Batesville Priest Shares Personal Memories of Pope John Paul II

In 1967, Father Stan Swiderski was a 33 year-old graduate student in his native Poland; his ethics professor professor was a brilliant man who also served as the Archbishop of Krakow-- the same man who would later become Pope John Paul II. "Every time we had the pleasure of listening to him, it was a pleasurable experience. He was a very good teacher, very eloquent... with a brilliant intellect and profound knowledge," remembers Father Swiderski. Father Swiderski took that knowledge to America, serving communities in Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan and now, Arkansas. In 1993, as Father Swiderski approached his thirty year anniversary as a priest, he had a private audience with Pope John Paul II. Father Swiderski says the words spoken to him by this talented man, as professor and pope, will live with him forever. "He remembered my name and he said, `Stan, keep up and always remember one thing: to preach the gospel with faithfulness, courage, love and, of course, with joy.`"