Pastoral Actions of the Polish Priests of the Tarnów Diocese for the Polish Seasonal Emigrants (1904-1913)

Abstract

Mass seasonal emigration from Galicia on the turn of the 19th century brought many moral damages to the emigrants — the youth in particular. The Polish Galician priests made hard efforts to evangelize the seasonal emigration to Germany. Weaker faith and lax morals were typical of the seasonal emigrants coming back to their native parishes for winter. Thus, every year some Polish priests were sent to Germany in summer to carry the pastoral services for the emigrants. In 1908 rev. M. Przywara worked in Saxony and Badeny. The next year rev. M. Jeż and rev. J. Smolka travelled there. The inquiry of the Consistory (1910) concerning the problem of emigration and the Diocesan Council of Pastoral Care for Emigrants founded by bishop Leon Wałęga in 1911 contributed a lot to better pastoral services. In 1912 the following priests left for Saxony: M. Przywara, S. Müller, T. Stawarz and J. Szewczyk; in 1913 rev. P. Maciaszek joined them. Besides, in 1909 rev. I. Górka went to France and in 1912 rev. J. Kaliciński to Westphalia. Rev. K. Szczekiik worked occasionally in Switzerland. In 1904-1913 10 Polish priests, catechists of the Tarnów diocese in particular, were active among the Polish workers abroad. They performed 12 pastoral actions there.