Alma Mater - Professors in Seminary

"Seminary in Bialystok" has roots in Vilnius. We cannot forget it thanks to Abp Kisiel which in every talk in Thursday Latin Mass for seminarians was doing some comments about the past. Many of these talks were starting with sacramental words: "In Vilnius we had such and such customs". As seminarian, during Second World War he was transported as forced worker to Germany, but he escaped successfully in the train station in Warsaw. Later he became a priest in Bialystok and when become a Bishop he continued efforts of previous to implant Lithuanian traditions in all the territory of diocese.

In 1984 we were venerating special way saint Casimirus in 400-th anniversary of his death by opening new building of Seminary and by showing the self made spectacle of seminarians as authors and actors.

Seminary has special big room under the name of saint Casimirus. His portrait in full size is made on main wall from pieces of porcelain as mosaic. Around him you can see about 20 small and big churches. All of them from Vilnius, the city which Casimirus liked very much and his burial is there. Churches are made special way which calls sgrafitti.

Seminary in Vilnius was having Jesuit traditions, according memories of fr. Greczanik from Trzcianne, who was studying in Vilnius. We were told about entering of Red Army in Vilnius. Seminarians and Professors got only one day to go out of the city. All the University of Stefan Batory professors and students have gone to Torun.

Faculty of Theology and all the seminarians has gone to Bialystok. Seven professors in short time became Bishops in many dioceses, so there was a rumor that Bialystok is an incubator of Bishops: Bp Klepacz, Swirski, Pawlowski these are just few which names I remember.

Many another talks and rumors we were able to hear from native "Lithuanians", our Professors, which were just studying in beginning of the war. Most of them, to become priests have to pass all their vacasions far from native places, far from family, because returning on Lithuania or Byelorussia had a meaning that they will never come back to seminary and they will not become a priest. About our first metropolit Jalbrzykowski was a legend that his baggage was unpacked all 10 years. All the generation was living with a hope "we will return to Vilnius".

600 years of Lithuanian Baptism we were celebrating by organizing Eucharistic Congress. All the bishops from the country came on that event. Seminarians prepared spectacle about king Mendog. These and others things I wish explain in separate text by showing faces of professors and students from my generation which just in the moment when Poland again became free country and Lithuanian seminary in Bialystok, finally became local, polish seminary of local polish diocese.

I was starting my studies in 1985, the second year after opening. I finished one week before Pope John Paul II in 1991 visit in Bialystok. Just during that visit, Pope proclaimed establishing of two dioceses in Bialystok and Drohiczyn, except two Apostolic Administrations which where existing in this places as memory about old polish borders and old diocesan capitals in Vilnius and Pinsk. To these dioceses Drohiczyn and Bialystok were belonging before. It means I was consecrated as the last priest according Lithuanian tradition in Bialystok.

1. Fr. Michal Sopocko

As legendary personnality in the list of professors in our seminary I will call at first fr. Michal. He was spiritual guide of Saint Sister Faustina. She was proclaimed as Saint in 1994, Easter time. His beatification process started in 1988 just in 100 years day of his birthday.

Our professors Paprocki and Pankiewicz were present on exhumation ceremony. It was the topic of many seminarian talks. I was told that our seminarians made 20 masterships as topic taking his life and writings.

Some of professors were also writing about him. There are many articles of prof. Strzelecki, which was his student. Seminarian Stankiewicz called by us as "grand-pa" was helping to the old fr. Pankiewicz collecting and printing memories about fr. Michal. Just before his death appeared some booklet on that topic. Similar book printed prof. Ciereszko, our spiritual Father and chief of apologetic scientific seminary, which before was under prof. Pankiewicz.

Fr. Pankiewicz talked us about some exercises with wooden batons which fr. Michal trained with seminarians to be physically strength.

Fr. Lewicki was continuing teaching us Russian language. It was also initiative of fr. Sopocko. Fr. Michal was living on Poleska Street, writing booklets about Merciful God. Many friends were joking because of his theological activities. But today nobody jokes. Two stories as miraculous intercession we believe happened with happy end thanks to His prayers.

