What is the “Ziarenko” day support facility in Branice?

May 5, 2021 | NEWS

Once the children told me that this was their second home … “Seed” HOME … I remember my emotions and tears that day. The day before, I prayed to God that I would still not be able to do it … And perhaps I would not have given it, if it had not been for what I heard, and I read it as meeting the Lord himself in these children.

A grain is time… time given and received. Space just a few hours a day after school. But a space different than any other. Unique, but very, very simple. Doing homework together, praying together, afternoon tea, activities and fun… a lot of fun. And a lot of fun. Sometimes worries, but more joys – basically more joys.

“Ziarenko” is a building … Once, in the convent of the Sisters, or actually in its basement, we started our work with children … and today the activity is located in the community building, in rooms that we lend. And again it’s something special, even though it’s just walls …

I will tell a short story related to this building.

Ziarenko was founded by Maksymilian’s sister, who was then in the facility in Branice. Once I visited her while visiting my parents (I come from Branice). I saw the gleam in her eyes. I knew it meant an idea. It turned out to be not only an ordinary human idea, but God’s inspiration. She suggested that I go for a walk with her. To my surprise, for this walk she took a rather large statue of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. “I’ll tell you on the way,” she said. It was about the old, ruined building of my nursery, where my parents accompanied me as a child. Maksymilian Kolbe put the statue of Mary Immaculate in the open field and said: “Here will be Niepokalanów” and there is … And Maksymilian put the statue of Mary Immaculate in the old, damaged, roofless building and said: “Here will be a seed”. What…? No kidding … I thought to myself.

And no kidding, in a few years the Community of Branice undertakes to completely renovate this old building and allocate some of the rooms to the activities of the Center for children called “Ziarenko”. To this day … I do not understand it humanly … It is also the reason for such a personal meeting with the Immaculate. I am sure today that whenever in my life, or in whatever I do, I will see some ruins … without a roof … then I have to invite Mary to this place … She will perform a miracle of transformation and there will be heaven on earth …

The building, but how important, although it is only walls, but donated by Mary herself. Walls that hold a lot.

Children in “Ziarenek” can pursue interesting and new passions and interests – from sports to artistic. They play football, table tennis, billiards, table football, air hockey, shoot a bow, climb the climbing wall, use the gym. They have a recreation room with a dry pool and wetsuits. There is also a World Experience Room with a waterbed. Computer and study room. In summer, we spend time outside, where we have a lot of activities and challenges for children. There is a go-kart track, tennis court, climbing boulder, playground, gym and many, many other games and adventures that children will invent and create on their own.

In the near future, an oratory will be created, where children will be able to enter for a while and leave their prayers and thanksgiving to God.

“Ziarenko” is an institution … but Marian, first of all … But also weary in law and set on the foundations of the Immaculata Association, which has its soul mate in Opole in the form of our second institution “Cegiełka”

“Ziarenko” are children … Children and they are the most important here … Children attending the Primary School in Branice and older ones, who are already our volunteers … The most important because Jesus said “let the children come to me, the kingdom of heaven belongs to them …” and our grain.

Most importantly, and I am writing about them at the end, but also according to the Gospel principle that “the last will be the first”. Ziarenko are children who find here HOME, TIME, BUILDING, INSTITUTIONS … LOVE, the enormity of love of people who are in the background of the work of this institution. Agnes, devoted with her heart and loving children, mother, wife and trusted friend … Our commune authorities headed by the commune administrator, who … who is wholeheartedly behind us and cheers us on, often fulfilling our strangest requests :). The parish priest of the WNMP Parish in Branice and his parishioners and many, many other people with huge, good and open hearts who support us materially and spiritually.

And I must also mention my Sisters from the Branicka community. Their patience with myself, often a helping hand in good, small things, sometimes make the burden of work that accompanies it becomes smaller, because the community carries and lifts.

So, what is the “Ziarenko” Day Support Center in Branice … all and all that he did not write about and what is in the hearts of the children who attend it.

Sr. Daniela Gumienna

Mother of the Church

May 3, 2021 | NEWS

I used to wonder what my favorite term for the Immaculate is. She is greeted with so many titles that probably each of her devotees is particularly close to one of them.

Personally, I rarely call her by name. Mother of God is definitely closer to me, and in a very personal prayer simply Mummy … Everything comes from her Divine Motherhood, all the veneration that is surrounded by Jesus’ disciples.

When we invoke the intercession of Our Lady in the Litany of Loreto, we also call her the Mother of the Church. This is the second title that I often address to her also when it falls me to lead community prayers. And although this title of Mary was solemnly announced only by St. Paul VI on November 21, 1964, its value and pronunciation are present throughout the history of the Church from its beginnings.

Today, in the age of pandemics, unrest in many parts of the world, great social differences, prevailing ideologies and other things far from the Gospel, there are many seers, prophets and apostles of the apocalypse. The thought that we are living in the end times gives rise to all sorts of pious practices that are good in themselves and belong to the wealth of the Church. However, their excessive multiplication seems to betray a certain spiritual anxiety, nervousness, distrust, or a tendency to panic. The fullness of time has come with the coming of the Savior into the world (see Gal 4: 4). The end times full of expectation, longing, trials, and hope are inscribed in the time of the Church (see CCC 672-677). Already from the Ascension, the Lord’s coming is close, and while awaiting this event, the Church is accompanied by Her Mother. You have to listen to your mother. This statement seems so obvious, but it is not always as we think it is.

In private revelations recognized as true and approved by the Church, she says the same as in Scripture through her attitude, presence with Jesus and the young Church. It says the same as in the few words written by the Evangelists. For me, the most specific clue is the command given at the wedding to the servants of Cana in Galilee, whom he sends back to Jesus saying: “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn 2: 5).

The title of Mary, Mother of the Church reminds me of a beautiful medieval Madonna with a Protective Mantle, the original of which is in the Church of St. Nicholas in Markdorf. I have never been there, but I got a picture with her image from a late Franciscan who, years ago, accompanied me in the discernment of my vocation. Today, when we live in times when everything is or must be special, I think that such simplicity and ordinariness are needed in protecting oneself under her maternal protection, with which, under the mantle of Mary, the figures representing the medieval inhabitants of the town are protected. We need simplicity and ordinariness in the spiritual life, prayer and work, in interpersonal relationships within and outside communities.

Then we are most like the Mother when, following Her commands, we live as she lived – in the presence of Jesus. Then we are like her when we let the Spirit of God guide us and permeate us as he fills and guides her. So it is not only about addressing Mary in a solemn, pietistic way in solemn moments, or about undertaking various works or apostolic actions as her Sisters. Rather, it is about daily faithfulness to the simple way of living, following her example, which is also manifested in the forms of piety, the way of being, speaking, behaving …

Finishing my reflections on Mary, our Mother – Mother of the Church, one more thought comes to my mind. The aforementioned time of vocational discernment ended with the decision to enter to the Sisters of Mary Immaculate, although I knew a few other religious congregations, and some of them contributed greatly to my religious development through catechesis, running a group of the Children of Mary, a choir, parish camps and retreats for girls. It is difficult to say why the Lord Jesus brought me here. But I can say with certainty that what distinguished the Sisters of Mary was the simplicity, the family atmosphere that can be felt in the religious house and the ordinariness of the Sisters with whom I had contact then.

Sr. M. Michaela Musiał