On Saturday, November 9, the Daughters of Charity St Vincent de Paul, Province of Warsaw, celebrated the 250th anniversary of serving the Poor in Białystok.
The celebrations began at 9:00 am with a Solemn Mass in the Archcathedral of Białystok presided by Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda. Together with the Archbishop the Holy Mass was celebrated by the Chaplain of the President of the Republic of Poland, Priests from the Congregation of the Mission and Priest friends, Professors and Seminarians of the Archdiocesan Major Seminary in Białystok, as well as Sisters from other religious congregations. Also, numerous members of the Miraculous Medal Association, employees of the kindergarten run by the Sisters, as well as parents with children were present. The ceremony was attended by Councillors and the Daughters from various houses around the Province who served in Białystok over the past decades.
In his homily, Archbishop Wojda said: “The beautiful, though not without difficulties, and great charismatic service of the Daughters of Charity over the long years of their service in Białystok to this day, is probably the best and most eloquent answer; full of hope also for the future. With their lives and their ministry, the Sisters gave and continue to give the answer that consecrated life, despite all superficial opinions, is of great importance. In a world threatened by a flood of invalid and transient matters, it expresses unlimited selflessness and love.”
On the other hand, in short acknowledgments, the Visitatrix expressed the desire that this Jubilee Year is a year of grace and conversion for the community of the Daughters in Białystok and all the Daughters of the Province.
After the Mass, a symposium took place in the conference room at the Archcathedral, during which lectures on the charism and history of the Daughters of Charity in Białystok were delivered. Then the guests went to dinner at the house of the Daughters of Charity.
Today the Sisters run a kindergarten, accompany the communities of the Miraculous Medal Association, visit the lonely in their homes, support the homeless. Thanks be to God for everything!
