Rev. Dr. Andrzej Czeluśniak a Missionary of La Salette

Abstract

Czeluśniak was born on 20^th November 1907 in Dębowiec, the “Polish La Salette”. He took the first religious profession on 9^th September 1927 and was sent to study philosophy at the Gregorian University in Rome. In that period he took perpetual religious vows on 7^th October 1931. He was ordained to the priesthood on 2^nd July 1933 by Marchetti Cardinal Selvaggiani. The Roman studies were crowned with a doctor's degree in philosophy and licentiate in canon law and theology. Thus thoroughly educated he returned to his home Dębowiec and the monastery to hold professorship in the then Theological Seminary. At the same time he was active in developing the cult of Our Lady of La Salette.

Due to war activities, he escaped to Hungary to save his life. He worked there as a chaplain in several camps of internment in the vicinity of Budapest, and participated in the works and organisation of the “Catholic Universal University”. From 11^th February 1940 onwards the University, in the form of various courses, was conducted in military camps and settlements of civil refugees.

We do not know any details from the life of Rev. Czeluśniak after his arrest in the camp in Mathausen, where he received number 102582, nor late in Dachau, where his number was 134362. He lived to see liberation on 29^th April 1945.

After gaining independence, he returned to the country. Dedicated to the cause of the Church he took lectures in theology in the academic year of 1945/46 in Darmsstadt, Germany. Then, following an instruction from his superiors, he left for Argentina. There he was wholeheartedly dedicated to the charisma of his Congregation. This new period in his life was marked with pastoral care abroad (34 years). One should distinguish the following periods in Rev. Czeluśniak's life then: professorship (academic work) in the Theological Seminary, being superior of the home, parish priest, and provincial (superior) of the vice-province in the Queen of the Apostles in Argentina; he also worked as an editor-in-chief in the “Posłaniec Matki Boskiej Saletyńskiej” [The Messenger of Our Lady of La Salette].

In 1979 he returned to Argentinean Olivet, then without his “organisational” duties, as a resident – missionary and confessor. He died on 10^th October 1983.