Działalność Zgromadzenia Sióstr Karmelitanek Dzieciątka Jezus w ostatnim okresie życia m. Teresy Kierocińskiej (1945–1946)

The last period of Mother Teresa Kierocińska’s life was a difficult time for Poland, marked by chaos and instability. The years 1945–1946 were at the same time a period of intensive ministry of the Foundress of the Congregation as Superior General. After the end of hostilities, Mother Teresa and her sisters immediately joined the new tasks of the Church and responded to the needs of their surroundings.The congregation had to take urgent care of the premises for its activities. The sisters in Wolbrom were in a particularly difficult situation, being deprived of their own dwelling. In a short time, the Carmelite Sisters renovated the building assigned to them, at the same time carrying out care and educational activities. They ran two kindergartens and courses for girls. The work of the sisters in Polanka Wielka also required new organisation. There, within a few months, a semi-public chapel and rooms for a kindergarten were erected using the planks of a former German barrack. Between 1945 and 1946, work was carried out to adapt the building in Sosnowiec, where the various sectors of the educational establishment were located. In addition, care was taken to allocate an abandoned building in Wiejska Street to the state authorities for the purposes of an orphanage.Since 1945, in all Carmelite institutions of the Child Jesus, a wide range of apostolic activities have been resumed, including kindergartens, tailoring and embroidery courses, religious instruction, charitable services, and nursing. A retreat house in Czerna was resumed. The development of activities was accompanied by Mother Kierocińska’s concern for the spiritual development of the congregation. Mother Teresa took care of the formation of the professed sisters, as well as of the numerous group of candidates she accepted into the religious community. She was keen to deepen Carmelite spirituality and to ensure that the sisters were guided by the Discalced Carmelites. The new situation allowed for regular visits from the Carmelite fathers with the ministry of retreatants and confessors.At the beginning of July 1946, m. Teresa fell ill with peritonitis and, after suffering for several days, passed to eternity on 12 July 1946 in the presence of the sisters. This was shortly before the scheduled General Chapter at which she was to resign as Superior General. The funeral ceremony took place on 15 July and was presided over by Bishop Stanisław Czajka. After the Holy Mass celebrated in the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Sosnowiec, a numerous funeral procession with the body of the deceased went to the cemetery in Józef Mirecki Avenue. The funeral became a real manifestation of the population who wanted to honor the “Mother of Workers and Zagłębie”.