Formation 1932 | Region served Worldwide | |
Abbreviation Society Christ Fathers (SChr) Motto Wszystko dla Boga i Polonii Zagranicznej Type Catholic religious institute Headquarters 786 West Sunset Avenue
Lombard, IL 60148-1488 | ||
The Society of Christ Fathers for Poles Living Abroad (SChr) (Latin: Societas Christi pro Emigrantibus Polonis; Polish: Towarzystwo Chrystusowe dla Polonii Zagranicznej) - Roman Catholic Society of Apostolic Life founded by the then Primate of Poland, Cardinal August Hlond, in cooperation with Fr. Ignacy Posadzy, September 8, 1932.
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History
After Poland regained independence in 1918, church and civil authorities made efforts to provide Poles living in other countries with every manner of assistance, especially spiritual care. Church leaders in Poland could not ignore the requests for Polish priests raised by Poles in all corners of the world. As guardian of the Polish emigrants abroad, Primate Cardinal A. Hlond consulted with the Holy See how to meet this demand. After receiving a directive from Pope Pius XI, he established the religious institute of the Society of Christ to Polish Migrants in 1932. Hlond charged Fr. Ignacy Posadzy, a priest of the Archdiocese of Gniezno-Poznan, with the execution of this task and he is considered the co-founder of the Society of Christ. Due to changes brought about after the Polish October, 1956 was a watershed moment in the realizing the mission of the Society. The first priests began to travel to the territories of their mission work. They are present in a number of countries including New Zealand, Brazil, Australia, Germany, France, Canada, the United States.
On 22 April 1950, the Holy See issued Decretum Laudis recognizing the presence of The Society of Christ Fathers in the Universal Church.
Congregation structure
The Order, and the realization of its mission, is directed by the Superior General and General Council. It is divided into provinces, which are the overseen by the Provincials and Provincial Councils.