Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, Assemblywoman Marge Markey, and Holy Cross Pastor Witold Mroziewski unveil the street sign. Photo courtesy Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley’s Office
Just weeks before his name is added to a list of canonized saints, Pope John Paul II’s legacy was made permanent in Maspeth’s pavement.
Community leaders and elected officials gathered outside the Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church on 56th Road Sunday afternoon to co-name the street Pope John Paul II Way. It was inside that same church where the saint-to-be formerly known as Cardinal Karol Wojtyła slept over for several nights in September 1969, church officials said, making that part of Maspeth sacred ground.
“Pope John Paul II’s long ministry connected people from every nation and helped make the world a more peaceful place,” said City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Maspeth), who sponsored the event. “His leadership during the horrors of WWII was a beacon of hope for countless Polish and Jewish communities. Pope John Paul II touched the lives of billions, and now all Queens residents will be reminded of his legacy for generations to come.”
Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, Assemblywoman Marge Markey, and Holy Cross Pastor Witold Mroziewski unveil the street sign. Photo courtesy Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley’s Office
The former pope’s signature can still be found in a guestbook inside the parish office, alongside a relic of a tiny blood-soaked piece of cassock he wore during his 1981 assassination attempt, church officials said.
Members of both the Polish and Jewish communities, including Frank Milewski of the Polish American Congress and Rabbi Moshe Birnbaum of the Polish-Jewish Dialogue Committee, were among those who spoke outside the church before the street sign was unveiled.
Msgr. Peter Zendzian of St. Matthias Parish in nearby Ridgewood remembered Pope John Paul II as a man of humility that no one could ignore.
“He exuded the love of Christ. It is his holiness that made this road his way,” he said. “We honor him as a man of God who showed us to love all of our brothers and sisters.”
A crowd then gathered near the corner of 56th Road and 61st Street, where Crowley was to unveil the sign – or, at least, she was supposed to. Crowley’s tug on the string attached to the covered sign may have detached after her first try, but Holy Cross Pastor Witold Mroziewski had to jump on a ladder and finish the job as the crowd cheered him on.
Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros applauded the Queens community for assembling the ceremony in honor of the late Catholic leader. He delivered the keynote address after a loaded list of speakers remarked on the former pontiff’s legacy.
Cisneros said that while time may weather the street sign, Pope John Paul II’s impact will live on forever because of the impact of his ideas, beliefs, values, and love for humanity.
“This is not about the whole world. It is about a small community of people who come together and share their lives every day,” Cisneros said. “And today, we commemorate a man admired by all men and women of good will. It is more than just a sign. It is about a man and his ideas and it is in his legacy that John Paul II will remain in the human spirit.
John Paul II was elected pope on Oct. 16, 1978 and stayed in that role for nearly 27 years until his death on April 2, 2005. He will be canonized April 27 under current Pope Francis after his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI waived the traditional five-year waiting period before beginning the cause of beatification and canonization.
By Phil Corso
Community leaders and elected officials gathered outside the Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church on 56th Road in Maspeth Sunday afternoon to co-name the street Pope John Paul II Way. Photo courtesy Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley’s Office
