(December 7, 1812 – February 26, 1873)
He was one of the charismatic figures of the 19th century: open to the world around him, an outstanding preacher (called “a preacher unlike any in Poland since Skarga”), a spiritual director, religious writer and poet, Superior General of the Congregation, co-founder of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, and a formator of priests. Above all, he felt at home in the role of a pastor and initiator of apostolic works, involving both large and small groups of people. As a faithful and courageous implementer of the Rule, he was able to expand apostolic work into new countries in Europe and North America, developing parish apostolates, as well as educational, publishing, and ecumenical efforts. He contributed to the growth of vocations and the internationalization of the religious community. Father Hieronim is a model of seeking God's will in all things.
© for this edition: Michał Szlachciak CR and the Resurrectionist Spirituality Center in Rome, 2009.
Original text from: The Writings of Fr. Hieronim Kajsiewicz of the Congregation of the Resurrection, vol. III, Treatises, Travel Letters, Memoir on the Congregation, Berlin [B. Behr Bookstore (E. Bock)]–Kraków [D. E. Friedlein Bookstore], 1872, pp. 402–527. Digital text editing: Michał Szlachciak CR.
© ALLELUJA Publishing House, Kraków 2012
This two-part book is an attempt to narrate the nine-month stay of Hieronim Kajsiewicz CR in Kraków (from August 14, 1848, to May 1, 1849). Through his letters, Kajsiewicz provokes and invites reflection, prompting one to search for the roots of facts and behaviors that can be encapsulated in a single question: how was it possible to accomplish so much in such a short and turbulent time? Indeed, this relatively brief period, in the midst of political and social upheaval, became for Kajsiewicz a time of intense labor for the religious and national renewal of the Polish people. His correspondence rescues from oblivion the highlights and shadows of this past, bringing it closer and helping us to understand a piece of history which—though irretrievably gone—remains essential to understanding our present.
Selected and introduced by Fr. Artur Kardaś CR
© ALLELUJA Publishing House, Kraków 2011
Spiritual Excerpts are fragments from Kajsiewicz’s spiritual biography; flashes of light revealing his rich inner life and apostolic work. The variety and diversity of quotations reflect his sensitivity to all aspects of human life—especially to the religious dimension. These selected quotes bear witness to the wisdom of our subject, including his foresight, deep historical insight, and ability to recognize real threats to spiritual development, as well as to human development in general—whether in family, society, or politics. The book was published on the 170th anniversary of Kajsiewicz’s priestly ordination and the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Resurrectionists.
