About Us
HISTORY
Our Congregation has its roots in the inspirations of Cardinal August Hlond, who proclaimed: “Sisters can play a beautiful role as aid workers in the pastoral care”. In the second half of 1958, Father Ignacy placed the first candidates of our Order with the Salesian Sisters in Rokitno, where they participated in a catechetical course. One year later, he admitted 17 aspirants to the formation process. The sisters’ first home was the manor house located in Morasko near PoznaÅ„, which was given to the new Congregation by the Society of Christ.
On 21 November 1959, the Church approved the new Congregation under diocesan law. Already in 1961, the Sisters were sent to pastoral ministry in Poland and, in July of 1978, the first Missionary Sisters of Christ the King left their Homeland to go to serve their brothers living abroad in far-away California. Over the next years, they began to undertake mission work in other countries.
The Church appreciated the ministry of our Community. The Vatican Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life issued a Decree granting pontifical rite to our religious Institute on 24 November 1996. At present, outside of Poland, we work in 12 countries: in Australia, Belgium, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy and in the USA.
SPIRITUALITY
The main task of the Congregation is to serve Polish communities according to the motto: “Everything for God and for Polish Emigrants”. In today’s world, our Brothers and Sisters living abroad are threatened by the loss of faith, departure from the Church, and loss of national identity. That is why we want to share the faith with them – a faith founded on three sources: the Eucharist, devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and devotion to Our Lady.
Our Founder
Our Founder, the Servant of God Father Ignacy Posadzy, was born on 17 February 1989 in Szadłowice. In 1917, he entered the Major Seminary in the Archdiocese of Poznań. He studied philosophy and theology in Germany, where he encountered Polish seasonal workers, their problems and spiritual abandonment. He gathered these people together, giving them spiritual advice and celebrating the service of the Word for them. It was then that he decided that, after ordination, he would dedicate his vacation time to Polish emigrants.
After the conclusion of the First World War, he returned to a liberated Poland. He was ordained a priest on 19 February 1921. Since 1922, he visited Polish speaking communities in Europe, Asia Minor and South America. In 1932, he was invited by Cardinal August Hlond to organize a men’s congregation – the Society of Christ Fathers for Poles Living Abroad in the city of Potulice. He was a long-term General Superior of the Order. Today, he is perceived as the co-founder of the Society, alongside its founder, Cardinal Hlond.
In 1958, Father Ignacy founded our Congregation for women religious, whose task is to assist the Society of Christ Fathers in the pastoral ministry for Polish emigrants. In the years that followed, Fr. Posadzy encouraged the Sisters to a missionary spirit and zeal in the service of God. He motivated them to proclaim Christ among our fellow countrymen abroad and to win their souls for God.
On 17 January 1984, Father Ignacy Posadzy ended his earthly journey. In a telegram of condolence, Pope John Paul II wrote: “I thank the Almighty God for the long life and work of a Man shaped by grace and the Minister of grace, who has deeply entered into the modern history of the Church in Poland. A man of faith, contemplation and apostolate.”