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Excerpts from the Book,
THE SERVANT OF GOD, FR. MICHAEL SOPOCKO
Father Henry Ciereszko

The process of beatification for Fr. Sopocko began in the year 1987, in Bialystok. He was a brilliant model of the priesthood and a zealous servant of Divine works, especially in the works of Divine Mercy. Therefore we are inclined to bring this figure closer to the faithful, especially
to the worshippers of Divine Mercy.

CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL YEARS

Michael Sopocko was born on November 1, 1888 in Juszewszczyznie. Michael’s childhood years passed in a friendly atmosphere of proper spiritual and religious development. The atmosphere
of his childhood’s environment awakened in him the desire to offer himself to the service of God
in the priesthood.

Michael in his youth

STUDY IN THE SEMINARY OF VILNIUS

The time of study in Vilnius’ Seminary, which Michael entered in the autumn of 1910, lasted
for four years. Life in the seminary was lived according to the order and rules made from past customs. Michael entered into these circumstances and expectations without great difficulty. Michael could not count on help from home and it was only thanks to the financial support
of Father Rector J. Uszszylle that he could continue his studies.

On the 29th of June 1912 he received four lower holy orders and at the appointed time took
the examinations. At this time a great distinction was given him. His Seminary Superiors decided
to allow him to make the ordination for subdeaconate and deaconate one year earlier than
was practiced. One week before the Solemnity of Pentecost he was ordained Subdeacon.
This happened in Kowno. A few weeks later he was ordained deacon by the bishop of Kielce, Augustyn Losinski. After the successful four years of study, he was ordained priest
on June 15, 1914, by Bishop Franciszek Karewicz.

First years of priestly service in Vilnius

ASSISTANT PRIEST IN TABORYSZKI

Father Michael Sopocko after being ordained priest, was placed to work in the parish
in Taboryszki, as an assistant priest. The range of duties appointed to Fr. Michael was not too heavy. So he requested for the possibility to lead a youth catechesis on Sundays. The first year
of Fr. Michael’s pastoral work was concluded by the making of the first Solemn Confession
and Holy Communion, to which was received by 500 children.
In the summer of 1915 the German-Russian front passed through Taboryszki. Inspite of the danger from war activities, Father Sopocko celebrated the devotions that were prescribed for this time.
He also visited the parish, counseling those who were mistreated by the passing army.

The chapel in Miedniki Królewskie was opened 14 km away from the town where the church
parish was located. Thanks to this the German squad stationed themselves there, and from time
to time the army chaplain went there to celebrate mass. It happened that he asked Father Michael to substitute for him. Father Michael eagerly benefited from this, spreading his pastoral service
to the faithful of his parish as well. During his stay in Taboryszki, Father Sopocko was also active
in the field of education. This became a cause of persecution for him, from the occupation authority. Father Michael decided to organize schools in the bigger villages.

Father Michal among the participants of teachers summer course in Vilnus.

The occupation authority, in the beginning was tolerant towards his activities and even helped
him materially. Unfortunatly their attitude toward this matter with time became worse.
Father Sopocko found it difficult to travel to Vilnius to bring back teachers. In the end the German authority acknowledged Father Sopocko as a Polish man who was spreading the Polish culture
on Vilnius land for money, allegedly from abroad. In this situation Father Michael began
to seriously think about leaving Taboryszki.

THEOLOGICAL STUDY IN THE UNIVERSITY
OF WARSAW AND SERVICE AS ARMY CHAPLAIN

In September of 1918, Father Michael received permission from Father J. Hanusowicz,
to go to Warsaw. In the evening of September the 30th, he discreetly left Taboryszki. During
his stop in Turgiele, he was discovered by his parishioners, who found it difficult to part with
their priest. Father Michael bid farewell to them and went to Vilnius and from there to Warsaw.
After arriving in Warsaw, he registered himself in the department of theology at the local university. His illness as well as the political changes of the time prevented him from starting
his studies.

Father Michael became ill with typhoid fever and for six weeks he lay in the hospital.
When he returned to Warsaw to begin his studies in January 1919, the university appeared
to have been closed as a consequence of the eastern war which arose shortly after the announcement of independence. He registered himself as a volunteer for the army chancery,
and requested to partake in the army’s pastoral service. The Chancellor Bishop, Stanislaw Gall, appointed him as an army chaplain, and assigned him to pastoral service in the army hospital
no.3, which was being organized in Warsaw. After a month he requested to be assigned
to the army front. By the end of February, he was transferred by the army bishop, to Vilnius’ Pulk
of Strzelców, White Russian’s division, and without delay he went to the front. He was assigned
for pastoral service in a division stationed in a place called Rózanna. His duties consisted
in saying Holy Mass and devotions as well as hearing confession which benefited many soldiers.

Father took particular care of wounded soldiers who were living in difficult circumstances
because of the lack of a hospital. Following the long march with the army gave him some pain, which was the beginning of typhoid spotted fever. He was therefore transferred to the convent
of the Immaculate Sisters in Slonim, whose convent was being used as the army’s hospital.
As a consequence of the approaching front, he was transferred to a hospital in Wolkowysk.
His illness lasted for a few weeks and it was only until spring that his health improved.

While still recuperating, Fr. Sopocko helped in the pastoral spiritual service for the sick. Service
in the hospital in war conditions was not easy. This was clearly seen in his weakening health.

