Mój Mistrz - biskup Wincenty Urban (1911-1983)

Abstract

Bishop Wincenty Urban (b. 13 February 1911, ordained to the priesthood on 28 June 1936, d. 13 December 1983), the Wroclaw auxiliary bishop, the titular bishop of Abitinae; professor o f theology, habilitation in theology on the history o f the Church, canon of the Wroclaw Metropolitan Chapter, general vicar of the Wroclaw archdiocese in the years 1974- 1976, general vicar to the Wroclaw metropolitan bishop, member of the Learned Board of the Polish Episcopate, long-term professor of the Metropolitan Theological Seminary and the Papal Theological Faculty in Wroclaw, former professor of Catholic Theological Academy (ATK) in Warszawa, and of the Theological Seminary in Nysa; member o f the Episcopal Commission for the Religious Orders and Commission for Sacral Art, chairman of the Theological Society in Wroclaw and head of the Wroclaw Archives, Library and Archdioccsan Museum. Bishop Wincenty Urban captivated and fascinated people with his knowledge, hard work, and, above all, his noble heart, open to others' needs. He emanated with kindness, calm, warmth, sensitivity, and goodness. Such were the trails o f his personality which fascinated us, won respect and attracted many. He managed to come to terms with his numerous pastoral duties and his reliable scientific and didactic work. Thus he earned scientific authority. People from many learned societies in Poland took into account his opinion. Being the auxiliary bishop of the Wroclaw archdiocese, he did not change his lifestyle. He retained most of his functions and duties, and took up new tasks connected with episcopal ministry. The source of his force was his vocation to the priesthood, well-thought-out and supported by ardent prayer, as well as scientific passion, thanks to which he devoted his effort and time to read, know and discover ever new facts from the history of the Church, and then to write about them. His priesthood and passion for research work were shaped in the Lvov archdiocese, and in the Metropolitan Theological Seminary of the Latin rile in Lvov. Everything he gained at universities and in the Lvov milieu he brought, after 1945, to the Wroclaw archdiocese. Here, together with the people of God from the eastern borderland, he created the frameworks of tomorrow in the territories regained after many ages. He never forgot about his mother church, about his family nest, for he knew the war ordeal that many Polish priest had gone through and their bad fortunes, that is to say, the pioneer hardship in new circumstances. He did everything to immortalize their effort in writing. Being himself a priest of high standard, he made every effort to shape in a proper way the profiles of the future workers in the domain of the Lord. He placed on them high intellectual and, first of all, moral demands. He prepared his disciples for a responsible priesthood, taught them a practical love for God and people, loyalty to their vocation and to the principles of the Gospels.