which was a heavy cross to carry. Her writings prove how heavy and painful it was for her. She was supported mainly by Pauline monks, and in particular Fr. Dobrzycki and Fr. Pius Przeździecki, the General of the Pauline Order in Jasna Góra. It is not surprising that the Pauline monks were involved in the mission: it was Our Lady Queen of Poland who provided encouragement and the desire of Her Immaculate Heart was communicated to Rozalia and by the Pauline Order to Poland.

   In March 1938 Rozalia was instructed by the internal voice: 'A sacrifice must be made for Poland, for the sinful world (...), for the horrendous sins committed by the Polish Nation. God intends to punish them and it is only my Heart where Poland can find salvation.' Despite numerous efforts, the enthronement was not celebrated in Poland. A few months before the outbreak of the Second World War, Rozalia had another vision revealing the tragedy which Poland would experience and at the same time a promise that if Poland's government celebrated the enthronement, the war would be prevented. 'By the end of February 1939, Rozalia wrote, Our Lord revealed to my soul the following image in time, when I was offering to Him our Country and all the nations of the world. I saw in my soul the Polish-German border all in flames from Silesia to Pomerania. The vision was really terrifying and it seemed to me the fire would burn down the world. After a time, the fire spread over Germany and nothing was left of the present Third Reich. Then I heard a voice in my soul and felt certain that what I heard would truly happen: "My child, the war shall be horrible and it shall bring about destruction (…). Poland's sins and crime are numerous and grave. God's Justice wishes to punish this nation for the sins of unchastity, homicide and hatred. However, Poland can be saved if I am proclaimed as her King and Lord by means of the enthronement, not only in some of the regions but in the whole country and, most importantly, by the government. The proclamation must be affirmed with rejection of sin and return to God (…). Poland can be saved only by Me."

   One can imagine what Rozalia and persons who cooperated with her went through during their work to bring about the enthronement. In those days everyone in Poland was aware that the war with Germany was imminent but only Rozalia fully realized the nightmare and a possibility of preventing it. Therefore, she became dedicated to the idea of the enthronement: she would take on the hardest duties at hospital, mortify herself and pray incessantly: 'On the 1st of April 1939 I wholeheartedly offered this matter to Lord Jesus through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin and St Joseph, asking for enlightment on what should be done in order to resolve it in the best and possibly quickest way. And I heard the voice again: "Child, tell father to write to the Primate of Poland by mediation of Father General of the Order requesting him to do everything in their power to bring forward the enthronement.

   Jasna Góra is a place of worship of Our Lady. It is St Mary who gave birth to the Son of God so that He saved the world and it is owing to Her that Poland can be saved through the enthronement. If this happens, Poland shall become the bulwark of Christendom and, strong and powerful, will be able to withstand all enemies."

   In July 1938, Rozalia had a prophetic vision and received instruction concerning a distant for her yet for us now quite immediate future. She wrote: 'I was brought to a high mountain on which I saw a sphere similar to the globe yet of a much bigger size. I examined it with great interest. Geographically, it was the globe. I recognized parts of the world and particular countries. All of the sudden, a dignified figure of a man appeared in front of me. I do not know who he was. The person approached me and started a conversation. He said: "This is the globe", and told me to name and define borders of different parts of the world and particular countries. When I answered his questions, the person spoke to me in a grave and solemn voice: "My child! God shall send a terrible punishment for sins and crime committed by people in the whole world. God's Justice cannot endure those misdeeds. Only those countries shall persevere where Christ will reign. If you want to save the world, the enthronement must be celebrated (…) in all the countries and nations around the globe. It is the only way in which one may be rescued. Countries and nations who do not recognize that need and submit to the reign of the sweet love of Jesus shall disappear from the face of the earth forever. Remember that, my child, they shall perish and shall never exist!!! (…) Remember, child, the matter of such importance must not be overlooked or forgotten. (…) The enthronement must be carried out in Poland."

