Charakterystyka strukturalna kadr duchowieństwa diecezji częstochowskiej w latach 1925 – 1939

Abstract

The directions of functioning established in 1925 diocese of Częstochowa were determined by the action of local clergy. In all diocesan society the clergy was a separated group, outwardly distinguished by its lifestyle, clothing and pastoral service. Until the outbreak of Second World War there were 473 priests acting in this diocese. Straight majority of them came from the parent dioceses which made up the diocese of Częstochowa (257 priests). After some time Bishop Teodor Kubina enrolled by incardination another priests from other Polish dioceses and religious congregations (38 priests). The last inflow of clergymen took place when diocesan of Częstochowa ordained 178 new priests. The pastoral activity was influenced by the age of local clergymen. It is significant that 82% of all priests were under sixty. It should be underlined that among priest ordained by diocesan of Częstochowa there were some priests from the area of Częstochowa diocese (60%) and some from other parts of country (40%). From research point of view it was difficult to determine the social background of these people. Only the social background of 50% of priest ordained by Bishop Teodor Kubina is known. 18.7 % of them came from peasant class background. The rest were from working class (9.3%), craftsmen families (9.3%), the intelligentsia (3.8%), office workers families (3.8%), so called church services (3.8%) and the traders (0.9%). The character of pastoral activity (473 priests) was mainly determined by the range of diocese duties and their interests. In the first case it was connected with belonging to particular function groups (curia workers, seminary supervisors, church institution guardians, curates, catechists, chaplains and pensioners), the second one referred to the membership of contemporary priest organisations ( The Diocesan Association of Catechists, Missionary Association of Clergymen, The Asso ciation of Priest Self-Help, The Apostolic Union of Secular Priests, The Priest Association of the Holy Sacrament Adoration, The Association of Seminary Graduates). This kind of pastoral action was both integration and formation factor of priesthood.