04.12.2019 Vatican - Private audience with Pope Francis

At the end of the first full year of operation of the International Center for Study of Phenomenon of Solidarity (MCBFS), we were honored - the Management Board of the Centre, the Team of Coordinators and the Chairman of the Presidium of the Scientific and Program Council visited Pope Francis together with a delegation of the National Commission (KK) of NSZZ "Solidarność" with its Chairman Piotr Duda at the helm. The National Commission of NSZZ "Solidarność" had previously asked the Holy Father Francis for a private audience in order to present a project related to the commencement of work on the idea of creating a network of autonomous trade unions, inspired by the social teaching of the Church and open to transnational cooperation. The meeting was an opportunity to present our Center, established also for this purpose, to the Holy Father.

The property of the files are exclusive of Servizio Fotografico Vaticano. Foto ©Vatican Media

The Pope welcomed us very warmly and gave us his blessing, thus encouraging us to continue our work. Concern for the dignity of working people is an important element of the social teaching of the Church. This thread has been taken up by the Center since its inception, it is present both in the declaration from Granada delivered on June 18, 2018, which mentions, among other things, defining the employer-employee relationship in a universal way, in the light of the Catholic social teaching. It is present in the speeches delivered during the conference in June 2019 as well as the deliberations of the Scientific and Program Council in November 2019 and the final document prepared by it. This document is, on the one hand, a Program Resolution of the Center, indicating the tasks of the it in the coming years, and on the other hand, an invitation to cooperation and reflection of a wide range of people concerned about the dignity of working people, as it was written in the last sentence: "We present this testimony to all people of good will, in particular Pope Francis, who today calls workers all over the world to renew their awareness of their identity and vocation. In turn, in the greeting addressed to the delegation of NSZZ "Solidarność" and Center during the audience on 04.12.2019, Pope Francis said that: "the word "solidarity" has become somewhat worn out and is sometimes mis

interpreted (...) it is sensitivity

to the voice of sisters and brothers whose deprived of the right to working conditions worthy of a human being, to a fair wage necessary to support a family, health care or rest. These words echo the goals set by the MCBFS with the support of its founders: KK NSZZ "Solidarity" and the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow. The Pope teaches us to be sensitive to the poor and needy and encourages us to explore these issues further.

The property of the files are exclusive of Servizio Fotografico Vaticano. Foto ©Vatican Media

The activities of MCBFS arouse enthusiasm and interest also outside Poland. The Center joins the work of various foreign entities to show that the Polish experience of Solidarity can be part of the solution to many contemporary problems. During his stay in Rome, the Director of the Management Board of the Centre, Fr. prof. Władysław Zuziak, handed over to prof. Rocco Buttiglione - a member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences - a text on the Polish experience of Solidarity and the work ethos and the possibility of their universalization. This is the beginning of cooperation in research on human work as well as common reflection on the need for solidarity in socio-economic life today.

The Executive Board held several meetings with foreign partners: representatives of the world of science, politics, trade unions and the Church. The Executive Board of the Center and the Council of Coordinators also met at an extraordinary meeting of the Executive Board.

Apart from scientific and organizational matters, the trip to Rome was a time of common prayer for this initiative. We prayed especially at the tomb of our patron St. John Paul II, which we visited every day.

Already today we can say that the year 2020, the 40th anniversary of the establishment of "Solidarity" and the 100th anniversary of the birth of John Paul II, the Advocate of Solidarity and the Saint Patron of our University, will abound in scientific and cultural events with the participation of MCBFS.