News Catholic Church, Faith

Dorothy Cummings McLean

WARSAW, Poland, October 2, 2017 (LifeSiteNews) — One million Poles are expected to pray the Rosary together around the borders of Poland on October 7. LifeSiteNews got in touch with Maciej “Maciek” Bodasiński, one of the organizers of the “Rosary at the Borders” event, to find out more about the initiative.

LSN: Who are the organizers of the “Rosary to the Borders” crusade?

Bodasiński: The “Solo Dios Basta” Foundation. That’s two filmmakers, Maciek (Bodasiński) and Leszek (Lech Dokowicz), and with them their wives and nine children. Agnieszka is a public relations specialist consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Michał is a computer scientist who spends hours on his knees every day, Łukasz is an advertising specialist with a very warm heart, and Bartosz is the boss of the foundation: he always keeps the office running smoothly. Generally a great team!


We are a group of laypeople who have done various evangelical activities for years: We organize retreats, we give Christian witness in schools and parishes. Last year, we invited Poles to a great penitential prayer for the sins committed in the past in our country. One hundred and fifty thousand people came to the spiritual heart of Poland, the sanctuary of the Mother of God, Queen of Poland at Jasna Góra (i.e. Częstochowa). It was a powerful prayer; we begged God to heal us from the effects of our sins.

This year, now in 2017, in the 100th anniversary of the revelations of the Mother of God in Fatima, we want to follow her call to pray the rosary for the rescue of the world. The Rosary to the Borders is not a crusade because we don’t want to fight with anyone. It is a giant commotion for, not against, something. We firmly follow her command, and we will pray at the borders of our country, going out in prayer and witness to the whole world, so that the Mercy of God is not confined to any border.

LSN: How many people have officially signed up to participate?

Bodasiński: As of 30th September, 22:38 Polish time, 99,367 people. The number is growing faster and faster. There are many more coming to the prayer without registering. Generally, we expect approximately one million.

LSN: What are the dangers from which you hope to save Poland and the world?

Bodasiński: This is purely a spiritual event. So when we write our motto “Save Poland and the whole world”, we think “Save” rather than “save”, if you know what I mean. We desire to pray for the conversion of Poland, Europe and the whole world to Christ so that more souls will be saved from eternal damnation and find their path to God.

In the face of growing tension, threats of war, and terrorism, we want to pray for peace for the world. But peace is understood not just as lack of war but as the peace of God, the peace of the heart. Many people who have converted say that this is the greatest gift that they have received from the Creator — peace of heart. Whatever happens, you trust [in God], and you are calm. We pray for peace for people, among people, and among nations.


It isn’t and can never be prayer against someone. Prayer is never against someone, it is always FOR someone. Otherwise it would be a curse.

With our prayer we are not trying to “force” some concrete action on God. Simply we ask the Lord through His Mother to heal our roots, so (we) can give fruit once again.

LSN: What about such dangers to Poland as foreign interests who are trying to change Poland’s Catholic culture?

Bodasiński: We don’t think that way at all. We don’t try to define any concrete people or group who might pose a threat. The most important intention is to convert, to save the souls of people in Poland and the whole world.

We entrust everything to Mary, and we leave up to her what the fruits of this prayer will be. We try to be more like children: Mother has asked us to pray the rosary, so we pray the rosary. She asked for penance, so we do penance. We try to believe in her unreservedly, having absolute certainty that if we entrust the fate of Poland and the whole world to her, we will be saved.

LSN: How can Polish-Americans and other friends of Poland help with the “Rosary to the Borders?”

Bodasiński: The best way to help is to pray together on that day, on the Feast of Mary, Queen of the Rosary. If you really want to help, organize groups at home and in parishes who will recite the whole rosary — all four parts, 20 decades. If you organize such a group, or you know of its existence, please let us know. We will add the group to our map. Already now there are dozens of places in the whole world (see here) which are connected to us spiritually. Who knows? Maybe a network of these rosaries will cover the whole world.

Translated from Polish by Dorothy Cummings McLean