In 1988, just his beatification process started and in Bialystok happened accident with transport of 7 chemical cisterns full of killing gas, which was as weapon taken in East Germany and taken out according Gorbachov directions to Byelorussia just trough Bialystok. Accident happened at front of Sopocko house. Nothing happened, nobody died, but in case of explosion about half million population will die, in 50 km zone, me and all the seminarians too.

Another story which happened in Seminary was more less this: one of seminarians after getting bad note on exams tried to make suicide. Doctors came and fixed his death. Seminarians were praying about his health without knowing verdict of doctors. After some hours laying in the room for death people he waked up. Doctor had no idea what happened, but professors after getting news from hospital were sure that seminarians prayer by intercession of fr. Michal was successful.

That boy did not return to seminary, but he stayed alive and perhaps after he knew how much his friends were praying he will never do the same again.

2. Fr. Paszkiewicz

Fr. Paszkiewicz during many years was Spiritual guide and even Rector of Seminary. When he retired he still was living with seminarians. He became another legendary man. Last years as I remember him he was very weak and he was loosing the sense of time. He was waking up seminarians during the night asking if it is time to go on prayers. He was collecting "on missions" any small funny things. He was inviting to his room any kind of beggars and drinkers giving them small gifts. He was training us to give, but not control, how the gift may be used. He was criticizing "conscience's gifts". We were trained by others that it is bad thing giving money to drunker, because he will loose the gift the same very moment to drink more. Fr. Paszkiewicz was thinking other was. He was very original and eccentric man.

He was very close friend of Cardinal Kozlowiecki, Jesuit missionary priest from Lusaka. Fr, Paszkiewicz during his talk was sleeping but when he finished, Paszkiewicz made a funny comment to his talk about Africans which never believe missionary priests are not married, they simply think, their families are in Europe. So fr. Paszkiewicz asked Cardinal to accept greetings to his wife and family, which was very funny and everybody understood that in fact he was not sleeping, perhaps just tired.

Sometime he was talking to us for special occasions in Holly Mass, in "Urbanitas" (meetings of savoir-vivre) or just in refectory.

He ever got great applaud even before he started. It was clear that he loves us and we loved him in advance. He ever was taking big funny watch with ring in such occasions to control how long is he speaking. He was passing us greetings from Odessa any time he got a letter from Ukraine. There was his classmate fr. Hoppe, old Salezian priest corresponding with him.

In 1986 seminarians from third course with my colleague Zbyszek Recko, dedicate to him special spectacle showing him as young priest during Warsaw Insurrection 1944. He was chaplain of young soldiers. For Poland it is very nice legend but in soviet times it was forbidden to talk about it or venerate heroes of that small war which collapsed because Stalin did not move finger until the last little soldier will die. Polish youngsters were wishing to liberate Warsaw by themselves to have some privileges in new liberated country. Stalin wished to have Poland under occupation. Only when Warsaw was in ruins and German soldiers gone by their own decision without fight Russian troops were continuing war. About 200.000 youngsters died. Fr. Paszkiewicz was very happy seeing the spectacle and knowing that his seminarians may be also patriots.

He died when we were on vacasions in spring 1988. The people were telling that he was naked lying on the floor and on his table was information that he has prayed all intentions the people were asking him to pray. He was sleeping on the ground as Francisco... Our bishop was informing Bialystok citizens "if they wish participate in burials of holly man, they just have such opportunity".

3. Our building

According local rulers in Bialystok, there was no place for official Semminary building. They only agree to have "internat" for seminarians, it meen the place for sleeping, other words Student House.

All these diplomatic difficulties were coming from Soviet Embassy. They were knowing the story of diocese and connections with Lithuania and Belarus. For them it was revisionism of borders.

So poor seminarians during 40 years were living in casual places like monastery of st. Joseph on Slonimska Street or in house on Orzeszkowa Street, where now sisters of Good Pastor are living.

