Tadeusz Rydzyk

Tadeusz Rydzyk was born out of wedlock to his mother, the widowed Mrs. Rydzyk, and her boyfriend Bronisław Kordaszewski and spent his childhood in Olkusz.[1] He studied at the Higher Spiritual Seminary of Redemptorists in Tuchów, and later at the Catholic Theology Academy in Warsaw. He was ordained a priest in 1971 and taught religion in Toruń, Szczecinek and Kraków. In 1986 Fr. Rydzyk left for West Germany where he was involved with a radio station Radio Maria International in Balderschwang (later closed by the Catholic Church authorities for moving away from Catholic doctrine).

Following his return to Poland in 1991, Rydzyk started Radio Maryja, the second worldwide Catholic radio station (the first being Vatican Radio). He established the Catholic newspaper Nasz Dziennik ('Our Daily') and the television station Trwam ('I Persist').

On 8 October 2009, Fr. Rydzyk earned a PhD in Theology from the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw.[2]

During XIX International Catholic Film Festival Niepokalanów 2004 for the first time awards Multimedia in service of a Gospel were given and recipients were Fr. Tadeusz Rydzyk and Mel Gibson.

On September 15, 2007 he was awarded the Mater Verbi Catholic weekly „Niedziela” prize on Jasna Góra. The prize is given to people who contributed to "Niedziela" from Poland and abroad.

On June 28, 2009, Fr. Tadeusz Rydzyk received św. Stanisław Medal in appreciation of works that he has inspired.

On October 26, 2009 he received medal „Zło dobrem zwyciężaj” for his work for the Church and for Poland and for promoting teachings of Jerzy Popiełuszko.

In 2010, Tadeusz Rydzyk received the Blessed Jerzy Ciesielski Award.

In September 2010, he received "Sursum Corda" prize of the weekly "Niedziela."

In December 2013, he received the „Tibi Mater Polonia” Cross.

In February 2011, Fr. Rydzyk was fined 3500 zlotys after the local district court in Toruń found that he broke the law by using Radio Maryja to call for donations to TV Trwam, the University of Social and Media Culture and the geothermal drilling conducted by the Lux Veritatis Foundation.[3]

In June 2011, while meeting members of the European Parliament, he called Poland "an uncivilized country" and "a totalitarian regime," and claimed that it was not ruled by Poles. The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested against these statements and sent a diplomatic note to the Holy See, to which Catholic religious orders, including the Redemptorists, are subject.[4]

In 2006, the US-based Anti-Defamation League accused Rydzyk and his Radio Maryja station of antisemitism.[5] However, Rydzyk also has Jewish backers, including Jonny Daniels, an Orthodox Jew from England who heads the "From the Depths Foundation" in Warsaw that highlights the heroism of Poles who rescued Jews during the war and who is a frequent guest on Rydzyk's media outlets. Daniels said that he "feels like a part of the Radio Maryja family."[6]

• Redemptorists

• Tadeusz Rydzyk's Facebook Page