Reverend Stanisław Bełch as a Model of Patriotism (1904-1989)

Abstract

Reverend Stanisław Bełch was born on 3 January 1904 in the vicinity of Strzyżów on the Wisłok and died on 3 June 1989 in Korczyn near Krosno. He came from a numerous family. He attended primary school in Sobniów near Jasło. He was further educated in the classical grammar-school in Jasło. After leaving it he entered the Theological Seminary in Przemyśl in 1924.

As a seminarist he began his pastorate work by organizing a boy-scout organization in the Jasło grammar-school; he also organized celebrations and parties as well as lectures on various subjects.

He was ordained by Bishop Anatol Nowak in the Przemyśl diocese on 29 June 1928. As a curate he performed his pastoral duties first in Jasienica Rosielna near Brzozów, and then in the Cathedral parish in Przemyśl, in Dobromil, in Sokołów Małopolski, in Krosno and in Wrocanka. His zealous work was received with hatred by the anti-Church circles. For its reason he was constantly attacked and even persecuted. The outbreak of World War II in September 1939 completely changed his life. Threatened with execution, by the Bishop's order he left to Kołomyja where he took care of the wounded. Next he managed to get to Romania, Rome, Scotland and London, which became the area of his intensive work in the service for the Polish emigration.

His contributions to that cause are numerous. The most important achievements that today have historic significance include initiating Catholic publishing in Polish and stimulating Polish intellectuals as well as Polish youth to study Thomism.

His historical research resulted in editing two volumes of a work on Paul Włodkowic, as well as of one devoted to Stanislaus the Bishop and the Martyr. The crowning glory of his editing work was the preparation of a Polish translation of St Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae. The fact that for the first time in history the whole of this fundamental work by St Thomas was published in Polish, and that St Thomas spoke to Poles in their contemporary language – is owed to Reverend Stanisław Bełch and a circle of Polish Thomists.

Reverend Doctor Stanisław Bełch was a hard worker. He was a man of heroic virtues of godliness, poverty and devotion to God's service, as well as to the Church and the Polish nation, from which he came. How much good his books and innumerable articles did, can be estimated by the ones who used them. And if they used them, it is well worth knowing who they owe it to.