Kazimierz Mochlinski was the first person to bring to Britain the pastoral programmes upon which the formation work of the Polish Catholic Mission in England and Wales (PMK) and the Institute of Polish Catholic Action (IPAK) were based, writes Józef Łopuszyński.
He was a member of the Board of IPAK from 1964 and for many years served as the liaison officer with the Polish Episcopate. During the Communist era he took Vatican documents, translated into Polish, to Poland.
He took part in the first Congress of Catholic Action in Poznań, and later, in Przemysł, played an active part in the Second National Plenary Synod in Poland.
He also helped to write a document about the Polish émigré community.
In Rome, he took part in a meeting of Polish Primate Cardinal Glemp’s Social Council and also in meetings of Poles who came from all over the world to take part in the pastoral and other commissions of Kraków, Warsaw and Pułtusk.
He received the Gold Service Cross from Cardinal Glemp for his work.
Kazimierz Mochlinski died a happy death shortly after receiving Holy Communion during a Mass that was celebrated at home with his wife and family around him.
The chief concelebrant at his Requiem Mass was Archbishop Szczepan Wesoły who came especially for the occasion from Rome.
A tribute from Cardinal Glemp was read out at the Mass. It said: “I thank God for this: that in England, among the Polonia [Polish diaspora], matured such a great patriot, loving both the Church and Poland. His actions, always imbued with peace, are more accurately known by God than they will ever be known on earth.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord!” In another message read out at the funeral Bishop Andrzej Dziuba, former secretary to Cardinal Glemp, wrote: “I knew the deceased very well, from many meetings both in London and Poland, especially in Warsaw. Many were the moments of deep reflection and concern about Polish matters and those of the Church. Throughout his whole long life he emanated a great feeling of responsibility for the faith, his own as well as that of others. I thank him for all the good that I experienced.
“Kazimierz, to whom we are saying farewell today, was a greatly valued member of the engineering world, as well as an outstanding expert on the British Polonia. His commitment to Polish Catholic Action and many other areas of pastoral work remain as an example of a man close to God and people.”
In a letter to Mr Mochlinski’s wife Polish politician Władysław Bartoszewski wrote: “I was belatedly informed of the passing of your husband, Kazimierz Mochlinski, a man who has been of great service to Poland – that is, to us all.
“As we were both given to know him for over 35 years, my wife and I would like you to accept our most sincere condolences for your whole family and especially yourself on the occasion of this sad earthly parting. The only consolation is surely that we all believe in eternal life and such is the view of our mutual friends.”
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