May 19, 2026 | NEWS
On Friday, May 15, 2026, a gala event was held at Hydropolis in Wrocław—the finale of the first edition of the Game Changer competition. The competition recognized individuals and initiatives that, through their courage, innovation, and actions, are shaping the future of Wrocław. The John Paul II Children’s Care and Treatment Center in Jaszkotl was honored in the Special Award category. The description read: “In a world where haste often obscures what is most important, there is a place where time is measured by love, and every small step is an occasion for great celebration. The John Paul II Children’s Care and Treatment Center in Jaszkotl, run by the Congregation of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate, is not just a medical facility. It is a safe haven where suffering meets an infinite reservoir of hope and professional care.” S.M. Sylwia Borowska, who runs the facility, emphasizes the fruitful collaboration of many in creating a true home for the children—one full of safety, understanding, and love—teaching us to view a child through the lens of their potential, not their illness. She says:“Every day, we do our utmost to ensure that the children in our care can develop to the best of their abilities, experience a childhood full of smiles, and build self-esteem. Comprehensive rehabilitation, therapy, and medical care are extremely important, but equally important to us is the atmosphere of kindness, closeness, and family warmth created together by the Sisters, staff, volunteers, and friends of our facility.”
CONGRATULATIONS!
More information at the link:
ZOL dla Dzieci w Jaszkotlu – Game Changer 2026 w kategorii Nagroda Specjalna - Wrocławskie Fakty
May 19, 2026 | NEWS
Rachel’s Vineyard is an international community that offers post-abortion healing retreats in over 80 countries worldwide. The program originated in the United States and was created by Theresa Burke, a therapist of Polish descent. The retreat program has already been translated into over 30 languages. In Poland, Rachel’s Vineyard has been active since 2014 in several cities: Warsaw, Piwniczna-Zdrój, Kraków, Poznań, Gdańsk, and, since 2021, Wrocław. Rachel’s Vineyard retreats are therapeutic and spiritual gatherings for people suffering from post-abortion syndrome (women, men, and medical staff). It is not only the child who is a victim of abortion; the mother and father are victims as well, because death enters their lives as a consequence of the choice they made. Many women say that with the abortion, “something inside them died.” These retreats are dedicated to anyone who has experienced abortion (directly, indirectly, or through persuasion) and desires reconciliation with God and with their life story. Most participants are women, though one-sixth of the attendees are fathers of lost children. The retreat is also open to those with “survivor syndrome”—people whose lives were threatened by abortion or whose siblings were aborted, and who consequently experience chronic guilt, anxiety, low self-esteem, and a need to prove their right to live. Women of various ages, educational backgrounds, and social statuses—both believers and non-believers—decide to have an abortion. In recent years, a very common reason for such a decision has been the legal grounds for terminating a pregnancy due to fetal abnormalities or the mother’s poor mental health—a major misconception, as abortion does not resolve mental health issues but rather exacerbates them dramatically. Rachel’s Vineyard takes place in small groups, under the care of properly trained staff and a priest. A very important element of the retreat is creating an atmosphere of love, safety, and discretion, as participants arrive feeling anxious, afraid of judgment, condemnation, and criticism. The team of facilitators ensures that everyone feels welcomed with their life story and comforted in their pain. The three-day meditations on the Word of God and workshops are aimed at inner healing, healing emotional and spiritual wounds following an abortion, processing trauma, experiencing mourning, reconciliation with God, and helping to establish a spiritual relationship with the unborn child. The retreat begins on Friday and lasts until Sunday, which is also a spiritual invitation to journey with Jesus through His Passion, through His suffering and death on the cross, the experience of the darkness of the tomb, and the emergence into the light of the Resurrection on Sunday. Our Provincial House in Wrocław also regularly hosts these retreats. The sin of abortion, which retreat participants often view as “unforgivable,” becomes a cause of despair, depression, a slow agony in solitude, and sometimes mental illness or even suicide. But! The final word always belongs to Jesus, our Lord and Savior! Through the prophet Isaiah, He tells us: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). These words become a living experience of the power of God’s mercy. Participants leave the retreat transformed, freed from guilt, self-condemnation, regret, sadness, and hopelessness. It is remarkable that this transformation is even visible externally—a new freshness appears on their faces, and joy and radiance are restored to their eyes. Helping people with post-abortion trauma is a very concrete act of saving their souls from the darkness of death in which they live.
s. M. Rachela Wąsowicz
(member of the team at the Wrocław branch of Rachel’s Vineyard)
Apr 28, 2026 | NEWS
The anniversary celebrations took place on April 18, 2026, in Racibórz. The first and most important part of the event was held at the parish church dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. At the beginning, Mother Superior Elżbieta Bańdziak welcomed all the distinguished guests. The next item on the program was a brief historical introduction by Sister Elżbieta Cińcio, highlighting the founder of St. Notburga’s House—who is buried in this parish church—the first Marian Sisters in Racibórz, the benefactors, and the good fruits of the existing Work.