   Rozalia recollected that she offered herself to Jesus out of love to Him, to suffer deeply in the first place for the sake of Poland, and then for Germany, Russia, Spain and the whole world. At that moment the person took her hand and led her to the other side of the globe. He pointed to the United States of America and Australia and said with pain: 'Didn't Christ suffer also for those souls? Aren't they saved with His Most Sacred Blood? You should include them, my child, in particular America.'

   He went on convincingly: 'Every effort must be made in order to carry out the enthronement. That is the final that Jesus' love makes for people at the end of days!' 'I asked him with fear whether Poland would endure. The person answered: "Poland shall not perish unless she recognizes Christ as King in every sense of the word, that is unless she accepts God's Law, the law of His love. Otherwise, my child, she shall not persevere." Finally, he said to me: "I say this to you once again, my child, that only those nations shall not perish who will be submitted to Jesus' Heart through the enthronement, who will recognize Him as their King and Lord. A horrible disaster shall come on this world, he said, as you will soon see."

   'Suddenly, a terrible bang could be heard. The globe cracked. Enormous fire broke out and disgusting lava flew out as if from a volcano, completely destroying all countries which had not recognized Christ. I saw destroyed Germany and other Western European countries. I turned with terror to the person for help and he said: "Do not fear, child," and he put his hands on my shoulders. I asked him: "Is this the end of the world, and the fire and lava, are these hell?" He replied: "This is not the end of the world or hell, but a horrible war which shall complete the destruction." The Polish borders were left inviolate, Poland persevered. The unknown person also said to me: "Countries under Christ's reign and subjected to the power of His Sacred Heart shall become extremely powerful and there shall be one Fold and one Shepherd."

   'Upon these words everything disappeared. On the following day, after the Holy Communion, I asked Lord Jesus about the meaning of that vision. I was instructed: "Child, this is what shall happen if people do not return to God. The moment of enthronement must not be delayed in Poland."

   Rozalia, in a letter to her spiritual director, explained what understanding accompanied the above vision: 'The words were highly convincing to me and I knew "that all that shall happen, and only those countries shall persevere where I am recognized as King. The scale of destruction shall be enormous because of sins which have flooded the earth and, therefore, they have to be cleansed with blood, especially in places where they were committed in a most atrocious way."

   'When Lord Jesus becomes our King and the Lord of our nation, we will become strong, as everybody will attempt to fulfil the will of Lord Jesus, even believers of other denominations will request to join the Catholic Church. Terrible time will come but we must believe and trust Our Lord that He will not abandon us, and particularly we must change our life to be compliant with God's law. People will see the consequences of the enthronement, and how much strength and power will be granted to our nation. Lord Jesus will not allow destruction of the Polish land. Let us pray to Lord Jesus that His Kingdom come since the time is coming when there shall be one Fold and one Shepherd.'

   The efforts to celebrate the enthronement of Jesus as the King of Poland were unsuccessful before the outbreak of the Second World War, and consequently, Poland and many other countries were ruined. Did the mission entrusted to Rozalia not succeed, either? Rozalia thought so for some time. In her efforts she was motivated by the thought: it must be done now or never. When after the outbreak of the war she wondered whether the time of grace offered to Poland had not been squandered, she heard Jesus' voice: 'Is God's time the same as the time perceived by people? Am I not preparing human hearts to the solemn moment of the enthronement? Do you think my promise cannot be fulfilled?' Rozalia received further encouragement from Jesus during wartime to continue efforts related to the enthronement in Poland. On the 2nd of January 1941, she wrote: 'Lord Jesus is urging my soul to do everything in my power to speed up the process of submitting all nations to the reign of His sweet love.' Just before her death, Rozalia testified her belief: 'My faith in the enthronement is so strong that even if I was to be beheaded so that it would never take place, I would not give in. I will never question why something happens in this and not the other way, or why not now but later … (the enthronement is going to take place).' Still, she was amazed at the attitude of people responsible for her nation: 'Oh, how blind the human heart is and how narrow-minded we are. (…) Dear Father will have to appeal again with regard to this matter to His Eminence Primate of Poland.'

