Wisconsin priest's legacy lives on at Peruvian orphanage

LURIN, Peru (CNS) -- In 1975, Msgr. Joseph Hirsch spent a month living in Lima's slums as he backpacked through South America. Now he's back in Peru, working to prove a man he met that year is a saint.

But proving a man is a saint is no easy job, and it will take years of interviews, investigation, paperwork and prayer.

Father Joseph Walijewski from the Diocese of La Crosse, Wis., diocese died in Peru in 2006, after 35 years of serving the country's poor. On March 19, his sainthood cause was launched in La Crosse.

"Even if it takes 200 years to canonize him, I think his story is something that can impact us today," said Msgr. Hirsch, who is also from the La Crosse Diocese.

When young Msgr. Hirsch met Father Walijewski, the older priest was working in Villa El Salvador, a Lima slum. He dreamed of starting an orphanage to help the abandoned and abused children he saw daily.

In 1985, Blessed John Paul II visited Villa El Salvador. Father Walijewski shared his dream with the pope, who donated $50,000. Father Walijewski named the orphanage Casa Hogar Juan Pablo II.

continue at CNS



HT GM

La Crosse diocese seeks sainthood for beloved missionary priest

The Rev. Joseph Walijewski was a saint in the eyes of the poor he served as a La Crosse diocesan missionary priest in Bolivia and Peru, where he established several parishes and founded an orphanage.

Now the diocese is trying to have him declared a saint in the eyes of the church as well. Walijewski, who died of pneumonia and acute leukemia in 2006 at age 82, will become the second sainthood candidate from the diocese.

La Crosse Bishop William Callahan will formally launch the effort for Walijewski’s sainthood at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Cathedral of St. Joseph the Workman downtown.

The edict will ask for anyone who can provide testimony, “good or bad,” about Walijewski to be considered during the sainthood process.

Walijewski’s successor as director of Casa Hogar Juan Pablo II, the orphanage he founded in Lurin, Peru, expects testimonials to be good.

continue at La Crosse Tribune

Fr. Walijewski's mother had an incredible devotion to St. Joseph(in fact I think she prayed that she would die on his feast day and did!).  A decent looking website has been put together..... even better looking than the La Crosse Diocese website(I know, hard to believe!).

.... I got strange news on another American cause.... I'll post info once I have it.