Polish talent foundation ‘best living monument’ to St. John Paul II 20 years after his death

by Katarzyna Szalajko, OSV News

WARSAW (OSV News) — During his pilgrimage to Poland in 1999, St. John Paul II highlighted the stark contrasts in living conditions across the country, pointing out challenges faced by many families in small towns and villages.

Opportunities for children and young people were limited, and in some cases, seemed unattainable. The pope called for solidarity.

In response to this appeal, the Polish bishops’ conference established the “Dzielo Nowego Tysiaclecia” (“The Work of a New Millenium”) foundation in the Jubilee Year 2000. Today, 20 years after John Paul’s death on April 2, 2005, it’s called the “best living monument” of the pope, granting scholarships to talented youth, who are everything from musicians to doctors, and inventors to sportsmen.

“Talents are born in every family. It is a gift from God,” said Father Dariusz Kowalczyk, president of the board of the foundation, in an interview with OSV News. “But young talents, if not properly supported in their development, have no chance of realizing their potential.”

“Dzielo” — translated from Polish as “The Work” — helps talented, underprivileged youth from small towns by implementing the teachings of the pope. It funds educational scholarships, supports scientific development, and also spiritual growth.

“This is how we understand the building of a civilization of love, which John Paul II spoke about: adequate and, above all, effective help. Supporting young, ambitious people who have the chance to develop their talents, go to the best universities, and train for their dream professions.”

Monika Teresa Butryn, a 26-year-old cellist, comes from a small village in northeastern Poland. She said that she owes the Dzielo foundation for her education and the opportunity to develop her great passion for music. The community of the foundation also helped her shape her life attitudes.

“The formative program provided by the foundation during my studies at the Music Academy in Kraków,” Butrym said, “encouraged me to engage in regular volunteer work, which, in my case, was helping with therapeutic activities for children with disabilities. This experience taught me a lot, made me more sensitive to the situations of others, and made me realize that I am in a privileged position, and my duty is to serve those in need.”

In addition to the scholarship program, Dzielo offers its scholarship recipients the summer formative camps, where they can strengthen their faith and build a strong, supportive community.

“I see a group of people there who share the same values,” said Father Kowalczyk, “I see youth who have aspirations, and who often come from families facing significant challenges.”

Jakub Kuczek is only 18 years old, yet he already has a serious invention to his name — a “Rescue Capsule” — a device designed to save drowning people, which has gained nationwide recognition. The work on his startup was made possible by support from the papal foundation.

“In the future, I would like to design technological components, create new solutions, and, most importantly, serve God and people,” young engineer Kuczek told OSV News.

Another scholar recipient of the foundation, Angelika Arendacz, continues to achieve sports success. After winning the European Karate Championship, she switched disciplines and became the vice-champion of Poland in olympic boxing this year.

“As a scholarship recipient, I especially appreciate the opportunity to meet wonderful people with different stories,” Arendacz said. “They are people with open hearts, warm and friendly, who create an incredible community — I am glad to be part of it.”

“This is a powerful group of people,” said Father Kowalczyk, the president of the board of the foundation.

“Over the course of 25 years, the foundation has supported several thousand youth. They have chosen all possible fields of study — we have clerics, artists, technologists, doctors, lawyers, athletes, scientists, and politicians among them. There is no profession today in which we don’t have our scholarship alumni.”

The Polish priest emphasized that what the foundation teaches its youth is the pursuit of success — but not in worldly terms.

“What is true success?” asked Father Kowalczyk. “It is elemental goodness, wisdom, and holiness. We tell them: Yes, grow, conquer the world — but above all, grow in humanity. If you lose your humanity, you lose everything.”

Dominik Tudrym dreamed of becoming a firefighter. If it hadn’t been for the foundation’s support, he wouldn’t have been able to study or develop his life plans.

“Being a scholarship recipient of the foundation gives me great motivation for personal development, but most importantly, spiritual growth,” Tudrym said. “Thanks to the summer camps, I meet young people like me — willing to act and bear witness to their faith.”

The young firefighter told OSV News that Dzielo “is a living monument to St. John Paul II, and I feel like a brick in that monument.”

The monument is growing. In line with the Holy Father’s call to “become witnesses to mercy in today’s world,” every year more than 2,000 scholars from nearly every corner of Poland and war-affected areas of Ukraine, create an extraordinary monument built by Poles grateful to St. John Paul II.

Father Kowalczyk recalled that when the pope learned about the establishment of the foundation he allegedly said: “such monuments you can erect to me.”