Józef Andrasz

Józef Andrasz SJ (born October 16, 1891 in Wielopole, Nowy Sącz County, dead February 1, 1963 in Kraków) was the confessor of saint Faustina Kowalska.

He has been working in Wydawnictwo Apostolstwa Modlitwy (the Publishing House of the Apostleship of Prayer). From his inspiration it published 41 volumes of Biblioteka Życia Wewnętrznego (the Library of the Internal Life). They were mostly translations of great ascethic works and Andrasz himself made many of them. He has been also the editor-in-chief of very popular newspaper Posłaniec Serca Jezusowego (the Messenger of the Heart of Jesus) and the national manager of the Apostleship of Prayer (Apostolstwo Modlitwy) and Dzieło Poświęcenia Rodzin (the Cause of the Consecration of Families).

During the stay of saint Faustina Kowalska in Kraków he was her confessor and great aid. In 1943, in the Divine Mercy Sanctuary (Kraków), he started the public devotion to the Divine Mercy. The same year, under his direction, the most popular Image of Divine Mercy (exhibited in this church) was painted by Adolf Hyła. Saint Faustina Kowalska mentions father Andrasz many times in her Diary, among others in following words:

It is a strange thing, nevertheless, that confessors could neither understand me nor set my mind at peace concerning these matters, until I met father Andrasz and, later on, father Sopoćko. (111)

The Lord is giving me the promised help; I can see it in two priests – namely, father Andrasz and father Sopoćko. [...] I had impeded and feared God's grace for so long, and now God Himself, through father Andrasz, has removed all difficulties. (141-142)

My daughter, let nothing frighten or disconcert you; remain deeply at peace. Everything is in My hands; I will give You to understand everything through father Andrasz. Be like a child towards him. (Jesus' words, 219)

His answers brought a great peace into my soul. His words were, are, and always will be pillars of fire which enlightened and will go on enlightening my soul in its pursuit of the gratest sanctity. (233)

Today, I went to confession to father Andrasz – this priest who is so filled with the Spirit of God, who untied my wings so that I could soar to the highest summits. [...] A wonderful power of God came over me after that confession. [...] My soul drowned itself in a prayer of thanksgiving for all the graces that the Lord had granted me through the mediation of father Andrasz. (257-258)

After these his words a wonderful light entered my soul. Oh how good is the Lord! (623)

I suddenly saw the Lord Jesus in a great brightness, as He is painted, and at Jesus' feet of I saw father Andrasz and father Sopoćko. Both were holding pens in the hand, and flashes and fire like lightning, were coming from the tips of their pens and striking a great crowd of people who were hurrying, I know not where, in its running. When [one] was touched by the ray, he turned his back on the crowd and held out his hands to Jesus. Some returned with great joy, others with great pain and regret. Jesus was looking with great graciousness at the both. [...] I felt and I know how greatly Jesus loves them; I am not writing this in detail, but I know about this, and it makes me very happy. (675-676)

The Infant Jesus ran with joy to the center of the altar, and the Mother of God said to me: See with what calm I entrust Jesus into his hands; so and you are to entrust your soul and be a child to him. (677)

I saw father Andrasz today, in kneeling attitude and sunk in prayer, and suddenly Jesus stood by him and held out both hands over his head, and said to me: He will lead you through; have no fear! (712)

I noticed that father Andrasz answered all my questions about things which the Lord has asked of me so clearly and with such assurance that it was as though he were experiencing it all himself. O my Jesus, in only there were more spiritual directors of this kind, souls under such guidance would very quickly reach the summits of sanctity and would not waste such great graces. (749)

[Jesus said:] I am very much at home in his heart. And I was not at all surprised at this, because I know he loves Jesus very much. (879)

When I set to work at underliling the Lord's words and thus was going through everything in sequence, I reached the page where I had marked down father Andrasz's advice and directions. I did not know what to do, to underline or not to underline, and then I heard these words in my soul: Underline, because these words are Mine; I have borrowed the lips of the friend of My heart in order to speak to you and reassure you. You are to observe these directions until your death. It would not please Me at all if you were to disobey these directions. Know that it is I who have placed him between Myself and your soul. I am doing this to set you at peace and so that you may not err. (967)

When I was praying for the intention of father Andrasz, I learned how very pleasing he is to God. Since then, I have had even greater respect for him, as for a saint. This have given me great joy, and I thank God fervently for it. (978)

Today, as I was praying for the intention of father Andrasz, I suddenly understood how intimately this soul communed with God and how pleasing he was for the Lord. (1012)

During one time of prayer, I learned how pleasing to God was the soul of father Andrasz. He is a true child of God. It is rare that divine sonship shines forth so clearly in a soul, and this because he has a special devotion to the Mother of God. (1388)

I am very grateful to the Lord for having given me an enlightened priest. (1596)


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