Passages from Rozalia's Writings

   Apart from her heroic virtues, the fact that Rozalia was chosen by God is supported by her solemn and pious writings. They truly reflect her inner life and contain a deep mystical content; therefore they are a valuable title in our mystical and ascetic literature. Those simple and sincere confessions of the 'child of God' make a very enlightening reading. Her writings contain different prophecies some of which have already been fulfilled.

   We owe the writings of the Servant of God Rozalia Celak to her confessors who requested her to write down her spiritual experience. Rozalia's writings consist of: Notatki i wspomnienia z życia [Notes and Recollections], volume I-III; Listy do kierownika sumienia [Letters to the Director of Conscience] (Fr. Władysław Całka of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer); Wyznania z przeżyć wewnętrznych [Confessions of Spiritual Experience] and Odpowiedzi na pytania [Replies to Questions]. Those writings of 922 pages have been compiled and entitled by Rozalia's last confessor, Rev. Kazimierz Dobrzycki.

   We quote below selected passages from Rozalia's writings: (Note: the quotations preserve the original wording)

   'My sweet Jesus. I hereby offer to You through the Blessed Virgin my humiliation which I suffer out of love to You and, being obedient to my Spiritual Director, I am writing the story of my life.'

   'Please help me, my beloved Lord, not to hurt You with any word I write. Let every letter be a perfect act of my love to You.'

   'Oh, Mary, My Mother, I submit to You completely, please guard and protect me since I belong to You.'

***

   'Nursing is beautiful as probably no other profession, in particular when one looks after the venereal patients. It is not sufficient to be a nurse here, one has to cure the soul, too. (...) The work is beautiful, without acclaim or gratitude, bringing contempt and humiliation. Oh Jesus, what have I done to deserve being chosen for this honourable work?'

***

   'Oh my Jesus, I shall never stop to worship You and thank You for leading me along this path! You have taught me that in difficult moments, in terrible loneliness, I should seek shelter in the arms of Your cross and gain strength from Your Sacred Heart in the Holy Eucharist, the Heart that burns with love to human souls and especially to those who try to reciprocate Your love. I trust You, Jesus, completely that I will love You madly with Your love. I shall not stop praying for love and I am certain that it will be granted to me, that is what Jesus has promised to me.'

   'I never ponder about what will happen to me after death, what Lord Jesus will do with me, what achievements I will have, etc. I never think about it. I know that I have done nothing for God so far but I am not discouraged because love will replace everything.'

   'Yes, love is everything and it will replace everything.'

   'My desire is to love Lord Jesus as He has never been loved by anyone, on behalf of all souls living on earth and of them I wish to love the strongest.'

   'So as my love to Jesus was pure, it must be free from all the bonds of any other type of love:

   'Out of love to Lord Jesus I shall be withdrawn, rejected and forgotten by myself and others as this is the best way to get rid of my self-love.'

   'If we want to become saintly, we should do nothing but seek love. Love for Lord Jesus does not require great deeds. I am certain that the more I forget about myself, hide away, dispose of everything, and make my life simple following Our Lady's example, the more I love Lord Jesus since then my heart is most susceptible to love.'

   'Lord Jesus encourages me to choose things that are regarded as unimportant in this world. He directs others to treat me as He has intended, for which praise be to God.'

***

   'Oh, Infinite Love, One God in the Holy Trinity! I, Your poor child, Róża Teresa, make an unconditional offering of myself to Your Most Merciful Love. I ask You humbly, Kindest Lord, to accept me and destroy me according to Your Sacred Will and Desire.'

