On September 20-23, 2021, the Federation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Immaculate and Blessed Salome of the Order of St. Clare in Poland conducted its first Ordinary Assembly at the Opoka Pilgrim House, located in the John Paul II Diocesan Pilgrimage Center in Stary Sącz, Poland. The event began with Mass presided over by Friar Roman BANASIK, OFM Conv.
Twelve sisters attended, both Abbesses and Delegates, representing the six Poor Clare monasteries in Poland, namely, the monasteries in Cracow, Miedniewice, Sandomierz, Skaryszew, Stary Sącz, and Sitaniec (near Zamość). The first session of the Assembly was presided over by Friar Roman BANASIK who serves as the Assistant to the Federation [a position chosen jointly by the three Ministers Provincial of Poland].
On September 21, 2021, Sister Joanna DŁUGA of Cracow was elected President of the Federation. Sister Joanna was born on November 29, 1972, in Gdynia, Poland. She entered the Poor Clare monastery in Cracow In 2001, and made her solemn profession in 2007. She has held the offices of Abbess, Vicar and Novice Mistress. Lately, she had been coordinating the work between the monasteries, which led to this Assembly.
Sister Joanna will be supported by a Federal Council comprised of Sister M. Edyta BIS (Stary Sącz); Sister Ewa JASIŃSKA (Skaryszew); Sister M. Dominika JUREK (Miedniewice); and Sister M. Karolina KOBYLARZ (Stary Sącz).
Following the guidelines in Cor Orans, the instructional document of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, the sisters prepared a Six-Year Plan for cooperation between the communities.
The meeting ended on September 23, 2021, with Mass presided over by the Most Reverend Andrzej JEŻ, Bishop of Tarnów, Poland. Those concelebrating included Friar Marian GOŁĄB, Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Anthony and Bl. James of Strepar in Poland (Cracow); Friar Mirosław BARTOS, Vicar Provincial of the Province of the Immaculate Mother of God in Poland (Warsaw); and Friar Andrzej LENGENFELD, Vicar Provincial of the Province of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe in Poland (Gdańsk).
Sister M. Edyta BIS