Others were living in Sacred heart of Jesus Parish House, very far from Saint Adalbert, which was the final localization of new building.

One of possible localizations was in Dojlidy on the territory of old Greek-catholic church, which was destroyed by soviet troops in 1939 and local priest was tortured and killed inhuman way after cutting tongue and eyes.

This place for 40 years was also forbidden to get back and use as church property during 40 years fro the same political reasons.

Our Seminary was built by fr. Krawczenko. His official title was Procurator of Seminary. His native parish was Krypno. He was using in nerves short comment "otkhoji" (this way it is), hearing these words we were sure that he is unhappy. He even criticizing our bad work was telling us that better we have to go home, than loosing time under his care. In fact everybody knew that he also loves seminarians and he is ready to give us all his heart.

During his celebrations he ever took homilies for seminarians which were staying for one week practicing in construction of our building. He was happy when he realized that we like his talks or even we find something funny in his historical or theological personal points of view. It was really funny to be with him.

Funny was to see him sleepy during the consecration moment. Of course the man has to concentrate and meditate, but temptation was too big.

Seminary has form of quadrate with quadrate whole inside for garden and small pond. Near the pond saint Francisco's monument. Behind the garden was hanging beautiful balcony with vine branches and foils.

When I was seminarian I was caring about flowers and giving food to pigeons. There were many pigeons, but fr. Kulakowski was sad that they make noise during his prayers of psalms.

From the main street seminary looks small, but it is the top of the hill, another south coin of Seminary is 9 meters lower and there are much more floors looking from south than from north. The chapel is just in south, the lower side.

Bishop Ozorowski was our Rector these days and he liked to make decorations of our building, especially inside. He was installing portraits on corridors by himself, he installed statue of saint Tomas near Teachers Room and his apartments. He wished to put mosaic of st. Casimirus in the conference room and two others in the chapel: Saint George and Holly Marry of Ostra Brama (Eastern Gate) made by Mr. Jarnuszkiewicz from Lodz. I hope I do not mistake his name. He was sitting on metallic construction hidden from our eyes working by nights but also during prayers. It was also kind of additional attraction in our daily life.

4. Profesor Paprocki

He was born in Vilnius. He was thin, ascetic, without hairs, middle high priest. He was teaching us New Testament. We were calling him "Rabbi". On his lessons was ever noise, he did not criticize us for disturbing him, he just made effort to talk higher giving us this way signal to be more attentive. He was also director of library, he loved books very much, and he was also reading them.

One of seminarians who were disturbing him during classes when got to know about his passing he has gone to the chapel and played on organ funeral songs crying in silence. Such was typical reaction on his death.

I was some time later on some meeting on his memory and one lady talked about her personal observations. She informed us that when his mother died he was smiling all the day answering the people which got knew and wished to console him, that "no problem, she is in heaven".

He was sick of cancer and got surgery 7 years before. Usually we think such a term testify that surgery was successful, he did not mention, but in fact he has problems during long term. His problems in talking, some artificial pauses during classes were testifying that he is just fighting silently with new forms of cancer which attacked his brain.

I was told that he was planting in his flat some citrine and just in the day of his passing citrine became beautiful and fall down on the floor.

5. Profesor Kulakowski

Born in Brzesc Litewski. It is actually big city in Belarus in the neighbor Pinsk diocese. He does not like pigeons, ever malcontent; his crying voice was giving special colors to our life in seminary. He was really happy when he found some mistake in our behavior yelling his typical comment "Brother�!, "what are you doing here, it is forbidden"!... it is why we also were calling him "Brother". He was small man with red skin and big glasses.

One of professor commented his yelling by telling that all the small people have heart close to stomach and yelling is ever when hungry. Like other poor priests these days he had small car Fiat 125. He used him to visit his inherited property from fathers. He wished to offer property to some sisters, but his conditions were not accepted. Perhaps he wished that sister will care him when he gets old. Perhaps also because of his strange character they were suspicious.