   'Replying to the desire of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who many times required an expiatory offering for human sins (especially for the sins of unchastity), I offer myself with great joy to be destroyed completely and irreversibly. Yes, Dearest Lord, dispose of me as You desire: crucify me, try me, humiliate me, destroy my body through martyrdom to the last drop of my blood, and most of all, make me a martyr of Your Infinite Love. I beg this of You, Jesus, make me reciprocate Your love, take my life in exchange for Your life given up on the cross for our sins. Jesus, listen to my prayer, and do not refuse that grace for which I beg wholeheartedly.'

   'You know, Our Lord, how much I wish to love You, to console and please Your Sacred Heart, who is rejected and forgotten by people. Your painful complaint encouraged me: "I am not loved enough, yes, I am not loved" … Jesus, my Sweetest Jesus, You know, You know everything, You know how much I desire to love You! I wish to love you madly, infinitely, with total disregard for myself! Since my heart is so tiny to do that, limited by egoism, therefore I ask You, Jesus, to expel from it everything which could hurt You, extend it infinitely and, oh Jesus, I implore You to help me love You as nobody on earth has loved you yet.'

***

   'Oh, Jesus! Oh Love! Oh my Dearest Treasure! Have mercy on me!... Satisfy this earnest desire of my heart which longs for You impatiently! I wish to follow You to Calvary to sacrifice my life on the cross so that I could unite with You in ardent love. Jesus, I am weak and I will not be able to achieve it but I rely on You trusting as a child that You will carry me in Your Devine Arms to the highest peaks of love and You will inseparably unite me with You.'

***

   'After the Holy Communion at the end of the retreat, some mysterious joy and happiness filled my soul. I offered myself to Lord Jesus for the whole year and life in order to serve Him in the best possible way. I accepted in advance all suffering and adversity which God's love and mercy may charge me with.'

   'I felt an enormous desire to be rejected, humiliated and misunderstood by people.'

   'Our Lord let me understand through internal enlightment that I would be rejected and abandoned by people, especially by my close family. And Lord Jesus has let me experience that happiness since something similar has been happening to me, about which I have already written.'

   'Oh, Jesus, be adored for everything! Thank You for this grace.'

***

   'On the 21st of October I had a night duty. I do not know what happened since I was greatly astonished:

   All of the sudden, I felt overwhelmed by some extraordinary power which I could not resist. I felt so tied up that I could not move. I felt an unspeakable desire in my soul to give my love to Jesus and to take on any form of suffering for His love as only He may choose to charge me with. Then, my whole humble being was filled with exceptional peace, I felt very close presence of Lord Jesus and this is how I spent several hours as if not on the earth ...'

***

   'Sometimes I wonder whether it is possible for me to love Lord Jesus so much?... Yet soon I find the reply. Lord Jesus is Love!... He is almighty, most merciful, and therefore, He has the power to do it. I wish to admit it not only before you Father, but also before the whole world that such a soul as mine has not yet lived on the earth, I am so wretched, sinful, weak and small. This image may discourage the soul. Oh Sweet Jesus, I feel the opposite: when my soul feels the burden of sins, darkness, coldness, loneliness and weakness, then oh my Jesus, I rush to You as a trustful, yet guilty, child and fall into Your arms and want to love You. Yes, Jesus! My misery makes me closer to You! The more I realize my misery, disloyalty to You, the more I trust in Your Love, Kindness and Mercy which fill Your Sacred Heart.'

***

   'Oh, how happy I am that in order to feel Jesus' love one does not need to occupy a leading position or graduate from university. Nor are beggars' rags, or the worst, despised and ridiculed position obstacles to reach the height of God's Love. Christ's Love may reign in a soul whose nature is totally crushed and ego trampled, irrespective of the place occupied by that soul in the society. My strongest desire is to love Lord Jesus, to love Him madly and unconditionally!...'

