Duszpasterska i szkolno-wychowawcza praca salezjanów na Dolnym Śląsku w latach 1945–2017
The Salesians’ Pastoral, Pedagogical and Educational Work in Lower Silesia in the Years 1945–2017

Summary/Abstract: After World War II, the priorities of the Salesian Inspectorate of Cracow were: reincorporating the brothers living outside the structures of the Salesian Society into the order’s communities and launching didactic and educational institutions for boys and young men. Then, to compensate for properties left behind in the former eastern territories of Poland, the priority became the opening of new Salesian centres in the Recovered Territories. An important challenge for the province was assigning priests to new pastoral work, especially in Lower Silesia. The first school (which was also a pastoral and pilgrimage centre), was organized by the Salesians in Twardogóra in 1945. Some priests settled near vacant village churches in Wrocław Voivodeship, in time forming new communities of their order. In this way they established three parishes / monastic houses in Wrocław and three others, following the example of the first in Twardogóra): in Lubin, Środa Śląska and Sułów. Due to the liquidation of Catholic education by the communist state authorities, more priests were systematically assigned to work in general pastoral ministry. Thanks to the dedicated work of these post WWII Salesian pioneers, many damaged churches were rebuilt, abandoned Protestant churches were adapted to the needs of Catholic worship and a few new churches were built. After the collapse of communism in Poland, the Salesians in Lower Silesia resumed activities connected with their traditional Salesian vocation, namely the running of various types of schools and dormitories. The Salesian Society is continuing to grow in the described area, now known as the Inspectorate of Don Bosco, with its base in Wrocław.

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