Nursing Activity of the Congregation of the Sisters Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Eastern Lesser Poland in the Interwar Period

Działalność opiekuńcza Zgromadzenia Sióstr Służebniczek Najświętszej Maryi Panny Niepokalanie Poczętej w Małopolsce Wschodniej w okresie międzywojennym

Abstract

The Servant Sisters of St. Mary of the Cross, like many other religious congregations, tried to create the best possible conditions for the comprehensive development of their pupils. One should also emphasize their great role in forming and maintaining the Polish Catholic spirit in children from families that often converted to the Greek Catholic rite. The high quality of the sisters' educational, teaching, and caring work is evidenced by the conclusions of various inspection reports made by Church and civil authorities. From the very beginning of their existence, the orphanages carried out tasks in accordance with the concept of Edmund Bojanowski, above all protecting children from moral corruption, spreading the Christian model of life, defending and strengthening national culture. Zealous concern for the best possible realization of these goals was also evident in Eastern Lesser Poland, despite the fact that the time after the end of the Great War was not an easy one, and the population of the area struggled with many economic difficulties. The work of Servant Sisters resulted in trust of the environment in which the institutions of the Congregation were operating and caused that for decades the orphanages run by the Sisters had a strong position among other care and educational institutions. The present article is a continuation of the research presented in the previous issue, but the time span of the article concerns the period between 1918 and 1939, so it shows the development of the activities of the day-care centres and the specificity of their functioning in the interwar period. It is important to note that the period 1918-1939 was a time when the conditions of the sisters' work were much different than in the 19th and early 20th centuries. With the restoration of independence came the need to adapt their work to the standards issued in this regard by the competent state authorities. A new institution called kindergarten was introduced and the issue of having appropriate qualifications and competences to work in particular care and educational institutions was raised.