Action and Suffering in the Service of Truth —Servant of God Father Hiacynth Woroniecki at the University of Lublin

Abstract

Servant of God Father Hiacynth Woroniecki was associated with the University of Lublin for ten years. During that period, he undertook an extraordinary active and many sided engagement which resulted in permanent influence on the existence and shape of the institution; That time had also similar or even fundamental impact on Fr. Woroniecki’s personality and sanctity. The Dominican assumed the duties of lecturer, scientist, administration worker. At the same time, he was taking pastoral care of students, studying priests, consecrated persons, scouts, city citizens and as a vocation director. As a rector he succeeded in convincing the Episcopate and the Polish faithful of the University’s extraordinary significance for both the independent Country and the Catholic Church. He established methods of gaining funds for the maintenance of the University and also took the trouble to carry out its expansion under exceptionally difficult economic circumstances. As a moral authority, he indicated the right direction of engagement and he sustained the hope in the Polish society. However, he was not an activist, nor did he work much outside. While devoting his spirit’s and body’s powers in favour of the university, he was shaping himself too. Nowadays his beatification process is under way. Fr. Woroniecki’s heroic effort of the Lublin period is evidenced by numerous documents left by his co-workers and pupils.