Szadek was the place where he did the most – Father Jan Julian Wiatr

Abstract

Father Jan Julian Wiatr (1907–1983) had already spent 17 years in pastoral work before he became the vicar in Szadek: first as curate and prefect in Lipno (1933–1934), then as priest among Polish emigrants in France (1934–1947) and as administrator of the parishes of Chojne and D browa Wielka (1947–1950). The next 17 years of pastoral work in Szadek are the most effective period of his life. His main concern was ministration to his parishioners and provision of religious educations to all children and young people, which was extremely difficult at that time after banning religion from schools by communist authorities. In the years 1956–1958 he was struggling to establish pastoral centres in Prusinowice and Suchoczasy. His efforts to improve the material fabric include installation of a heating system in the church (1955–1956), renovation work in the parish church (gradually from 1958) and tidying of St. Idzi’s cemetery. Feeling weak, he decided to give up in 1967 his work as parish priest in Szadek and after 2 years of fulfilling temporary functions he was appointed as parish priest in Jeziorsko, where he continued his ministration for 9 years (1969–1978). He then retired and went to live in Konin.