Closure of Rozalia's Canonisation Procedure

   A Tribunal, appointed upon opening of the process of the Servant of God Rozalia Celak on the 5th of November 1996 and directed by the Delegate Ordinary, Rev. Prof. Stefan Ryłko, with generous support of the Postulate Office for the Servant of God Rozalia Celak, completed their work related to her canonisation in August 2000. Consequently, 18 packages of documents were prepared to be sent to the Congregation of Rites in Rome. The dispatch was preceded by the last official session when the Ordinary of the place signed the document concluding the canonical process in the diocese with regard to life, virtues and reputation for sanctity of the Servant of God Rozalia Celak, diseased on the 13th of September 1944. The documents had awaited the cardinal's signature for 7 years in the Postulate Office for the Servant of God Rozalia Celak in Szczyglice.

   Due to efforts of many religious and patriotic societies, especially Ruch Obrony Rzeczpospolitej "Samorządna Polska" [Polish Republic Defence Movement], the canonisation process of the Servant of God Rozalia Celak was closed in the Kraków Archdiocese upon the request of the Polish Episcopate directed to His Eminence Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, Kraków Metropolitan Bishop.

   Only persons involved in the process were present, apart from the members of the Tribunal, during the closing session of the 17th of April 2007 related to the inquiry concerning heroic virtues and reputation for sanctity of the Servant of God Rozalia Celak. The Postulate Office was represented by Ms Ewa Wieczorek (Postulator) and Ms Marta Majewska (Notary Public). Fundacja Serca Jezusa [Fund of the Sacred Heart of Jesus] (Petitioner in the process) was represented by: Ms Barbara Pasternak (Chairperson of the Management Board), Mr Józef Kurecki (Chairman of the Council), Mr Michał Zmuda (Member of the Council).

   After the relevant documents were read out and signed by His Eminence Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz and by the members of the Tribunal, each package of the documents was officially sealed and stamped by the Kraków Metropolitan Bishop. The Kraków Archdiocesan Curia sent thus secured documents to the Congregation of Rites in Rome where the second stage of the canonisation process of the Servant of God Rozalia Celak, known as the Roman Process, could be initiated.

   The closing session in the canonisation procedure for the Servant of God Rozalia Celak in the Kraków Archdiocese lasted less than an hour but it may have memorable and redeeming consequences both for the Catholic Church and the Polish nation since Rozalia's mission, aiming at restoration of the real and absolute reign of Lord Jesus over the world's nations, is a matter of utmost importance.

Graces Granted through Rozalia's Intercession

   Soon after Rozalia's death a conviction about sanctity of her life became widespread in her home region, Kraków and with time in the whole Poland. Our Lord justified her special role and mission with great graces granted through her intercession. In particular, her grave at Rakowicki Cemetery in Kraków was a place where people in need sought help and where many miracles were worked.

   We quote below a few of thousands of collected letters of thanks for received graces:

Posted on 21 May 2006:

   'Since the year 2002 I suffered from a uterine myoma and with time from multiple myomas. In 2005 I started to say the novena and every day I received Lord Jesus in the Holy Communion. I said the novena through the intercession of the Servant of God Rozalia Celak. On the last day of the novena, the 4th of August 2005, the doctor confirmed that the myomas disappeared and I completely recovered. I wish to point out that I did not receive any hormonal or pharmacological treatment. I enclose a copy of the scan and the consultant's account. Thanks be to Our Lord for this grace and to Rozalia Celak for her intercession.
Krystyna'


Posted on 22 October 2004:

   'God bless! I wish to thank wholeheartedly the Sacred Heart of Lord Jesus through the intercession of the Servant of God Rozalia Celak for a tremendous grace that I was granted. Two years ago I was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst in the left ovary. I was very concerned. I was afraid of the operation. One day in September before the anniversary of Rozalia's death, I desired to turn to her for help. I and my daughter would say the nine-day novena to the Heart of Jesus through the intercession of Rozalia and our prayers were heard. The scan did not show any trace of the cyst. Praise be to God and thanks to the Servant of God Rozalia Celak for her intercession. Sacred Heart of Jesus, You are powerful and full of mercy.
Krystyna'

Posted on 14 September 2004:

