Society of Christ Fathers
Encyclopedia
The Society of Christ Fathers for Poles Living Abroad (SChr) (Latin: Societas Christi pro Emigrantibus Polonis; Polish: Towarzystwo Chrystusowe dla Polonii Zagranicznej) - Roman Catholic Society of Apostolic Life
founded by the then Primate of Poland, Cardinal
August Hlond, in cooperation with Fr. Ignacy Posadzy, September 8, 1932.
regained independence in 1918
, church and civil authorities made efforts to provide Poles living in other countries with every manner of assistance, especially spiritual care. Church leaders in Poland could not ignore the requests for Polish priests raised by Poles in all corners of the world. As guardian of the Polish emigrants abroad, Primate Cardinal A. Hlond consulted with the Holy See
how to meet this demand. After receiving a directive from Pope Pius XI
, he established the Religious Order of the Society of Christ to Polish Migrants in 1932. Hlond charged Fr. Ignacy Posadzy, a priest of the Archdiocese of Gniezno-Poznan, with the execution of this task and he is considered the co-founder of the Society of Christ.
Because of changes brought about after the Polish October
, 1956 was a watershed moment in the realizing the mission of the Society. The first priests began to travel to the territories of their mission work: Brazil, Australia, Germany, France, Canada, the United States.
On 22 April 1950, the Holy See issued Decretum Laudis recognizing the presence of The Society of Christ Fathers in the Universal Church.
!- colspan="3" style="background:#E6E6FA;" | Australian Province - Australia
Australian Province - New Zealand
!- colspan="3" style="background:#E6E6FA;" | French Province - France
French Province - Spain
!- colspan="3" style="background:#E6E6FA;" | Great Britain Province - Iceland
Great Britain Province - England
Great Britain Province - South Africa
!- colspan="3" style="background:#E6E6FA;" | German Province - Germany
German Province - Holland
German Province - Italy
!- colspan="3" style="background:#E6E6FA;" | Polish Province - North-Western region of Poland
!- colspan="3" style="background:#E6E6FA;" | South American Province - Argentina
South American Province - Brazil
South American Province - Uruguay
!- colspan="3" style="background:#E6E6FA;" | North American Province - US
North American Province - Canada
Society of Apostolic Life
A society of apostolic life is a group of men or women within the Catholic Church who have come together for a specific purpose. Unlike members of an institute of consecrated life , members of apostolic societies do not make religious vows...
founded by the then Primate of Poland, Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
August Hlond, in cooperation with Fr. Ignacy Posadzy, September 8, 1932.
History
After PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
regained independence in 1918
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
, church and civil authorities made efforts to provide Poles living in other countries with every manner of assistance, especially spiritual care. Church leaders in Poland could not ignore the requests for Polish priests raised by Poles in all corners of the world. As guardian of the Polish emigrants abroad, Primate Cardinal A. Hlond consulted with the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
how to meet this demand. After receiving a directive from Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
, he established the Religious Order of the Society of Christ to Polish Migrants in 1932. Hlond charged Fr. Ignacy Posadzy, a priest of the Archdiocese of Gniezno-Poznan, with the execution of this task and he is considered the co-founder of the Society of Christ.
Because of changes brought about after the Polish October
Polish October
Polish October, also known as October 1956, Polish thaw, or Gomułka's thaw, marked a change in the Polish internal political scene in the second half of 1956...
, 1956 was a watershed moment in the realizing the mission of the Society. The first priests began to travel to the territories of their mission work: Brazil, Australia, Germany, France, Canada, the United States.
On 22 April 1950, the Holy See issued Decretum Laudis recognizing the presence of The Society of Christ Fathers in the Universal Church.