Bishop Andrzej Suski
Bishop Andrzej Suski, the Ordinary of the Toruń Diocese, became the fifth person in the history of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship to be awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of the region. The ceremony took place on December 19, 2016, during the formal part of the Voivodeship Assembly session. On December 20, a special tribute to Bishop Suski was held at the Artus Court in Toruń, attended by regional authorities and numerous invited guests.
“It is thanks to his efforts that the structures and institutions of our newly established diocese in 1992 were organized from scratch. Recognizing that the foundation of modern society is the local community, he emphasized building a space for social integration and Catholic intellectual and spiritual formation. Bishop Andrzej – for many a mentor, for all a good steward, and a man of dialogue – is a figure held in great, indisputable, and universal respect,” emphasized Marshal Piotr Całbecki. “The title of Honorary Citizen of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship once again goes into deserving hands.”
Born on Christmas Eve in 1941 in Płock, Bishop Suski graduated high school there and then completed seminary studies at the Płock Seminary, where he was ordained as a priest. Shortly afterward, he traveled to Rome, where he pursued further studies and obtained his doctorate from the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Pontifical Biblical Institute. Upon his return to Poland, he became an academic teacher and a mentor to young priests, lecturing at the Academy of Catholic Theology in Warsaw.
One of his first acts as the inaugural bishop of Toruń was to establish the diocesan branch of Caritas, which provides widespread assistance to hundreds of people in need throughout the region. Today, the organization operates branches in Toruń, Grudziądz, and Brodnica, as well as community support centers in Chełmno and Chełmża, a nursing care center, a medical center, a volunteer center, a school dormitory in Grudziądz, and a university dormitory in Przysiek. Its soup kitchens serve thousands of free meals daily to those in need.
A year after his enthronement, in 1993, he founded the Higher Theological Seminary in Toruń. Thanks to his efforts, the Faculty of Theology at Nicolaus Copernicus University was established in 2001. Many institutions were established by his decision or inspired by him, including the diocesan archive of historical records, a library, a museum, a cultural center at Bierzgłowo Castle, the Catholic Psychological and Pastoral Center, and a modern Youth Education Center in Górsk. One of his successful and impactful initiatives was the Colloquia Toruniensia, a series of discussion meetings addressing significant ethical and social issues, gathering Christian intellectuals from Poland and beyond.
“The regional government can always count on Bishop Suski’s goodwill and cooperation in implementing projects that serve the people of the region. He is held in great and universal respect. His wisdom as a preacher, diligence as a steward, ability to engage in dialogue, and radiant kindness have won him widespread admiration,” reads the justification for the resolution adopted by the Voivodeship Assembly in October, granting him honorary citizenship.