During "Santa Claus" spectacle, seminarians traditionally make fun from weak places of professors so he was ever the main target of seminarian jokes. The positive think was that he also was happy when he was seeing him as target, he liked these spectacles and never made comments as other more serious, easy to got sad professors.

He had problems with prostate and he was not shy talking about that, he took some natural medicines like melon grains which he collected on his private balcony.

On his classes the same as other old professors he was just reading us old books from Moral Theology helping himself by knocking his shoes on the floor. He was one of the most strong examine person, same as new professor his follower fr. Zabielski. Moral Theology was ever difficult subject for any seminarian.

Once seminarians wishing to make fun, put bricks behind his small car this way that he did not realize. He was sure car is OK but wheels were moving in air and car was staying. Much gasoline he used to understand finally the joke. All seminarians with noses on window were dying from smiling. Such were additional games of seminary students in my times.

6. Profesor Lucian Namiot

Silver hairs, even white, rose color face, some difficulties in walking with funny belly. He ever had some back with him and it was also insulting his walk. In the bag he took old books of Cannon law or dressings of Lithuanian Prelate. He also became legendary man in our seminary. He was one of these poor boys which families stayed soviet side of the border. They were living in deep Byelorussia city Lida.

He was bit similar with fr. Kulakowski. He liked Cannon Law and he wished, that seminarians know good this subject. He also liked to be target on "Santa Claus" spectacles.

During exams he was not very attentive so some students easily were taking books with them and using them to find the answer on the question he asked. It was also funny that he wished only the starting point. If the student started successfully he continued himself with closed eyes and with pleasure that student knows what about he is talking.

Sometime during exam he needs to go to toilet. He ever trusted and student got additional occasion to hear the answer from his colleagues. Profesor Lucian was happy as a baby when he realised that student is well praepared to exams.

7. Profesor Pankiewicz

Pankiewicz was another emigrant man from Braclaw County on Lithuanian-Latvian border, actually in Byelorussia. He started his studies in minor Seminary in Vilnius and continued in Bialystok.

All the vacasions he spent with last Greek-catholic priest in Bialystok, father Jackiewicz. Jackiewicz was wonderful preacher from same generation as Sopocko, but they do not like each other.

Pankiewicz liked to mention that his brother is living in Milwaukee USA, so seminarians also were making jokes from him in Santa Claus time, giving ticket to USA. He liked to talk about Vilnius and easily fall asleep during classes.

His subject was Apologetics, as other professors he was reading us old books, but he was not pressing us to study much. His exams were easy to pass. I was making pictures or poetries during his classes. He was feeling that but did not protest. He was doing his duty and we were doing ours.

8. Profesor Lewicki

He also had yelling voice but he liked to modify from yelling to talking law voice like conspirator. He was ever talking from memory but many times he was loosing main topic and just talking funny things, some rumors or other interesting things, perhaps not to loose listeners. He had like entire generation of priests big skin bag with books with him. He also was Prelate of Vilnius Cathedral so he dressed them on special occasions. Most of prelates were small size man and easy to sleep during ceremonies so we were excused to smile.

Bishop Kisiel was similar to the, but he ever commented that in his age it is OK to have short sleep during ceremonies. Fr. Lewicki was lying on the table trying to have his face just at front of seminarians' faces.

His lovely speech was "It will be talk to Chinese nation throw the window". He was the best specialist of ecumenism in diocese, also he trained us Russian language fo9llowing fr. Sopocko.

Reading us Catechism in Russian he was commenting: "look like these simple truth sounds nicely in the language of atheistic country".

During many years he was parish priest in seminarian church of saint Adalbert. He was ever happy when seminarians were coming to talk study homilies and help him collecting donations. Between the celebrations he ever was inviting us to drink Coffee together. He was really good host.

9. Big men from Rozanystok generation...

Between graduates from Bialystok there is a group of young professors with same legendary characteristics as the people from Vilnius.

I was talking before about follower of prof. Sopocko. Father Strzelecki was red face, white hairs, baby naive face. He also as Paprocki has some difficulties in pronouncing. He bore in Byelorussian City Grodno.

