THE DAYTONA BEACH NEWS-JOURNAL
Daytona Beach, Florida
Wednesday, February 27, 2002

FLAGLER PRIEST BAYER, ACTIVIST, FRIEND OF POPE
By Cindi Brownfield, Staff Writer

KORONA - Monsignor Walter C. Bayer, a native of Poland and friend and contemporary of Pope John Paul II, died Monday night at his home in Korona in Flagler County. He was 89.

Bayer's life was one of service to others, said the Rev. Stanislaus Chmura, his friend and aide. During World War II, Bayer was a hero in the Polish underground, and later worked as a teacher and parish priest in Krakow, Poland, and in Chicago.

He "retired" to Korona in 1977 after being a regular visitor for a number of years. Bayer cared for his fellow immigrants and led Mass in his native language at St. Mary's Queen of Poland Catholic Church until earlier this month, when his health declined, Chmura said Tuesday.

"Everybody loved him. He was a man of prayer, very dedicated, very sociable. He loved the people," Chmura said. "It is a big loss for the congregation."

Bayer was born into a noble family in Wisniowa, Poland, in 1912 and graduated from high school in 1934 in Krakow. He was ordained to the priesthood Christmas Day 1939, and later received a master's degree in theology from the University of Krakow.

When the Nazis occupied Poland during World War II, Bayer helped save the lives of about 50 Jews by hiding them in his home and arranging for Catholic baptism papers for them. He helped get them out of the country to Austria, Turkey, Spain and the United States. Nine members of Bayer's family, including his brother, were killed by Germans during the occupation. Bayer himself had three teeth broken by brass knuckles during questioning by a German officer searching for Jews.

Bayer met the Rev. Karol Wojtyla, now Pope John Paul II, in 1946 when the two were assigned to the same parish in Krakow. They spent 18 years teaching together at the University of Krakow and became good friends, staying in touch through letters.

In 1961, Bayer was a high school teacher in Krakow when the Communist government removed priests from schools. He left Poland and joined his family in Paris. Five months later he settled in Chicago, pasturing two parishes. He became a U.S. citizen in 1966.

When Wojtyla was elected as Pope in 1978, Bayer was very happy, said Wanda Podolski, a member of St. Mary's in Korona.

Bayer regularly helped people find jobs and aided the poor, often sending packages to Poland, Chmura said. St. Mary's had a dozen members when Bayer arrived, and now has about 300.

Survivors include his brother, Tadewsz Bajer, of Poland, and many nieces and nephews in Po­land and France.

Visitation will be held 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Friday at St. Mary's. Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at the church, with burial following at St. Mary's Cemetery. Masses in Bayer's memory are requested as remembrances.

Craig Funeral Home, Flagler Beach, is in charge.