Historical calendar: November 14, 1852 – death of Karol Antoniewicz

Historical calendar – the anniversary of the death of a prominent priest – Karol Antoniewicz, who devoted his life to fighting alcoholism and epidemics.

Today in our calendar we will look at the life and activities of this distinguished man.

Charles came from the Polishized Armenian household Joseph and Josepha from the home of Nikorovich. He was born and raised in Lviv, where his father worked as a lawyer. The parent was a profoundly believing Catholic female who instilled in him a warm religion and Polish patriotism. In those days, it was typical that the boy followed in his father’s footsteps and took over his profession. For this reason, young Charles undertook a law degree which he completed in 1827.

In the meantime, he visited a large area of Central Europe, from Vienna to Moldova and Bukovina. He was a very delicate and interesting individual in the world. He was curious in poesy and music. After the outbreak of the November Revolution, he moved north to join 1 of the Volyn insurgent parties. Volunteers were very rapidly surrounded by Russians and forced to return to the borders of Galicia. Charles managed to escape, but he was threatened by an Austrian court and prison.

Therefore, he went to Italy for a time. Upon his return, he began to manage his mother's land property in Skwarzawa. In 1832, he married his cousin, Sophia Nikorovichovina, with whom he had 5 children. Unfortunately, all of them died in infancy over 7 years. Charles felt that this was God's will and that despair should not be given up. He and his wife began to devote his time and money to helping the mediocre by pouring unfulfilled fatherly love upon them.

In his court, he opened a infirmary and a school where he and Sophia taught agrarian children to write, read, and count. In his free time, he organized cultural events and fun for students and patients, during which he played piano and sang spiritual songs with them. He tried to fight alcoholism among peasants, who was at the time the top nightmare of agrarian social life. At the beginning of 1839, Sophia became sick with tuberculosis, then fatal.

After a fewer months, she died, making Charles completely alone. He did not break down, and this time, for his main life force was his faith. He decided to join the monastery, where he hoped to find a fresh meaning in life. In the fall of 1839, he began a novitiate in the Jesuit spiritual home in the Old Village close Brzozów. He found peace there, and thanks to his superiors who appreciated his talents, he perfected his literary abilities by writing poesy talks and spiritual songs.

His most celebrated works are Praise the meadows of wealth, Don't leave us. and Lord, I offer to you todaywhich have gained considerable popularity. In 1841 he took spiritual vows, after which he began theological studies in Nowy Sącz. After graduating in 1844, he accepted priestly ordination. Shortly thereafter, he undertook a preaching mission among Galicia residents. How fewer people understood their needs, so they gave simple and accurate sermons to the people.

In addition to spiritual themes in which he explained the meaning of suffering, he besides raised social and national issues. He frequently visited individual huts and discussed household life and gave applicable guidance to locals. He was active in improving the quality of local education and treatment. He placed a strong emphasis on building a community and combating social diseases. Just as he fought alcoholism first before joining the order.

Thanks to his cooperation with local parish priests, he began beginning alleged sobriety fraternity, which flourished for good only after his death. These included peculiar retreats, spiritual and medical assistance for those who wanted to get out of the habit. There have been cases of conflicts with innkeepers of Jews whose fraternity and Catholic months of sobriety have ruined. There are known cases of extremist fight against alcohol, that is, the elimination of the inn and the establishment of Christian reading rooms and non-alcoholic inns.

In 1846, the Austrian provocation led to so-called. Galician robberyWhen the peasants murdered the nobles and burned the manor buildings. Charles, along with another Jesuit friars, set out on the area of slaughter. Despite the large danger, thanks to his preaching abilities and his previously obtained estimate, he calmed down another villages until peace reigned throughout the province.

Thanks to him, people who had murdered their neighbors in a hatred attack a day earlier, regained their sanity, confessed, and made severe penance for their actions. Unfortunately, dissatisfied with the activities of the Jesuits, the Austrian authorities decided in mid-1848 to liquidate the assembly. Charles and his companions went to Krakow, then to Silesia and Wielkopolska, where he took care of the sick during the cholera epidemic.

The dedication of the Jesuits to their fellows at that time resulted in Archbishop Leon Przyłuski giving them the seat of the abandoned Cistercian monastery in Obrze. In 1851, Charles became his superior, however, during the fight against another outbreak of plague he fell sick and died.

Karol Antoniewicz is an example of a individual who, like Bible Job, experienced large suffering, losing 5 children and his beloved wife. He came out of this effort victorious. individual experience allowed him to full realize the needs and concerns of the average man, making him a very effective minister and a social worker. He was the forerunner of Galician work at the base, which produced crops in the form of an awareness of peasants that they were besides part of the Polish Nation.

Previous entry from our calendar is available Here.