Wincenty Senkowski

Wincenty Senkowski

Wincenty Senkowski (born September 5, 1840 near Marijampolė , Augustow Governorate , Congress Poland , today Lithuania ; † April 10, 1911 in Marijampolė, Suwalki Governorate ) was a Polish Catholic priest and superior general of the Marians .

Early years

Senkowski came from a Polish farming family and attended high school in Marijampole. After graduating from high school, he entered the Marian Order and was taught theology in their monastery in Marijampole. During this time he also took part in the demonstrations against Russian rule .

1862–1866 he studied at the Theological Academy in Warsaw , was ordained a priest in 1864 and graduated with honors.

Superior General of the Marians

In 1864 the Russian authorities tried to dissolve the Marians, which they almost succeeded, only the monastery in Marijampole remained. Senkowski went there after his studies. He held numerous functions, was treasurer, expanded the monastery and founded two new chapels. He was a member of the city council and taught theology.

On November 24th he was elected Superior General of the Marians, contrary to the attempt of the Russian authorities to push through a candidate who was loyal to the regime.

In 1904 the number of Marians was so small that the monastery had to be closed and in 1908 Senkowski was the last living monk .

Renewal of the Congregation

In 1907, two professors from the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, Georg Matulaitis and Franziskus Buczys, secretly and with the support of the Holy See , set about reviving the Marian Order. They were sworn in by Senkowski on August 29, 1909 and in 1910 the order was re-established by a decree of the Pope.

Senkowski died six months later in April 1911 and was buried near the monastery church in Marijampole. His successor as the superior general of the Marians was Georg Matulaitis, who pushed ahead with the rebuilding of the order.

Web links

• Tadeusz Górski: Wincenty Sękowski. In: Polski Słownik Biograficzny. Volume XXXVI, 1995–1996, online , accessed March 27, 2018 (Polish)