Ignacy Posadzy

Ignacy Posadzy, SChr (February 17, 1898 – January 17, 1984) was a Polish Catholic priest who ministered to Polish migrants from the interwar period through World War II and during the rule of Communist Poland. At the direction of Cardinal August Hlond, he co-founded an order dedicated to serving Polish migrants, the Society of Christ.

He served as superior general of the Society from 1932 to 1968. In 1958, he founded an order of religious sisters, dedicated to serving Polish migrants, the Missionary Sisters of Christ the King. During World War II, he was appointed spiritual leader of Polish slave labourers in Nazi Germany with the permission of Pope Pius XII, Adam Sapieha, the archbishop of Kraków and the leader of the Catholic Church in occupied Poland and the Home Army.

Posadzy's cause for sainthood was opened in 2001 and was declared a venerable by Pope Francis in 2022.

Early life Ignacy Posadzy was born on February 17, 1898, in Szadłowice, near Inowrocław, to Jakub and Katarzyna (née Pawlak) Posadzy. His parents came from a very religious background and raised their children according. Ignacy was their eighth child and was brought up in a strongly religious and patriotic family environment.

In 1905, when at his primary school in Szadłowice, religion was taught in German instead of Polish, Ignacy started a strike, together with the other children. He participated in the strike with his sister Anna, who was two years his senior. After completing primary school, in 1908, he began attending gymnasium in Inowrocław. Ignacy successfully completed gymnasium despite the difficulties faced by Polish youth, who were required to have much greater knowledge of the German language and other subjects than what was required of German youth. In turn, only a few Poles completed gymnasium and the subsequent final examination. During the partitions of Poland, Polish families taught the Polish language, literature, history and culture secretly at home. This discussion was documented in Posadzy's book, Przez Tajemniczy Wschód ("Through the Mysterious East"). Returning from the Philippines, Posadzy returned to Poland travelling through China, Japan, Korea, Manchukuo and the Soviet Union.

Posadzy sought opportunities for the Society's seminarians to complete their seminary studies at the seminaries of other religious orders or dioceses. He directed clerics to Kraków to continue their theological studies. During this time, 43 clerics were ordained priests. Pope John Paul II, hearing about the death of Posadzy, sent a telegram to the Society of Christ: After the death of Father Ignacy Posadzy, co-founder of the Society of Christ and founder of the Missionary Sisters of Christ the King, I mourn and pray with the orphaned congregations and, on the hands of the Superior General of the Society, I express my sympathy. Together with you, I thank Almighty God for the long life and work of a man whose character was shaped by grace and who served as a minister of grace. A man who is deeply inscribed in the contemporary history of the Church in Poland, a man of faith, contemplation and service--a Man of God. With Christ, the Eternal Priest, he drew upon God's power to carry out his ministry in order to build up the Body of Christ (Eph 4:12). Let us pray that our savior accepts his servant to the joy of heaven. Let us pray too that the legacy of this servant continue to grow and develop through his spiritual sons and daughters. From the depths of my heart, I bless both Congregations, the family and friends of Fr. Posadzy, as well as those who attend his funeral. John Paul II, Pope. The Vatican, January 21, 1984.

Cause for beatification On June 16, 1999, in a letter to the Archbishop of Poznań, the Superior General of the Society of Christ, Tadeusz Winnicki, formally requested that a cause for the beatification of Posadzy be opened. On May 23, 2000, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints issued a nihil obstat granting its permission for the cause to proceed. On January 17, 2001, a ceremony in Poznań Cathedral marked the beginning of the beatification process on the diocesan level during which evidence of Posadzy's heroic virtue would be gathered. On January 12, 2007, Posadzy's earthy remains were exhumated and identified. They were interred later in a chapel at the headquarters of the Society of Christ.

On May 6, 2009, the diocesan investigation was completed, and a report was prepared for submission to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. On June 19, 2009, the report and its related documents were submitted to the Congregation. On September 3, 2009, the Congregation issued a decree allowing the cause to proceed to its next phase in Rome. On November 23, 2009, the Holy See began its review of the submitted report. After reviewing the report, the Congregation issued a decree validating the diocesan investigation and granting Posadzy the title of Servant of God.

On June 21, 2018, the Positio super vita, virtutibus et fama sanctitatis was submitted to the Congregation for review. The Positio was reviewed by the Congregation's Theological Commission on November 30, 2021. On December 1, 2021, the Theological Commission announced that it had judged the Positio "positively" and concurred with the Positio 's assertion of Posadzy's heroic virtue. The Positio was positively reviewed by a commission of Cardinals and Bishops on December 13, 2022. The cause was then presented for approval to Pope Francis, who on December 17, 2022, recognized Posadzy's heroic virtue and declared Posadzy Venerable.