Ignacy Jez
Encyclopedia
Ignacy Ludwik Jeż was the Latin Rite Catholic Bishop
Emeritus
of Koszalin-Kołobrzeg, located in Poland
.
Bishop Jeż was born in the Polish town of Radomyśl Wielki
on July 31, 1914. He was ordained a Catholic priest
on June 20, 1937. In 1942 he was sent first to Niemców labour camp and then interned in Dachau concentration camp as prisoner no. 37196, where he met fellow priest Joseph Kentenich
.
After the camp was liberated by the American forces in 1945, he returned to priesthood, and from 1946 until 1960 he was the director of a Catholic Gymnasium in Katowice
.
On June 5, 1960, under Pope John XXIII
, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński and future Cardinal Bolesław Kominek appointed him Titular Bishop of Alba Maritima. In 1967 he was elevated to Auxiliary Bishop
of the Catholic Archdiocese of Wrocław. In 1972 he was appointed Bishop of Koszalin-Kołobrzeg, in northern Poland. He held this post until February 1, 1992, when, at the age of 77, his resignation request was accepted by Pope John Paul II
.
Jeż died on October 16, 2007 in Rome, Italy, the day before the announcement that Pope Benedict XVI
had planned to make him a cardinal (in the consistory of November 24, 2007).
(Ehrendomherr) of the Bavaria
n Diocese of Würzburg, and in 2005 the President of Germany
Horst Köhler
awarded him the Grand Cross of Germany's federal order of merit, the Bundesverdienstkreuz
. The following year the German
Bundestag
awarded him the Preis für Zivilcourage, "for his courageous behaviour as a young priest during the Nazi occupation of Poland". In 2007 he received the Grand Cross of the Polonia Restituta
.
He has been made Honorary Citizen of several Cities and Municipalities: Radomyśl Wielki
(since 2004), Koszalin
(since 1994), Slupsk
(since 2006), Połczyn Zdrój (since 2006), Katowice
(2007) and Kolobrzeg
(since 2008).
Jeż is a Knight of the Order of the Smile.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
of Koszalin-Kołobrzeg, located in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
Bishop Jeż was born in the Polish town of Radomyśl Wielki
Radomysl Wielki
Radomyśl Wielki is a town in Mielec County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Poland, with a population of 2,962 inhabitants .-External links:*...
on July 31, 1914. He was ordained a Catholic priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
on June 20, 1937. In 1942 he was sent first to Niemców labour camp and then interned in Dachau concentration camp as prisoner no. 37196, where he met fellow priest Joseph Kentenich
Joseph Kentenich
Father Joseph Kentenich was a father of the Pallottines and founder of the Schoenstatt Movement...
.
After the camp was liberated by the American forces in 1945, he returned to priesthood, and from 1946 until 1960 he was the director of a Catholic Gymnasium in Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
.
On June 5, 1960, under Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński and future Cardinal Bolesław Kominek appointed him Titular Bishop of Alba Maritima. In 1967 he was elevated to Auxiliary Bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of the Catholic Archdiocese of Wrocław. In 1972 he was appointed Bishop of Koszalin-Kołobrzeg, in northern Poland. He held this post until February 1, 1992, when, at the age of 77, his resignation request was accepted by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
.
Jeż died on October 16, 2007 in Rome, Italy, the day before the announcement that Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
had planned to make him a cardinal (in the consistory of November 24, 2007).
Work
Jeż was one of the pioneers of re-initiating post-war German-Polish relations. His widespread work led him to become an honorary canonCanon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
(Ehrendomherr) of the Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n Diocese of Würzburg, and in 2005 the President of Germany
President of Germany
The President of the Federal Republic of Germany is the country's head of state. His official title in German is Bundespräsident . Germany has a parliamentary system of government and so the position of President is largely ceremonial...
Horst Köhler
Horst Köhler
Horst Köhler is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union. He was President of Germany from 2004 to 2010. As the candidate of the two Christian Democratic sister parties, the CDU and the CSU, and the liberal FDP, Köhler was elected to his first five-year term by the Federal Assembly on...
awarded him the Grand Cross of Germany's federal order of merit, the Bundesverdienstkreuz
Bundesverdienstkreuz
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
. The following year the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
awarded him the Preis für Zivilcourage, "for his courageous behaviour as a young priest during the Nazi occupation of Poland". In 2007 he received the Grand Cross of the Polonia Restituta
Polonia Restituta
The Order of Polonia Restituta is one of Poland's highest Orders. The Order can be conferred for outstanding achievements in the fields of education, science, sport, culture, art, economics, defense of the country, social work, civil service, or for furthering good relations between countries...
.
He has been made Honorary Citizen of several Cities and Municipalities: Radomyśl Wielki
Radomysl Wielki
Radomyśl Wielki is a town in Mielec County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Poland, with a population of 2,962 inhabitants .-External links:*...
(since 2004), Koszalin
Koszalin
Koszalin ; is the largest city of Middle Pomerania in north-western Poland. It is located 12 km south of the Baltic Sea coast. Koszalin is also a county-status city and capital of Koszalin County of West Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999...
(since 1994), Slupsk
Slupsk
Słupsk is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship, in the northern part of Poland. Before 1 January 1999, it was the capital of the separate Słupsk Voivodeship. It is also a part of the historic region of Pomerania....
(since 2006), Połczyn Zdrój (since 2006), Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
(2007) and Kolobrzeg
Kolobrzeg
Kołobrzeg is a city in Middle Pomerania in north-western Poland with some 50,000 inhabitants . Kołobrzeg is located on the Parsęta River on the south coast of the Baltic Sea...
(since 2008).
Jeż is a Knight of the Order of the Smile.