At 11:00 a.m., a solemn Mass of Thanksgiving began, presided over by Bishop Jan Kopiec. Concelebrants included the dean and pastor of the parish, Marian Obruśnik, and the Franciscan fathers: Father Eligiusz and Father Ignacy. In his homily, the bishop highlighted the social situation in Silesia in the mid-19th century and, quoting a passage from a speech by Father Hermann Schaffer, demonstrated the relevance of the message of the Founder of St. Notburga’s House. The solemn Te Deum concluded the Mass. Sister Radna Róża conveyed greetings from our Mother General, M. Sybilla Kołtan, and presented the Racibórz community with an icon of Our Lady of Good Counsel. Sister Provincial Superior Dagmara Kania and Sister Superior Elżbieta Bańdziak laid flowers on the grave of the Founder, Father Hermann Schaffer.
The next part of the celebration took place in the building of St. Notburga’s Home. In the common room during the agape meal, guests viewed a photo exhibition depicting the St. Notburga Social Welfare Home yesterday and today, and watched a theatrical performance prepared by the staff and residents of the Home. It was a staging of Julian Tuwim’s poem titled “Rzepka.”
s. Elżbieta Cincio
Apr 11, 2026 | NEWS
An Easter charity campaign for mission countries.
In an atmosphere of gratitude and joy, the finale of the charity campaign “One Heart, Many Hands – A Shared Mission,” organized by the Children’s Care and Treatment Center in Jaszkotl, took place. The event brought together numerous guests, partners, volunteers, and individuals committed to helping those most in need.
The idea to organize the campaign during this year’s Lent arose at a special time, as our Congregation commemorates the 150th anniversary of the death of Fr. Jan Schneider, a man deeply sensitive to the poverty and suffering of the most vulnerable, whose spiritual legacy we strive to uphold in the works we carry out in various corners of the world. The idea of a fundraiser for the missions run by our Congregation in Tanzania, the Philippines, and Indonesia arose from the desire to make the anniversary of his death an opportunity for concrete good, a living gesture of love and solidarity.
The culmination of the entire campaign was not only an opportunity to summarize the online fundraiser (which was very well received), but above all a moment demonstrating the power of community and solidarity. Thanks to the commitment of volunteers, donors, and partners, we were able to support specific aid projects in various parts of the world. In Tanzania, children will receive educational materials and the chance to learn; in the Philippines, the youngest children will receive birth certificates, enabling access to education and healthcare; and in Indonesia, women will be able to acquire a profession and secure the future of their families.
The highlight of the event was an Easter workshop, during which participants, among other activities, decorated Easter eggs together—a symbol of hope. The campaign’s finale demonstrated that even the smallest gesture matters, and that goodness—when shared—can multiply and bring true hope.
S.M. Franciszka
Apr 7, 2026 | NEWS
We thank God for the grace and blessings He has bestowed upon each of us, and especially our Congregation, as we mark 25 years since the founding of our Kurasini Community. We thank our Congragation's leaders for recognizing the importance of having this house in Dar es Salaam. May God grant them every good thing in their service. Preparations for the Jubilee celebration began with a prayer for our community; we started in January and we will continue with it throughout the year. Before the feast of Saint Joseph, we prayed a nine-days novena to Saint Joseph, and one day before the feast of Saint Joseph we did a personal retreat in honor of Saint Joseph. On the first evening we prayed the Vesper together, and in the morning, we prayed the morning prayers together. Later we continued with the preparations for the celebration, spiritually preparing for a beautiful Liturgy that came from the heart of each one of us. The Holy Mass began at 11:15 PM, led by our spiritual Fathers. We were joined by the Sisters of Mary Immaculate and our invited guests. After the Holy Mass, we gathered for a short reception, A short while after the priests changed from their Mass vestments, they too came to the event area.
The priest opened the reception with a prayer, then we introduced the guests, and we continued our reception, sharing in fraternal love. A brief history of the convent and the sister who organized it was also read. Thereafter, the history was read, there were various refreshments provided by the Sisters of Mary Immaculate, followed by a speech from the Reginal Superior who explained the origins of the Community of Kurasini. Finally, she thanked everyone who came to join us in our celebration. The Regional Superior welcomed the priest who led us in the Holy Mass with his homily and concluded the service. Thank you very much
Prepared by Sr.M.Yasisnta Unga
Local Superior - Kurasini
Mar 5, 2026 | NEWS
Friday of the 2nd week of Lent
First Friday: Let's entrust ourselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Gospel: Matthew 21:33-43,45-46In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the tenants who forget that the vineyard entrusted to them belongs to the master. When the season arrives, they refuse to deliver the produce and instead try to claim the vineyard as their own. This parable reminds us that everything we have, our life, talents, time, and opportunities, is entrusted to us by God, and that one day we are called to present the fruits of this gift back to Him. On this First Friday, we entrust ourselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Heart that patiently cultivates our lives and awaits the fruits of love, justice, and fidelity. Lent becomes a time to examine what our vineyard is producing: are we living as faithful stewards or as possessors who forget the Giver? When we place our hearts in the Sacred Heart of Christ, we learn again that the true fruit God desires is a life offered back to Him in gratitude and faithful service. Let’s reflect: Lent is entrusting our lives to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and faithfully offering to God the fruits He expects from what He has entrusted to us.
Don Giorgio
