Online Conference in Polish on Fr. Roman Malek (1951–2019)

On March 13, Stowarzyszenie Sinicum im. Michała Boyma SJ (Association “Sinicum” of Michael Boym S.J.), which was established in 2011 thanks to Fr. Malek S.V.D.’s engagement for the Church in China in Poland, organized an online conference dedicated to Fr. Malek with the title: „O. Roman Malek (1951-2019): Werbista, który inspirował nas swoją pracą dla Kościoła w Chinach” (Fr. Roman Malek [1951–2019]: A Divine Missionary Who Inspired Our Work for the Church in China). The conference, organized by Fr. Jacek Gniadek S.V.D. (director) and Sr. Aleksandra Huf S.S.p.S. (vice-director), consisted of three lectures and nine personal recollections about Fr. Roman Malek. The following lectures were held:

• 1) Zbigniew Wesołowski SVD: „Polski werbista i wybitny sinolog Roman Malek SVD (1951–2019): Ogólna charakterystyka działalności i twórczości oraz jego poszukiwanie istoty religijności chińskiej” (Polish Divine Missionary and Outstanding Sinologist Roman Malek SVD [1951–2019]: General Characteristics of His Life and Work and His Search for the Nature of Chinese Religiosity);

• 2) Piotr Adamek SVD: „O. Roman Malek SVD i dialog międzykulturowy” (Fr. Roman Malek S.V.D. and Intercultural Dialogue)

• 3) Antoni Koszorz SVD: „Historia utworzenia i działalność Stowarzyszenia Sinicum” (History of the Establishment and Activities of Association “Sinicum” of Michael Boym S.J.).

In between these three lectures, personal memories about Roman Malek were shared first by his friends from the elementary and high school, Weronika and Zdzisław Kreft, followed by Fr. Edward Michowski S.V.D., Sr. Aleksandra Huf SSpS, Fr. Dariusz Klejnowski-Różycki (Opole), Fr. Tomasz Szyszka S.V.D., Fr. Jan Konior S.J. (Kraków), Fr. Jan Hou (Warszawa), Sr. Jana Zhang and Sr. Katarzyna Wu. During the online conference, Maria Sztuka, the editor-in-chief of the bulletin Chiny Dzisiaj (China Today) presented a special edition of devoted to Fr. Roman Malek on the occasion of the first memory of his death (29 November). Another publication in memory of Fr. Malek is being prepared by the Polish Province of the S.V.D. under the aegis of Fr. Michał Studnik S.V.D., a commemorative book with the title: Profesor Roman Malek SVD i jego dzieło dla Kościoła w Chinach. Księga pamiątkowa (Professor Roman Malek S.V.D. and His Work for the Church in China: Commemorative Volume), forthcoming soon.