(February 4, 1849 – September 11, 1926)
He was born on 4 February 1849 in Tver, Russia, into a devout and patriotic family of an officer of the Tsarist army. He completed secondary school in Warsaw and, in 1866, entered the seminary, for—as he himself admitted—“the vocation was so strong that I never had any doubts about it.” A year later he went to Rome and, captivated by the Resurrectionists, joined their ranks. He studied theology and, in 1873, was ordained a priest in the Eastern rite. He exercised pastoral ministry in Bulgaria and then in Lviv, where, together with Fr. Walerian Kalinka, he developed an educational system based on mutual trust and responsibility, whose foundation is God’s unconditional love. For more than twenty years he served as rector of the Polish College in Rome, founded by the Resurrectionists in 1866 to form priests for the subjugated homeland; and from 1895 to 1905 he was Superior General of the Congregation of the Resurrection. He spent his final years in Kraków as master of novices. A theologian, philosopher, and historian, he authored 237 works in several languages. A highly esteemed confessor and spiritual director—among others to Archbishop Adam Stefan Sapieha—he was known for his respect and love for people. He died in the reputation of holiness on 11 September 1926 in Kraków, after 77 years, 7 months, and 7 days of life.
His beatification process was opened by Cardinal Karol Wojtyła in 1966, and in 2017 Pope Francis promulgated the decree on the heroic virtues. Fr. Smolikowski remains a model of humble work and fidelity to God’s will. One may confidently seek his intercession in the difficulties of daily life, in the Christian education of children and young people, and pray for the holiness and wisdom of priests.