   'I wish to notify of the grace of being healed through the intercession of the Servant of God Rozalia Celak. In January 2004 I was in Italy tending to a 97-year old lady. Over the three-month period I experienced more or less intense throbbing headaches, which as if would come and disappear. Sometimes I had a feeling as if a dental burr was placed at the same spot on the left side of the occiput. I want to stress that I had never had headaches before. I was concerned and suspected the worst. I tried to ease the pain with painkillers which I brought from Poland but they did not help much. Once, by pure chance, I came across a prayer for beatification of the Servant of God Rozalia Celak, which I brought with me from home. I felt her close presence and relief. Since that moment I had by my side a wonderful protector and a colleague (I am also a nurse by profession). When praying for her beatification and offering my prayers and trouble, I promised Rozalia Celak that if I came back from Italy healthy it would be evidence of the grace granted through her intercession. I also promised that I would report that fact, which I am doing now with great faith, hope and love. I would like to point out that a few years ago I made a pilgrimage to the shrine of Baby Jesus of the Order of St Colette in Kraków and I visited also Rozalia's grave. I read about her hard work and deep spiritual life. Several months passed and I, healthy and full of gratitude, came back to Italy to look after the same person. The work is not easy yet I am very happy since, apart from financial benefits, I am enriched in other ways. I am learning a lot, and my longing and separation from my family inspire contemplation. I would like to add that I am 57 and I have been a widow for 21 years (my husband died in an accident). I am a single parent to my two children, a daughter and a son. My children have not founded their own families, yet.
With kindest regards,
Anastazja of Jelcz-Laskowice'

Posted on 5 December 2002:

   'I received a grace through the intercession of the Servant of God Rozalia Celak, for which I wish to thank publicly and wholeheartedly. I suffered and was treated for many years due to arterial hypertension. In the years 1997-1998 my condition deteriorated and I additionally developed a very serious disorder: a cardiac arrhythmia (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation). At that time I experienced an irregular heartbeat occurring in over 40 episodes lasting for about two hours each. The emergency service took me to hospital four times for examination and treatment (I was put on a drip), and on one occasion I was taken directly from church. On the 19th of June 1998 I had an attack late at night. I lived alone. I did not have a telephone at home at the time. I got dressed to go to hospital. It was after the hours of operation of the bus service. There was nobody who could help me and I panicked. I felt helpless and prayed calling God's help through the intercession of the Servant of God Rozalia Celak. I said the Novena with great hope asking to be healed. After 5 hours my condition did not improve. Upset, I fell asleep in a sitting position. When I woke up, I realized that my heartbeat came back to normal and I was healed. Four years elapsed since that event on the 19th of June 2002 and so far I have not experienced any symptoms of arrhythmia or hypertension. I am grateful for that grace and I say the Novena almost every day, attend the Holy Mass and receive the Holy Communion. Thanks be to the Sacred Heart of Jesus!
Tadeusz'

Posted on 12 March 2004:

   'Krystyna was brought by helicopter from Gniezno to hospital in Poznań after a serious car accident in December 2003. Her condition was critical and doctors predicted death due to a major head injury, fracture of the spine and the clavicle. I felt pity for her children because if she had died they would have been orphaned (their father died two days after the accident). I started to seek help for her, asking the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the intercession of the Servant of God Rozalia Celak to save her life and heal her. I begged Her with all my heart to intercede in this matter. I believe that Rozalia Celak pleaded the grace of Krystyna's miraculous survival and recovery. After almost three weeks she regained consciousness, started to breathe unaided, and opened her eyes. As she could not speak, she began to write down her thoughts, then she regained speech and with time sat up and started to eat. After six weeks her wounds healed and her bones knitted. Currently, Krystyna is making attempts to walk. Let this testimony to the intercession of the Servant of God Rozalia Celak serves her beatification in the near future. Thanks be to the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Servant of God Rozalia Celak.
Julianna'

Compiled by: Ewa Wieczorek, Michał Zmuda