Priests in Poland

Where do I begin?

One of our cousins went to poland couple of weeks ago. she had great time,
and is excited about going back.

while she was there, she stopped in our ancestral home-town and decided to
ask for some help from the priest with some records. of course she thought as
I did, that this wouldnt be a problem.

It was.. so my Question is WHY?? Why is it such a difficulty for someone to learn
more about their family?? I thought that this was part of the priests job, or
whom ever is appointed to share this information as it is supposed to be. that is
what I am hearing, that the Priests are not supposed to deny you information.

I was also told to get in contact with a monsinur <~spelling please?
whom we should speak with because this is wrong!! and he was very rude. last
person you would expect to be rude to outsider.. he told her there was no information and sent her on her way.. but I had recieved some records from the same

parish not even two years prior.. so why is there information one year then not
the next??? or is it that they make the decisions on your family and whether you can
learn about them?

I am just curious as to what answers I will get. ive never snubbed poland and
I dont think we should be snubbed.. so whats the answers to this?

I thought priests were all about values, and family? or is this wrong?

I dont have anything against poland, but I know if it was me, I would have not
left till he told me why my familys info wasnt there.. I dont care I would risk
the brooming!!

:)

Priests aren't saints... i guess some can be a**holes just like anyone else!

powodzenia

ok, I am bringing this back up to top.. I am still upset, because what harm is
it that you want to know your heritage??

makes no sense. I would like to get in touch with the monsineur?

whomever is in charge of the smaller parishes.. is there one?

Im not a church goer, so I have no idea. but it would help if someone could
least find the proper person. I know this isnt right, and I am all about making
things right.. people have the right to know, those in poland as well as outside
of poland.. I just wish this wasnt the case, it wasnt expected at all..

Anyone?? your help will be greatly appreciated .. ALOT!!

Well if i could say something, i think many priests think they all that , but actually the exactly the same as anyone on the planet, i think it was wrong of him being a Godly person to have treated u like that ...

I have had the same problem in Italy and in the US with the Catholic church and its priests here. I am an amateur genealogist and have had need to gather large numbers of records from Northern Italy and NY, PA, VT and other states here, for myself and family members.

I have written to a genealogist at the Vatican asking for assistance or direction in working through the system, the correct people to ask, in what order, etc. I only wrote to this priest/genealogist/archivist because he is closely related to my great greatgrandfather. And I explained in the letter that all else had failed.

I received an answer something like this:

"Do not accuse and become angry with us, as it is not your place to tell us what our job and our performance of it is to be. We are not responsible for the records of the parish churches, here or there, rather, the diocese is and you must interact with them on all matters of this kind."

Keep in mind that the diocese told me "we don't keep records of that type, the churches do" and the priest/archivists at the churches told me "we are not responsible for that, either".

They wouldn't even tell me where my Catholic ancestor's graves were, though my family had paid the Catholic Cemeteries Association group (owned and run by the Catholic church) for perpetual upkeep of those same graves.

I don't understand this, either.

And the answer is: because she should have paid :):)

I am afraid he is right.

we always do G, more so then we are told to by professional genealogists.

he just didnt give her his time..

our family gladly gives gifts to the church each and every time.. no problems.

can someone look up the monsineur ? I know thats not the right spelling, but
I do want to write to him or if perhaps there is email? <~doubt, but this would be
nicer :)

Ps. Please with sugar ??

Monsignor is the correct spelling honey and I would point out to him how difficult the priest was

I personally would write to Rome and send the priest copy correspondence...

P,

What district ? What is the nearest big town ?

nowogrod , near lomza Wroclaw.. was extremely rude to my cousin, said no information
about your family.

A this is what I want to do. I know this is wrong, because it isnt like we dont
contribute to the church. the other church we had written to, my mom side
said that what we gave was like two months salary to them. so it isnt like we
are frugle with it, we give what we think should be given.. that is only right by our
thoughts..

Thanks for the help A :)

Wroclaw do you have some connections ?? :)

P.

I'm looking. In the meantime check here: langline.com/JDS.htm

Don't click on the first link. click where it says: click here.

Or here.

archiwa.gov.pl/?CIDA=182

---

This is the one you want: kuria.lomza.pl

Bishop Stanislaw Stefanek.

TY Wroclaw :)

had to head to work when I posted last :)

You have a strange attitude Patrycja, comments like these are just typical of people who just have just no idea and are quick to put the boots into the church for any reason.

Americans are known in Poland to be arrogant and demanding, everything belongs to them and please give me. If your dear friend followed the correct protocols and perhaps had a different attitude she may have got what she wanted.

lef,

I think that part of the problem is that Genealogy and the way the church works, are not compatible.
Some priests here can be a pain in the butt. They want every last detail from you when you get married etc, but they won't give anything back.

Church records need to be put into the hands of other organizations. Much like they are in the UK.
Genealogy worldwide is continually growing and it is a way of bringing people together. I would have thought that this alone would be good reason to help.

Sure, thats the Catholic Church, They have there own rules and regulations like anybody else, you get nothing for nothing these days and its what they call user pay.

Some people have a negative view of the church and they get what they give..

what i found strange was that we received a little card just before christmas telling us how we should act when the priests arrived for their christmas fund, even down to the last detail of what the kids should say and do. I found this quite strange.

Patrycja19,

I have sent you a PM on the subject.

I'm not trying to advocate anything but... when I was really sick, my local priests prayed for me constantly, asked about me (and still do after all this time) etc.. which I thought was really nice, seeing that I hardly attend their church.

The Australian church is a bit different than the Polish Church, The majority of priest do the right thing.. A lot of people knock the Polish Church, but think about this, without the church in poland which teaches correct behavior, honesty, etc, there would be complete anarchy in Poland today.

Lef: the priests i spoke of are polish priests from the local polish church.

how many polish church's are their, i know of only the one in Essendon

DP: there are quite a few - st albans, richmond, oakleigh, dandenong.....

Ahh yes thats right, i remember going to Richmond and seeing the Polish centre near Oakleigh, my wife got her wedding dress made by a polish lady out that way.

she was sent away by the priest after
she asked politely about our family history.. thats it.. he didnt want to be bothered
apparently, this isnt the first time I have heard this..

we know for records there is a fee. of course there is. she wanted to get some copies
and I know that there is information there as the organists was the one who helped
me in the past. he must have not been there that day otherwise she would have been helped.. not all priests are like this I suppose, but two encounters like this brings up

questions which I know there are protocols, every state and city has them.


Thank you wroclaw.. its always nice to get help on the subject rather then critisim.

Very helpful :))) Very Appreciated :)))


wise words from a wise man!! much respect to you Wroclaw!!

Maybe "some" Americans are known......

Hmm, I know many people in Poland that don't feel this way.

....and it's Please may I have ;)

My response was honest and to the point, unlike yours which was insulting and judge mental (oops I forgot Americans are always right and don't deserve to be criticized)

Please stop putting other people down and remember the rules of this forum)
My response was to your negative approach to Priest in Poland, its worth remembering that the only people who are critical of the church are those that don't believe or never go to church.. Patrycja19 it pays sometimes to live in the real world.