At the Church of Christ the King in Bolesławiec, the funeral ceremonies for Prelate Józef Gołębiowski have begun. He was the parish’s longtime priest, the church’s builder and one of the important figures in the history of the Church in Bolesławiec.
Official farewells took place even before the funeral Mass. A coffin containing the prelate’s body was placed in the church. Very many parishioners came, including former parishioners who no longer live in Bolesławiec but wanted to personally say goodbye to the priest who had been connected with the Parish of Christ the King for decades.
During the farewells, among others, Józef Gołębiowski’s brother spoke. It was he who said: “He was a shepherd who smelled of his sheep.” In this way, he emphasized how closely Father Gołębiowski was connected with the parish and the people to whom he devoted his life. Dawid Sarbak, a member of the parish council and a councillor on the Bolesławiec City Council, spoke on behalf of the parishioners. He did not conceal his emotion during the speech.
Flag-bearing delegations are also taking part in the ceremonies. The presence of so many people shows how deep a mark the prelate left on the life of the parish and the residents of Bolesławiec.
Józef Gołębiowski was born on 1 September 1941. He was ordained a priest on 21 June 1969 in Wrocław. He served for 57 years. Among other roles, he was parish priest and builder of the church at the Parish of Christ the King in Bolesławiec from 1983 to 2016.
Prelate Józef Gołębiowski was also chaplain to Bolesławiec’s “Solidarity,” supported the opposition during martial law and was awarded, among other distinctions, the Cross of Freedom and Solidarity, the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta and the title of Honorary Citizen of the City of Bolesławiec.
The funeral Mass began today, 23 June, at 12:00 at the parish Church of Christ the King in Bolesławiec. It is presided over by Auxiliary Bishop Piotr Wawrzynek. After the Mass, the remainder of the funeral ceremony will take place at the municipal cemetery on Śluzowa Street in Bolesławiec.