O. Marcin Gruszkowicz (ok. 1600-1636) : pierwszy polski Generał Zakonu Paulinów
alternative title:
Father Marcin Gruszkowicz (cir. 1600-1636) : the first Polish General of the Pauline Order
author:
Prus Grzegorz
journal title:
Biuletyn Biblioteki Jagiellońskiej
volume:
56-57
date of publication
:
2007
year:
2006-2007
pages:
89-96
ISSN:
0006-3940
eISSN:
2450-0410
language:
English
journal language:
Polish
abstract in English:
The 17"1 century brought the first Polish generals to the Pauline order. They were: father
Marcin Gruszkowicz (generał of the Pauline Order in the years 1632-1636), Father Mikołaj
Staszewski (1640-1644) and Father Rafał Michalski (1687-1689).
Father Marcin Gruszkowicz, bom around the year 1600, madę his monastic profession in the
year 1618. He studied philosophy at the Jesuit seminary in Kalisz and subseąuently theology in
Rome where he obtained a doctorate in the Holy Scripture. After his return from Romę, in the
years 1627-1628, he was abbot of the Cracow convent as well as lecturer in theology. He was
elected abbot and preacher at the Jasna Góra monastery in Częstochowa at the provincial chapter
held in 1628.
In June 1630, he was elected Polish provincial. At a session of the generał chapter held on the
30* February 1632, Father Gruszkiewicz was elected fifty third generał of the order and was the
first Pole ever to have held this Office. Father Gruszkiewicz was one of the great reformers of the
Pauline order. Together with his co-workers, he managed to implement the necessary reforms of
the Pauline legislation which were ultimately implemented in the form of new constitutions of
the order issued in 1644 and subseąuently in 1646. Father Marcin Gruszkowicz died in Cracow
in the „Na Skałce” /On the Rock/ monastery on the 3"1 February 1636 being only 37 years of age
(19 years in the Order). He was buried in the crypt of the Pauline church.