Marcelina Darowska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marcelina Darowska |
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| Born | January 16, 1827 Szulaki, Poland (now in Ukraine) |
| Died | January 5, 1911 (aged 83) Jazlowiec, Poland (now in Ukraine) |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | October 6, 1996, Rome by Pope John Paul II |
Marcelina Darowska (born January 16, 1827 – died January 5, 1911) was a Polish nun. She was honored by Pope John Paul II in 1996 at St. Peter's Square in Rome. This honor is called beatification, which means the Church recognizes that she lived a very holy life.
Marcelina was inspired by the Virgin Mary. She helped start a religious group called the Congregation of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This group of nuns is still active today in Poland, Belarus, and Ukraine.
Early Life and Family
Marcelina Kotowicz was born in Szulaki, a part of Poland that was under Russian rule at the time. Her parents, Jan and Maksymilia Kotowicz, were wealthy landowners.
Marcelina went to school in Odessa for three years. After school, she worked on her father's farm. She was very religious, even when she was young. Before her father passed away, he asked her to promise that she would get married and have a family.
On October 2, 1849, she married Karol Darowski, who was also a landowner. Sadly, Karol died from a serious illness called typhus three years later. They had two children, Jozef and Karolina. A year after her husband's death, her son Jozef also passed away.
These sad events deeply affected Marcelina. She felt that her life now belonged completely to God.
For health reasons, she traveled to Berlin, then to Paris, and finally to Rome. She arrived in Rome on April 11, 1853.
Life as a Nun
In Rome, Marcelina met Father Hieronim Kajsiewicz, a priest from the Resurrectionist Order. He became her spiritual guide. On May 12, 1854, she made special promises to God, called vows of chastity and obedience, in front of him.
Father Kajsiewicz introduced her to another nun, Józefa Karska. They became close friends. While in Poland, Marcelina and Józefa decided to create a new religious community. This group would focus on educating and supporting women.
This new group, called the Congregation of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was started in Rome in 1857.
When Józefa Karska died from typhus in 1860, Marcelina Darowska became the leader, or Superior, of the group. In 1863, she moved the community to Jazłowiec in an area called the Archdiocese of Lviv.
She opened a convent and a middle school for girls in the old ruins of the local castle. This place quickly became an important center for faith and culture.
In 1863, the Pope gave the congregation an official approval called a decretum laudis. The final approval was confirmed in 1874, and their rules were accepted in 1889.
In 1883, the sisters put up a special Statue of the Immaculate Conception of the Godmother in their chapel. This statue was blessed by archbishop Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński. Later, in 1939, it was given a special crowning by the Polish church leader, August Cardinal Hlond.
During her 50 years as the leader of the congregation, Marcelina Darowska opened many pre-schools and schools in country areas. She passed away on January 5, 1911, in Jazłowiec, at the age of 83. When she died, her group had seven convents and 350 sisters.
Her Beliefs and Impact
Marcelina Darowska believed strongly in helping others and serving God. She wanted to spread God's love and truth in the world. She worked hard to make her country a better place.
She focused especially on teaching young people, particularly girls, about faith and education. She believed that Christian women had an important role as wives, mothers, and citizens.
Pope John Paul II said that Marcelina Darowska was an example of faith that creates new ways for the Church to be present in the world. He said she helped build a more fair and human society.
See also
In Spanish: Marcelina Darowska para niños
