[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 175 (Tuesday, December 6, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1600]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            MOURNING THE PASSING OF FATHER PAUL KWIATKOWSKI

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 6, 2016

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, as Catholics worldwide celebrate the feast 
of St. Nicholas today, the life of Father Paul Kwiatkowski will be 
celebrated in a Funeral Mass at Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral 
in Toledo, Ohio. With eternally grateful hearts but deepest sadness at 
his passing, thousands of citizens across our community mourn the 
passing of Fr. Paul, a loving, gentle, and kind apostle of Christ. Fr. 
Paul was beloved by all who knew him. And we know him through his 
works. As our perceptive Aunt Esther would observe: ``Now, that was a 
priest!''
  How many of us hold unforgettable memories of Fr. Paul's selfless 
service and abiding kindness, always in the heart of our community. His 
steady and faith filled journey among us imbued the word ``faith'' with 
real meaning. A favorite memory for me is the beautiful, annual 
Memorial Day Mass with appropriate observances at Mt. Carmel Cemetery 
for veterans and their families, at which he would officiate. A gifted 
musician, many times he would play his violin under the budding trees 
as his cassock blew gently in the spring winds. There was a sense of 
peace and connectedness to the awesome power of creation he brought to 
every occasion. A hospitable lunch always followed at the former Polish 
American Veterans Association Post on Lagrange Street. I too recall the 
moving Polish Mass at the former St. Hedwig's before the Polish 
Festival opened, as the church doors swung wide and the congregants 
filled the sidewalks. To Toledo's Polonia, those of Polish-American 
heritage, he was a revered touchstone and valued counselor. I similarly 
treasure the memories of the Central American garment workers he hosted 
at St. James Catholic Church, a reminder of the work that remains to be 
done on worker exploitation across our hemisphere. Fr. Paul's service 
always managed to meet the suffering edge of humanity. And his spirit 
gave strength to others.
  Fr. Paul was a learned man, but he possessed a rare gift for 
communicating with people of all persuasions. He was an educator and 
Latin teacher as well as a fine musician, and people naturally drew to 
him. His wonderful sense of humor and twinkling eyes had their own way 
of communicating ``you are welcome.'' He dedicated his life to 
ministering to congregations in the heart of our city, always including 
some of the poorest precincts in Toledo. His rare leadership and 
tutelage of the Lagrange Stickney and Broadway neighborhoods sparked 
and immeasurably contributed to the neighborhoods' ongoing 
revitalization. His work at St. James and Immaculate Conception 
Catholic parishes made newcomers feel welcome. He consistently engaged 
with the people of the broader neighborhood, extending beyond the walls 
of the churches he pastored. Fr. Paul defined evangelization by 
embracing community.
  I cannot even imagine nor count the number of individuals he 
counseled and comforted over a half century of his service. I do know 
our Toledo community remains grateful forever that he gave his life for 
us. He was a people's priest, a diocesan priest. He lived his vows.
  May the angels lift him high, ushering him to paradise where there 
will always be music, joy and peace.

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