He was talking us like sometime ago he tried to visit Grodno, but was forbidden because of some medial or book. He wished us to study in perfect way his subject Old Testament.

I was thinking once for myself as seminarian that our professors are really the people of good ideals: they are working for none salary, they do not have cars; do not smoke cigarettes, some of them like drink but never publicly.

I was told that when some priest commit a sin in Bialystok the same sin in Warsaw will be recognized as virtue.

Professor Strzelecki was caring about Knights of Immaculate Conception. Every year he was organizing ceremony of accepting new members of that movement. As I think he was studying first in minor seminary in Rozanystok. We have some professors which were studying in this Salezian School.

Another was fr. Tadeusz Krahel. He was small, the only one in this generation, but high in personality. He was proposed to be a bishop but he not wished to accept proposition. He is really handsome man. Seminarians like him very much. Short time he was our Rector but also resigned because he had no intention or power to punish any seminarian. His subject was history and we were doing efforts to know this subject just because we were not wishing to make him ashamed. He was very good specialist, known in all the country also in some East countries as main specialist of Lithuanian History.

The third Rozanystok man was our professor of philosophy Czeslaw Gladczuk. He was high as athlete, has sense of humor and as teacher and priest he ever has a style of prophet. He was talking with close eyes in direction of heaven. He was seeing us even close eyes and never disturbed the student when he got asleep on his classes. He was coming close to the student telling: "do not disturb him, it is his privilege to sleep, my privilege will be to exam him later". He liked his subject and time to time he was punishing students by giving them bad notes.

Same big size man but from Lomza diocese was fr. Murawski. He was teaching us singing and playing piano. He liked to smile but he also wished us to be attentive on his classes and to learn well. He was the only one professor dressing in clergyman not in sutana. He liked picturing and had nice collection of pictures home.

The last big man from that generation was born in Czarna Wies Koscielna. It was Vice Rector Mieczyslaw. He had something female in his voice and behavior. He liked to visit Benedictine monastery close to Krakow. He liked also very much his subject Latin. He did not like Santa Claus or any kind of jokes, very strong, too much strong man. He was the main personality during 3 generations of seminarians. Finally he retired after finding some funny puppet similar to him hanging on his door. He finally realized: "people hate him".

10. Young generation of profesors

Spiritual Father, later Rector Stanislaw Holodok. It looks he was totally different as spiritual guide, totally different a Rector. When he became a boss he started to copy most of worse behaviors of the previous one.

Liturgics in place of Latin became a measure of our vocation. He was both strong and sweet, two in one. Some time in unofficial occasions he was very friendly even like colleague to us, has sense of humor and humanity. In seminarian daily situations he was nervous and unpredictable.

As fourth course my classmate were preparing "Santa Claus" spectacle. We were wishing him all the best so we were presenting him as King Arthur taking Excalibur sword from hands of enemies. His enemy was presented like the previous one Rector. All seminarian liked spectacle, even bishop rector was smiling, but new rector was unhappy and he insisted to cancel "sancta Claus" spectacles in the future.

His classmate, Professor Marian Wydra, he also was unhappy. He was delaying many times on classes ever begging us to not talking about his delays. It was funny to see professor in position of punished student.

We were joking ever from his fears and giving him on Santa Claus special gifts like "tea container" which in language play of words also students' dialect means fear. Professor was giving classes of Psychology and Homiletics so he new very well students' language and he was very sad getting such a gift.

He was famous as good preacher, even as man talking us many satiric stories he made us very unhappy by his position.

The third unhappy man was prof. Zukowski. He was one of spiritual guides in these days. He was very successful as guide of altar boys in Cathedral even famous for crating many vocations but in Seminary he was unsuccessful. He was too much friendly with Rector.

We were familiar with rectors habits, but we were expecting that spiritual guide may be more loyal as father to seminarians. Our expectations were unsatisfied. After fr. Paprocki's death he was teaching us New Testament and also as professor he was rather less acceptable than previous one. Perhaps it is my personal point of view but seminarians liked much more the elderly teachers than this new wave of professors. He also attacked us because of Santa Claus.

