Vincent Barzynski
Encyclopedia
Vincent Barzynski was a Polish-American Roman Catholic priest and organiser of the Polish-American community.
, Kingdom of Poland
, the son of Joseph and Mary (Sroczynska) Barzynski. In baptism he received the name Michael, but during an illness he was placed under the protection of St. Vincent Ferrer
and henceforth called Vincent. Because of frail health he was educated privately. In 1856 he entered the diocesan seminary at Lublin
and was ordained priest, 28 October 1861. After six months illness spent at the home of his father, he was appointed vicar at Horodlo
, member of the chapter of the collegiate church of the Zamojscy, and later transferred to Tomaszew
, which was the scene of great military activity during the Polish uprising of 1863. As organizer, appointed by the secret Polish national Government, he provided the insurrectionists with military supplies.
Compelled soon after to flee to Cracow, he found refuge with the Franciscan
fathers in that city. After fifteen months of wandering he received his passport enabling him to leave for Paris in 1865. Here he fell under the influence of Peter Semenenko, Hieronim Kajsewicz, Aleksander Jelowicki, and Adam Mickiewicz
, who dreamed of Poland's resurrection through the spiritual regeneration of the Poles. Going to Rome, he joined the newly-founded Congregation of the Resurrection and soon after receiving the special blessing of Pope Pius IX
set out for America (1866). After several years' labour in the Diocese of San Antonio, Texas, he was appointed pastor of St. Stanislaus parish, Chicago, in 1874, then comprising about 450 families.
Vincent Barzynski became a dominant influence during the period of Polish immigration. He gave the American Poles a class consciousness
, and took a combative line against the Polish National Alliance
. He assisted in the organization of nearly every Polish parish in Chicago established before his death. He built the St. Stanislaus Church and the school (since destroyed by fire and rebuilt), and gave the Poles an orphanage; founded St. Stanislaus College; introduced the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
into the United States; formed a corps of Polish teachers in his own school; and interested the School Sisters of Notre Dame
in Polish immigration. He founded the first American Polish Catholic paper, the Gazeta Katolicka, his personal organ for many years, and established the first Polish daily Catholic paper in America, the Dziennik Chicagoski, against the in liberal press, particularly Zgoda, the insincerelyorgan of the Polish National Alliance. He founded the Polish Roman Catholic Union. Despite constant criticism from both clergy and laity, he remained indefatigable. He died at Chicago, 2 May 1899.
Life
He was born at Sulisławice, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Sandomierz CountySandomierz County
Sandomierz County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, south-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Sandomierz,...
, Kingdom of Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
, the son of Joseph and Mary (Sroczynska) Barzynski. In baptism he received the name Michael, but during an illness he was placed under the protection of St. Vincent Ferrer
Vincent Ferrer
Saint Vincent Ferrer was a Valencian Dominican missionary and logician.-Early life:Vincent was the fourth child of the Anglo-Scottish nobleman William Stewart Ferrer and his Spanish wife, Constantia Miguel. Legends surround his birth...
and henceforth called Vincent. Because of frail health he was educated privately. In 1856 he entered the diocesan seminary at Lublin
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river...
and was ordained priest, 28 October 1861. After six months illness spent at the home of his father, he was appointed vicar at Horodlo
Horodlo
Horodło is a village in Hrubieszów County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland, close to the border with Ukraine. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Horodło. It lies approximately north-east of Hrubieszów and east of the regional capital Lublin. The Union of Horodło was signed there in...
, member of the chapter of the collegiate church of the Zamojscy, and later transferred to Tomaszew
Tomaszew
Tomaszew may refer to the following places:*Tomaszew, Koło County in Greater Poland Voivodeship *Tomaszew, Konin County in Greater Poland Voivodeship *Tomaszew, Masovian Voivodeship...
, which was the scene of great military activity during the Polish uprising of 1863. As organizer, appointed by the secret Polish national Government, he provided the insurrectionists with military supplies.
Compelled soon after to flee to Cracow, he found refuge with the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
fathers in that city. After fifteen months of wandering he received his passport enabling him to leave for Paris in 1865. Here he fell under the influence of Peter Semenenko, Hieronim Kajsewicz, Aleksander Jelowicki, and Adam Mickiewicz
Adam Mickiewicz
Adam Bernard Mickiewicz ) was a Polish poet, publisher and political writer of the Romantic period. One of the primary representatives of the Polish Romanticism era, a national poet of Poland, he is seen as one of Poland's Three Bards and the greatest poet in all of Polish literature...
, who dreamed of Poland's resurrection through the spiritual regeneration of the Poles. Going to Rome, he joined the newly-founded Congregation of the Resurrection and soon after receiving the special blessing of Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
set out for America (1866). After several years' labour in the Diocese of San Antonio, Texas, he was appointed pastor of St. Stanislaus parish, Chicago, in 1874, then comprising about 450 families.
Vincent Barzynski became a dominant influence during the period of Polish immigration. He gave the American Poles a class consciousness
Class consciousness
Class consciousness is consciousness of one's social class or economic rank in society. From the perspective of Marxist theory, it refers to the self-awareness, or lack thereof, of a particular class; its capacity to act in its own rational interests; or its awareness of the historical tasks...
, and took a combative line against the Polish National Alliance
Polish National Alliance
The Polish National Alliance is the largest and one of the oldest Polish fraternal organizations in the United States, founded on 15 February 1880 in Philadelphia under the influence of Polish patriot Agaton Giller. Its first president was Juliusz Andrzejkowicz.The PNA founded a number of...
. He assisted in the organization of nearly every Polish parish in Chicago established before his death. He built the St. Stanislaus Church and the school (since destroyed by fire and rebuilt), and gave the Poles an orphanage; founded St. Stanislaus College; introduced the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth are a Roman Catholic religious order which was founded in Rome in 1875 by Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd . The Sisters of the Holy Family are an apostolic, international congregation, located on four continents and in thirteen countries. There are...
into the United States; formed a corps of Polish teachers in his own school; and interested the School Sisters of Notre Dame
School Sisters of Notre Dame
School Sisters of Notre Dame is a worldwide order of Roman Catholic nuns devoted to primary, secondary, and post-secondary education. Their life in mission centers on prayer, community life and ministry...
in Polish immigration. He founded the first American Polish Catholic paper, the Gazeta Katolicka, his personal organ for many years, and established the first Polish daily Catholic paper in America, the Dziennik Chicagoski, against the in liberal press, particularly Zgoda, the insincerelyorgan of the Polish National Alliance. He founded the Polish Roman Catholic Union. Despite constant criticism from both clergy and laity, he remained indefatigable. He died at Chicago, 2 May 1899.