The Religious and Extrareligious Functions of the Polish Ministry Abroad. An Individual Example

Abstract

The present study consist of the author's report on his pastoral and social work in different countries and Polish communities in the course of 43 years. He worked in the following countries: Germany (British dominion in the years 1945-51), the USA (1951-57) and Canada (1957-1987). The author characterizes the environment in which he worked, their spiritual needs, social life and threats connected with migration. The main territory of his work was the Polish parish in Windsor in Canada (1961-87). The author points to the religious-social role both of the pastor, and the parish. An interesting example of that role and of some possibilities in that respect is the fact that they managed in the course of dozen milion dolars to build two housing estates for Polish parishioners (1979-85) and a big Polish centre − Polonia Centre (1984), which have many sided possibilities. The Polish parish in Windsor created a few numbering 10-20 thousand dollars foundations at the local university for the youth, a charitable foundation and two scholar ship foundations for KUL. The author emphasizes the permanent character of social centres and the important social role played by the Polish Ursulin Sisters in that parish.