Italian language was teaching us so called Giorgio, erudite and well trained man but big eccentric. Now when he became vicar priest in parish of God's Mercy he wished the people call him brother "Paschalis". He has big beard and dress like Orthodox.

Another eccentric was professor Lazewski. Actually it is very known man in all the country. He does big efforts to make Polish Caritas real evangelic instrument of missions. He was teaching us patristics, mean about the very first theologians. He was supporting me also during my staying in Rostov and in Caucasus by paying tickets of my children during my staying with them in Poland. Also he paid tickets for 2 seminarians from Elblag, which visited me in Sakhalin in summer 2001.

To this generation belong also fr. Olszewski and Nieciecki. Olszewski was teaching us German language and pastoral teology. Both in nice style. He was my first Prefect means the one who correct bad behaviors, he was excellent. He never touched us without reason. Re He became director of library after fr. Paprocki's death.

11. Retreats

Retreats it is very special time in seminary like some fascinate travel or fest. We have them twice, at the beginning of academic year and in Lent time. Everybody has notebook and make notices, these notebooks served us to never forget what about we were hearing.

These days was "silentium sacrum", it means nobody was talking high voice all three days. In refectory all these days was lecture which proposed to read our spiritual guide.

First retreats of mine has fr. Greczanik, local parish priest. Bishop Rector was inviting also some "stars" of polish priesthood. One of them was well known author of biblical books fr. Kudasiewicz from Lublin. He was talking much about cases when seminarian or priest is trying to have 2 faces mean some girlfriends. He said it is like being Kamikaze for such people and ever have to finish as tragedy.

Another priest came from Poznan. He was well known liturgist. He was praying a Mass in our presence without looking in Missal book. He was improvising many prayers like poet. It was really very special meeting.

Some professor Bobrowski from Drohiczyn was sharing with us his experience of underground church in Slovakia. There days there was no religion freedom, but so many vocations as in Poland, lay Catholics were very serious practicing daily meditation and prayer of psalms. The main topic of his talks was Merciful Father.

He also took with him some subjects which were belonging to some martyr priests. Especially touching was handwriting of last letter written some hours before death in prison on last page of prayer book.

Once came Pallotine priest from Gdansk which was encouraging us to train sports, he was 50 but really looking 30 years old man.

Later came to us with retreats our native bishop, chaplain of Polish Army Slawoj Glodz. He spend many years in Vatican so he was perfectly dressed and he was using many Latin in his talking I still remember like echo: "sensus ecclesiae", "ecclesia supplet".

Very warm personality was Bishop Samsel from Lomza, later in Elk. He was giving us examples from daily life of his seminarians in Lomza diocese. He was treated us same way as we were his students so everybody liked these days spent with him together.

Conclusions

It is the end of my story about my teachers, the people which was showing me the way to priesthood. It passed 20 years, but it seems I still remember all of them very well. I hope I was not too much strong in my description to these poor people. Yes some of them were punishing me and it is not easy to forget. Mostly all of them were like native fathers to us, even better. It happened I was in Poland just for short time and some of them meeting me in corridor were taking me to refectory to eat together and talk.

Once happened that I met bishop Ozorowski, he realized that I was tired after the travel and took me to his own room, gave me very tasty cheese and cup of Cacao, he took me later to guest room as father exactly do.

It is Vilnius style. In these countries happen that even parents kiss hand of own son when he became a priest. It is the land where parents still give blessing to their children by symbol of Cross when they go somewhere far away. It is the land where seeing cross of the church, never mind catholic or orthodox many people make cross on their breasts other took down their hats.

Priests in these places made good job that people still look very Christian. I really praise them. The only problem of mine is. That we do not nothing, to help our brothers and sisters in neighbor Grodno and Vilnius diocese. We came from same tradition; they got many difficulties in soviet times. Their expectations that we may send them priests were unsatisfied. It is only 70 km to Grodno, we do not have our professors there even so small distance, another dioceses and monks does.