Reakcje bernardynów na kasaty ich klasztorów w końcu XVIII i w XIX wieku – wybrane przykłady
Reactions of the Bernardine Monks to the Suppression of Their Monasteries at the End of the 18th Century and in the 19th Century – Selected Examples

Summary/Abstract: In 1772, the Bernardine province of Greater Poland boasted the largest numer of monasteries (37), followed by the Lithuanian (31), Ruthenian (30) and Lesser Poland (20) provinces. In total, they numbered 2359 monks. In the course of time, all the conventions ended up within the borders of the partitioned countries. During the period of suppression, the Bernardines employed various strategies to save existing monasteries and provinces from abolition and to preserve their modus vivendi. These included: using acquaintances with government officials to save monasteries that had been suppressed, running monastery parishes, opening monastery schools for young people, attempts by provincials and guardians to maintain positive relations with the partitioning authorities, submitting to new orders from the state authorities, taking care of novitiates, formation and studies, placing themselves under the protection of diocesan bishops, emigrating, and provincials’ efforts with bishops not to admit monks who wanted to secularize into their dioceses. In this way, the Bernardines saved their modus vivendi, although they failed to protect most of their monasteries against the suppression. In 1900, after unification with the Reformati, there was only one Galician religious province under the invocation of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It had only 323 monks and 28 convents. However, it laid the groundwork for further development of the Bernardines in free Poland.

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