Vincentian Priests and Brothers

Warsaw was another stage of Superior’s General trip in Poland. At about 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, our Honored Guest accompanied by the Visitor and the Provincial Secretary arrived to Holy Cross House in Warsaw, the oldest Vincentian community in Poland and one of oldest in the world. Holy Cross Parish in Warsaw was received by Congregation of the Mission in 1653, two years after first Missioners arrived do Poland sent by St. Vincent de Paul himself. Nowadays it is the longest held parish in the whole Congregation and Vincentian house in Warsaw is the third oldest in the world.

This house is Maison Mere for Province of Poland. Provincial House was located here until 1864. Internal Seminary, theological seminary were here, too. Missioners traveling across the country preaching missions resided here. As part of repressions following January uprising Congregation of the Mission was suppressed in Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania both under Russian administration. Vincentians were forced to moved from Holy Cross. They returned to this parish in 1918, right after Poland received independence again. During WWII the church and the house were completely destroyed and ruined. After the war they were rebuilt according to old plans. Presently, it is one of most important churches inn Warsaw and Poland. There are  many noble Poles who were buried in the lower church crypt.

After arrival, Fr. Greg took short refresh. Fr. Karol Mrowiec CM, the oldest confrere in the house who turned 90 last month, well known and merited professor of Musicology and composer met him. Afterwards, Fr. Marek Białkowski CM, superior and pastor of the parish introduced Superior General to range of renovation and redecoration works held in the house and the Basilica. Next the Guests went to lower church where they were shown renovation progress and visited necropolis in the crypt. There are many noble and merited Poles buried in the crypt.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

At 7 p.m. in the community room, superior of the house welcomed Superior General in the Holy Cross officially. Attending in the meeting were not only confreres residing in the parish but also others from Mission House at Radna Street, chaplaincy at Daughters of Charity Provincial House at Tamka street and the parish in Ignacow who belong to this community. Fr. General has also met Daughters of Charity who do their service in the Holy Cross House.

After supper, the meeting continued. Pastor greeted Fr. Karol Mrowiec and Fr Janusz Ocwieja on occasion of nameday, they celebrated today. During the fraternal dialog Fr. General told confreres about activities of the Congregation in the world. He described actions taken due to Jubilee Year of 350th Anniversary of death of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac. The Guest answered all questions asked by the confreres. He himself was very interested in their ministry and activities. The meeting was quite long.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

In the morning, after breakfast Superior General has made an inscription in the parish chronicle. And next he left the House heading to visit Province of Warsaw Daughters of Charity. This visit will be reported in another post. We could provide you this story thanks to Fr Marek Bialkowski, the superior and to Fr. Pawel Rycyk.

International viewers can visit our English site to read stories from Superior’s General visit to Poland or follow us on Twitter. Facebook users can visit our page there. There’s a map of places visited by Superior General in Poland, too. Czytaj także pozostałe informacje na temat wizyty Przełożonego Generalnego w Polsce w naszym serwisie. Najświeższe informacje możecie znaleźć w kanale CM_Polonia na Twitterze. Użytkownicy Facebook-a mogą śledzić wizytę na stronie Zgromadzenie Księży Misjonarzy.  Polecamy także mapę z zaznaczonymi miejscami odwiedzanymi przez O. Generała.

Tags: C.M., Poland, Superior General, visits, Warsaw