Stefan Wincenty Frelichowski

Blessed Stefan Wincenty Frelichowski
Born 22 January 1913
Chełmża, Poland
Died 23 February 1945 (aged 32)
Dachau concentration camp, Germany
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church
Beatified 7 June 1999, Toruń, Poland by Pope John Paul II
Feast 22 February
Patronage Polish scouts

Blessed Stefan Wincenty Frelichowski (22 January 1913 in Chełmża – 23 February 1945 in Dachau) was a Polish priest and Scout, and is the patron of Polish Scouts.[1][2][3] He joined Scouting on 21 March 1927.[1][2][4] Frelichowski served as patrol leader and later as troop leader and during his years in the High Seminary of Pelplin Diocese he was an active member of its Scout Club.[4][5]:18–20 Furthermore, he was an active member of the Marian Congregation in Chełmża[5]:19–20 and since he was nine years old he had been an altar boy.[5]:14 During his years in the seminary of Pelpin, he was active in the temperance movement.[5]:23 On 14 March 1937, he was ordained a priest in Pelpin.[1][2][5]:23 In the following years, he served as a priest in Pelpin and Toruń.[5]:23–25 While working as a priest, he continued his studies at the University of Lwów.[5]:25 In Toruń he was responsible for the parish press.[4][5]:25 In 1938 he became leader of the Old Scouts and chaplain of the scout district Pomerania.[1][2] Arrested by the Gestapo on 18 October 1939, he was imprisoned in the German concentration camps Stutthof, Grenzdorf, Sachsenhausen and Dachau, where he died.[1][2][4][5]:26–32 On 7 June 1999, Stefan Wincenty Frelichowski was beatified by Pope John Paul II.[1][2][4]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "Gedenkstättenfahrt polnischer Pfadfinder nach Dachau". SCOUTING-Unabhängige Zeitschrift für Pfadfinderinnen und Pfadfinder (in German) 1: 27. 2008.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Patron Seliggesprochener Priester - Pfadfinder Stefan Wincenty Frelichowski (1913-1945)" (in German). ZHR. Retrieved 13 April 2008.
  3. ↑ "Patron Harcerstwa-Bł ks. Stefan Wincenty Frelichowski" (in Polish). ZHP pgK. Retrieved 13 October 2009.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Blessed Father Stephen Vincent Frelichowsk". International Catholic Conference of Guiding. Retrieved 13 October 2009.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Helmut Holzapfel (1988). Pfadfinder zu Gott (in German). Baunach: Deutscher Spurbuchverlag.

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