Today, January 9, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. in the Chrzanov Hospital, a beautiful, steadfast priest of love and truth, Fr. Tadeusz Isakovic-Zaleski. He was a Latin and Armenian rite priest, anti-communist opposition activist and solidarity chaplain, president of the foundation. Brother Albert, historian, publicist, supporter of the examination of clergy and representative of the memory of the victims of the genocide in Volhynia. His death was announced by the Society and Memory Association. He battled prostate cancer for a year. He was undergoing hormonal treatment, then he had to start radiotherapy and chemotherapy was also planned. Due to the stents inserted in the aorta, he could not be operated on. (1)
Today at 10:00 am (11:00 Polish time) I ordered a mass for her health in the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Glasgow. I didn't know then that he died at 8:00 a.m. Polish time. I found out about it literally 10 minutes ago (currently at 12:13). I will have to ask Father Mark Morris to change the intention of the Mass to pray for eternal life for this wonderful priest. I am very excited at this moment and I am surprised that Fr. Tadeusz died so quickly, in fact unexpectedly, given his previous good prognosis for his disease in the fight. This is a great loss for the Catholic Church, for Poland, for the borders, for Armenians, for workers and solidarity, for those persecuted by communism, for disabled children, for victims of abuse, for all honest and good people, and finally, for those who are brave and love the truth. Good God, who alone knows our life in all its fullness, it seems to me that I feel so strongly that a holy man has died as your eternal watchman, so I believe! Please receive his spirit into the heavenly Jerusalem so that he may intercede for us who are still pilgrims on this earth. Amen!
Biography As I Trust in the New Holy Catholic Church
F. Tadeusz Isakowicz-Zaleski, son of Jan and Theresa Zaleska née Isakowicz, hails from Royal Kraków. Already in his early youth, in high school, he became involved in the Oasis movement, and after graduation enrolled in the main seminary in Krakow. While at the seminary (in the late 1970s), he co-edited the underground magazine “Krzyż Nowohucki” and worked on the Student Solidarity Committee.
Since 1980, he has been involved in the activities of NSZZ “Solidarność”. The Security Service (SB) repressed him in various ways, including in 1985 he was severely beaten twice by SB personnel, but he refused to be intimidated! In his case, even the powerful method of the secret police: “stopper, bag and spore” did not work! In 1988, as a worker's teacher, he participated in a strike at a steel plant. Lenin in Krakow.
In February 2006, he made a request to reveal security service informants operating among the clergy of the Archdiocese of Krakow. He studied the documents of the security service, which he received as a victim from the Institute of National Memory (IPN). Based on these documents, a book entitled “Priests to the Security Services on the Example of the Archbishop of Krakow” was created, for which he received a literary prize in November 2007. Joseph Mackiewicz.
F. From his family roots, Tadeusz is Polish-Armenian, hence his passion for Pokut, Podolia and the Polish borderlands. A priest of the Latin rite since 1983, he is also a priest of the Armenian rite, having completed his studies at the Pontifical Armenian College in Rome in 2001. An active activist of the Armenian community, a popularizer of knowledge about the history and culture of the Armenians and a great defender of the work dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915-17.
F. Tadeusz has been known in Poland for many years as a person of great merit in commemorating the genocide in Volhynia and the borderlands. Already in 2008, he appealed to the Polish authorities, condemning the Polish genocide committed by the OUN-UPA in Volhynia and Eastern Lesser Poland. On July 1, 2009, he took part in a protest in Lublin against the awarding of an honorary doctorate by the Catholic University of Lublin to Viktor Yushchenko, who repeatedly praised Stepan Bandera. He also made a significant contribution to the protests across Poland against the “Bandera Rally”, which led to death threats against Ukrainian nationalists. (2)
There was great joy between Poland and border countries in different parts of the world when on July 22, 2016 the Sejm of the Republic of Poland finally passed a resolution, according to which July 11 will be the National Day of Remembrance of the Victims. About the genocide committed by Ukrainian nationalists against the citizens of the Second Polish Republic. (3) That beautiful day and holy festival had many names, hearts and many faces covered with the wrinkles of suffering. Many of these wonderful heroes of this great victory of truth and historical justice have already died and Fr. Thaddeus is still with us. All these years he had been like a pilgrim, going to many places where they were waiting, visiting many border communities in Poland and beyond, and now he had reached the land of the Scots.
He has launched many very valuable social initiatives on his blog and has published hundreds of articles and interviews in recent years. He is a consistent person, which is why his actions are usually characterized by logic and consistency, for example, he is widely known for his media involvement in the scathing criticism of the demonic gender ideology currently burning like wildfire in Europe. and in other parts of the world, such as the USA and Canada. Based on this, he became a trusted confidant of the sufferings of many victims of sexual abuse in the Church, who went through hell in their parishes, who confided their sufferings to him and sent him hard experiences. The most famous was the case of the abused boy Janusz Szymic. He did not hesitate, but boldly and publicly stood up for their dignity, justice and compensation.
Among the latest initiatives, it should be noted that in September 2020, rb actively supported the great Polish artist Prof. Andrzej Pitinski places his monumental work “The Volhynia Massacre” in his homeland. F. Tadeusz Isakowicz-Zaleski wrote: “In a warehouse in Gliwice, his gruesome, devastating work on the Volhynia massacre has lain for years.” There is no place in the public space to witness the tragedy that politicians are trying to forget under the false name of rapprochement with Ukraine. And yet, above all, it is a duty to mention; secondly, to hear expressions of remorse; And only then, thirdly, forgive.” – writes Prof. Marek Jan Chodakievich, the recently deceased Prof. Andrzej Pitinski, Knight of the Order of the White Eagle.
These are the paradoxes of the Third Polish Republic, which are the result of “political correctness” and the so-called The Gidroyc myth censors the truth and memory of the Polish genocide in the borderlands, just as the Polish People's Republic censored the truth and memory of the Katyn massacre. (…)”. (4)
Fortunately, everything ended very successfully in May 2021, due to the blessed decision of the commune of Yarocin near Nisko in Podkarpackie to erect the “Massacre of the Volhynians” monument in the village of Domostav next to the S19 route (Via Carpatia). F. was actively involved in the work on the planned installation of the monument, the idea and mandatory history lessons for all Poles. Tadeusz Isakovic – Zaleski. (5)
Since 2010, he holds the honorary title of guardian of national memory. A year later, he was also made an honorary member of the World Congress of Border Countries, and in 2012 he was awarded the Bandera Cross in Memory of the Victims of the Genocide. Author of many books and studies, including: “Mismilczane genocide na Kresach” (2008). And from the whole galaxy of state orders, medals and awards, the Order of the Smile, awarded in 1997, awarded for joy to children, remains particularly fascinating. (6) ……CDN
Footnotes:
(1) https://polskieradio24.pl/5/1222/artykul/3313257,nie-zyje-ks-tadeusz-isa…
(2) https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadeusz_Isakowicz-Zaleski
(3) http://orka.sejm.gov.pl/proc8.nsf/uchwaly/625_u.htm
(4) http://isakowicz.pl/pomnik-rzez-wolynska-dluta-sp-andrzeja-pitynskiego-w…
(5) https://sztafeta.pl/2021/05/28/w-domostawie-zanie-pomnik-rzez-wolynska/