In 1994, in the February, March and April issues of "Głos Bolesławca", I wrote about the activities of the Parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the years 1945–1970. In this article, I would like to present the more important pastoral events in this parish from 1971 to 1995.
After the period of the Rev. Ludwik Gilewski’s activity (1960–1967), which was rich in momentous events, the parish’s current parish priest, Canon Władysław Rączka, was appointed its administrator on 6 June 1967. During his many years of service in the Parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, four independent parishes were established: in 1970, the Parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help; in 1979, in Kruszyn, the Parish of St John the Baptist; in 1983, the Parish of Christ the King; and in 1988, the Parish of Saints Cyril and Methodius. Today, the parish administered by Canon Rączka has approximately 14,000 inhabitants, including the village of Chościszowice, more than 90 percent of whom are Catholics.
Canon Rączka was generally assisted each year by three vicars who, together with three Sisters Adorers and one Elizabethan sister, were mainly involved in catechizing children and young people. The parish also employed an organist and choir conductor, as well as people providing family counselling. Priestly and religious vocations arose among the faithful of this community, and the following men have so far received priestly ordination: Józef Maj, Maciej Wesołowski, Andrzej Duda, Adam and Ireneusz Lehman, Mirosław Sowiński, Wojciech Czernatowicz, Jan Adamarczuk, Paweł Cembrowicz and Mieczysław Cacuba. It should be added that Maciej Wesołowski and Paweł Cembrowicz devoted themselves to academic work.
Each year, between eleven and fourteen groups of the Living Rosary operated within the pastoral centre. The Third Order of St Francis has been active since 1973, and the Oasis movement since 1976. Work with altar servers and the schola continued. The following groups were active: the Reparation Circle, the Night Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the Prayer Community of the Most Precious Blood of Christ and the Charitable Team.
As always, catechesis was also an important element of religious education during this period. In 1971, children and young people were taught in four catechetical rooms in a private house in Kruszyn, and in Łaziska in a catechetical room next to the chapel. At that time, priests and religious sisters provided approximately 180 hours of catechesis per week for approximately 4,000 children and young people. Over time, the number of those receiving catechesis decreased. Eventually, religious education returned to schools. Today, in addition to preschool children and working young people, catechesis covers four primary schools—Nos. 2, 3, 5 and 8—as well as vocational and secondary schools, namely the General Secondary School, Medical Secondary School and Mining Technical School.
As annual statistics show, the sacraments were administered on a considerable scale. For example, 348 people were baptized in 1971, as many as 527 in 1978, and 190 in 1993. During the entire period from 1945 to 1993, 21,079 baptisms were administered and 7,081 Catholic marriages were blessed. Other important events in the liturgical year included celebrations connected with the reception of First Confession and Holy Communion, as well as Confirmation. Sacramental care for the sick in private homes, the District Hospital and the Psychiatric Hospital was not neglected. The number of faithful receiving Holy Communion throughout the year also increased. For example, approximately 80,000 Communions were distributed in 1972, approximately 200,000 in 1981, and approximately 186,000 Holy Communions in 1989.
Finally, it is worth mentioning the construction and maintenance work carried out in the church and parish buildings on the orders of Rev. Władysław Rączka. This included painting the church, installing a sound system, renovating the organ twice, paving the area around the church, making new pews and a conciliar altar, plastering the church, presbytery and catechetical house, installing central heating in the church, presbytery and catechetical house, as well as many other projects. The parish also contributed financially, to varying degrees, to the establishment of new parishes.