The army Bishop, Stanislaw Gall, gave Fr. Michael a sick leave, and the medical board sent him
to a Red Cross Sanatorium in Zakopane. Before his departure for treatment, the Front command honored Fr. Sopocko his for dedication as an army chaplain and merited him with special thanks and acknowledgement. After the end of the treatment , in the beginning of September 1919,
Bishop Stanislaw Gall kept him in Warsaw assigning him to Koscinszko’s instruction camp
in Powazki.

As a chaplain together with officers at the training center in Powazki

The responsibilities of Father Chaplain consisted in: weekly conferences on religious morals
for the officers and officer cadets of the different departments, serving in the army hospital
on Dziki Street and in the office of economy, as well as caretaker for the army cemetery
in Powazki. Within the framework of conferences for the officers, Fr. Sopocko covered the issues
of dogmas and the history of the Church. He gave a deeper study of catechism to the officer
cadets as well as touching on actual problems regarding army service. He was highly praised
by his superiors for touching on the subject of religion, morals and patriotism in his speeches.
The War Ministry published his talks and obligated the officers to introduce this published work
to the cadets in all the squads.

To be able to give pastoral service special accommodations were needed. Therefore,
Father Sopocko began to arrange, on the premises of the instructions, camp chapels
and churches, which had either been used by the Russian Orthodox during their stay in Warsaw,
or had been abandoned. He ordered a Sacred Heart Altar for the chapel in the camp barracks.
For the chapel in Marymont, which later was completely rebuilt, he ordered a Queen of Poland Altar and two side altars; St. Kazimir and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He reconstructed altars left
by the Orthodox, on a cemetery by St. Joshephat’s Church. He celebrated Holy Mass
and devotions in these churches to which the civilians of the place participated.

In October, although the war was still occurring, the university re-opened and was again active.
Fr. Sopocko signed for the moral theology division as well as lectures on law and philosophy.
From this time on he had to share his time of study and service in the army. As an addition
to this he became active socially. He organized: The Soldier’s Brotherly Help ( he was its president), an inn for soldiers, as well as a school for orphans from the families of the army people.

In the summer of 1920, Fr. Sopocko witnessed the front’s collapse, which later collapsed
in Warsaw. He lived through its brave defense as well as the victory over the Soviet’s offense.
After many years he recorded in his memoirs this event as being a special dispensation
of Providence and a sign of Divine Mercy for Poland, which was obtained through the prayers
of the faithful to whom entirely filled the churches in August.

In that summer of 1920, Father Chaplain was attacked on his way home from the hospital,
on Dzika Street. The intervention of the soldiers nearby saved him from what could have been worse. One of the offenders who had been caught, was well known by the police. He was a leader of the communists and was organizing meetings in the cemetery. After this event Fr. Michael was given guards and squads for his protection so that he could safely travel from visiting the hospitals. This occurred through the orders of Marshal Joseph Pilsudske. It was the Marshal’s custom to visit the soldiers at the camp a few times each year. The Marshal always took notice of Fr. Chaplain, greeting him first. When Marshal heard about the attack he ordered the soldiers to take special care for Father Sopocko’s safety.

While fulfilling the duties of army chaplain and studying in the moral theology division,
he in addition to this, in the autumn of 1922, signed for a higher degree in pedagogy. In 1923,
he received his master’s degree in theology and became more involved in the field of pedagogy.
In the spring of 1924, he made a research on pupils and youth in grammer and high school regarding the influence of alcohol in the development of the learning ability in them. The result
of this research became the basis for his diploma work titled, "Alcoholism and School Youth".
This was the crown of his study in the institute of pedagogy.

In 1924, Fr. Sopocko had the chapel in Marymont, where devotions were celebrated for
the army soldiers and civilians, thoroughly reconstructed. During the summer, the building which could contain a few hundred people, was transformed into one nave church with three altars
and baroque front. On November 16th they solemnly consecrated the church, which was named
The Queen of the Crown of Poland. The Army Bishop, Stanislaw Gali praised the engagements
and hard work of Fr. Chaplain, sending him his special acknowledgements. The Warsaw press
also noticed his merits and wrote a column about him and his work for the church.

Vilnius’ Bishop. Jerzy Matulewicz, knowing the merits and work as well as the theological
and pedagogical background of Fr. Chaplain, wanted to have him work in his diocese.
In the beginning he desired that through Fr. Sopocko, a youth ministry for young adults would
be organized in the diocese. Father Michael accepted the bishop’s proposal and decided to return to his diocese. He placed his letter of resignation to the Army Chancery to be released from work
as an army chaplain, but was refused his request. Bishop Matulewicz then personally engaged himself in this matter with the army bishop and received the promise that in the summer
of August 1924, Fr. Sopocko would be transferred to Vilnius as army chaplain there. In this way,
as an addition he would be able to engage himself in pastoral service in the diocese. He went
to Poznañ to learn the principles of organinzing and methods of work with young adults.
There under the direction of priests, who were engaged in work with young, together with leaders of the Catholic Youth Organization, he trained himself into the secret of the new activity waiting
for him. At the same time he acquainted himself to the works of abstinence for priests.

The formal decision of Bishop Stanislaw Gali regarding the transfer of Fr. Sopocko, to work
in Vilnius land occurred in autumn of 1924. On its strength he was appointed manager
of the ministry region of the garrison in Vilnius, as well as in Nowa Wilejka, in Podbrodzie
and in Berezwecz. Trasnseferring Fr. Sopocko to Vilnius was a promotion, but at the same
time it imposed on him greater tasks and greater responsibility.

Father Michal as a chaplain.

FORWARD >> Fr. M. Sopocko Biography part II

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