Wyższe Seminarium Duchowne Stowarzyszenia Apostolstwa Katolickiego (XX. Pallotynów) w Ołtarzewie w latach 1945-1993. Rys historyczny

Abstract

For several years after the Second World War the Theological Seminar of the Association o f Catholic Apostleship was situated outside Oltarzewo near Warszawa, that is in Wadowice na Kopcu (1945/46), in Suchary (1946/47), and in Ząbkowice Śląskie (1947/48). Meanwhile in Ołtarzewo buildings were being prepared for alumni. All Ihe alumni were housed in Ołtarzewo in 1948. The first rector of the Theological Seminary was Fr. Eugeniusz Weron SAC. The first priests were ordained on 29 May 1949 by Stefan Cardinal Wyszyński, the Primate of Poland. In 1952 two Pallotin Lower Theological Seminaries (in Wadowice na Kopcu and in Chełmno on the Vistula) were closed down, therefore as many as 148 candidates for the priesthood were accepted to novitiate. They were to start their philosophical studies in a year. It was impossible, however, to place them all in the seminarian building, so in the years 1953-1958 two branches of the Seminary were opened in Otwock and in Wadowice na Kopcu. In these two branches lectures were given parallel to the philosophical “faculty" in Ołtarzewo. In the years 1959-1993 the philosophical studies were not separated from the theological ones. The Library in Ołtarzewo plays an important part in the life of the seminary. Fr. Pawel Góralczyk SAC, the prefect of studies, in his report on the year 1991/92 stated that the Library collections numbered in October 1992 over 100 000 volumes. 484 people visited the reading room. Together with the thematic catalogue 1998 books and 8437 magazines were made.