Press Release - Saturday, June 28, 2008
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Governor Blagojevich proclaims June 29th as Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz Day in Illinois
CHICAGO - Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today proclaimed Sunday, June 29, 2008 as
Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz Day in Illinois. Cardinal Dziwisz, has been invited to the State of
Illinois by the Archdiocese of Chicago, Cardinal George, and the Bishop Abramowicz Seminary.
During a two-day program he will visit the Polish community and concelebrate masses with
Cardinal George. He will also be honored with the Caritas Christi Award presented by Cardinal
George for service to Polonia.
Cardinal Dziwisz was one of Pope John Paul II most trusted aides. He was his private secretary
during the twenty-seven years of his Great Pontificate and countless pilgrimages. He was also
Archbishop Dziwisz was at his bedside. During the Mass of Requiem on April 8 for John Paul,
Archbishop Dziwisz placed a white silk veil over the face of the Pope before the body was
lowered into three separate caskets. It was the symbolic last act of service of Archbishop Dziwisz
as papal secretary for John Paul.
The text of the Governor's proclamation is below:
WHEREAS, born in the Polish village Raba Wyzna, Stanislaw Dziwisz studied in local seminaries and after successful completion of theological studies was ordained priest on June 23, 1963 for the diocese of Krakow by its auxiliary bishop, Karol Józef Wojtyla; and
WHEREAS, Wojtyla kept Dziwisz on staff as his personal secretary during his time as auxiliary bishop and later archbishop. When Wojtyla was elected pope, Dziwisz continued in the diocese until he was summoned once more for service as a member of the Prefecture of the Papal Household where he served for nearly twenty seven years as private secretary to Pope John Paul II; and
WHEREAS, Cardinal Dziwisz is currently the Archbishop of Kraków and has been a cardinal since March 24, 2006. Dziwisz was elevated to the rank of titular archbishop during his service to Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI appointed Cardinal Dziwisz to his first diocese as the Archbishop of Kraków - an office once held by John Paul II; and
WHEREAS, Cardinal Dziwisz has written a book entitled A Life with Karol: My Forty-Year Friendship with the Man Who Became Pope, an intimate, affectionate portrait of Pope John Paul II; and
WHEREAS, Cardinal Dziwisz has been invited to the State of Illinois by the Archdiocese of Chicago, Cardinal George, and the Bishop Abramowicz Seminary. During a two-day program he will visit the Polish community and concelebrate masses with Cardinal George; and
WHEREAS, Cardinal Dziwisz will also be honored with the Caritas Christi Award and a banquet will be held in his honor on June 28 and 29:
THEREFORE, I, Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor of the State of Illinois, do hereby proclaim June 29, 2008 as CARDINAL STANISlAW DZIWISZ DAY in Illinois and offer my best wishes for an enjoyable and memorable visit.
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