Father Jerzy was a simple parish priest who was killed for speaking God’s truth. When the communist government of Poland imposed marshall law, people were brutalized and the church was their only refuge. Fr. Popieluszko began preaching at a church in a working class suburb of Warsaw. He was a soft spoken man who preached non-violence. He simply talked about human dignity and God given rights. He championed the idea that it is God and not government that is the source of human rights.
He had an immense following and his Sunday sermons attracted such large crowds that the church could not accomodate all, and people stood outside, in cold and darkness, just to hear his words.
Father Jerzy was bludgeoned to death on a remote highway, where the plain clothes policemen stopped his car. His body was thrown into a roadside ditch.
His murderers were tried 30 years later, but showed no remorse.
