OFIARNOŚĆ DUCHOWIEŃSTWA I SKŁADKI KOŚCIELNE (PARAFIALNE) NA RZECZ ZWIĄZKU CARITAS DIECEZJI TARNOWSKIEJ W LATACH 1939-1945
GENEROSITY OF THE CLERGY AND CHURCH (PAROCHIAL) CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CARITAS ASSOCIATION OF THE TARNÓW DIOCESE OVER THE YEARS 1939-1945

Summary/Abstract: After the initial destabilization of the Church’s charitable actions in the Tarnów diocese (subsidies from the curia, personal donations by priests and the faithful from the parish) to Caritas (mainly its headquarters), a marked increase in donations to Caritas in Tarnów were observed from 1942. The action of parochial donations (cash, in-kind contributions) for the Caritas headquarters was the largest one. During the years 1942-1944, cash and in-kind contributions were donated by approx. 30 parishes (approx. 30%), which were located in 15 deaneries (52%). In total, PLN 351,445 was donated, mainly from the parishes in the central and western zones of the Tarnów diocese. The generosity of the clergy from their personal income (iura stolae) culminated in 1944, when over 480 priests (compared to 88 in 1940) transferred over PLN 320,000 to Caritas. Financial and material support, as well as donations from the faithful to parochial Caritas branches, did not acquire a universal character, with just isolated cases being recorded in the Tarnów diocese. Locally, however, these funds were the basis of the Caritas’ branches’ budgets, sometimes even accounting for ¾ of their income. The subsidies from the Tarnów curia, thanks to the financial policy of Bishop Komar, constituted the most important item in the Caritas budget. By 1944, the curia had donated PLN 2,472,000. It was almost 60% of the total income of the Association, and more than 78% of all donations from the Church to the Association.

• Details
• Contents