Priesthood of Konin Deanery of Kujavia and Kalisz diocese against the background of neighbour deaneries in the middle of 19th century

Abstract

Article The clergy of the Konin deanery of the Kuyavian-Kalisz diocese against the background of neighboring deaneries in the mid-nineteenth century, was primarily based on archival material found in the Diocesan Archives in Włocławek marked with the reference number Various 46, and the Schematic of Kuyavian-Kalisz 1848 was used.

In undertaking research on both these sources, the author used the pro-prographic method and based on it showed the clergy of the Konin deanery in 1848. Then he compared the obtained information about priests with data on the clergy of 6 neighboring deaneries: Kalisz, Kolski, Słupecki, Sompoleńsk, and Stawiszyn, Stawski.

During the research work, comparative elements were determined: the number of years lived, social background, places where future priests studied, then seminars in which they prepared themselves for the priesthood, the number of years of priesthood service, held church offices and church dignities.

It was established during the work that one cannot base work on only one source, which is the material contained in Miscellaneous 46, because it does not contain complete information about the clergy, although it contained a number of detailed data. Therefore, an auxiliary source was used, which was the Kujawsko-Kalisz Schematic 1848, which contained more general information that allowed for a more complete presentation of the deaneries in question.

Based on the collected material, it can be said that the average priest of the Konin deanery in 1848, was: between the ages of 30–39, had bourgeois social background, on the way to priesthood he studied at Kalisz schools, completed seminary studies in Włocławek, in the priesthood he has not yet passed his nine years of service. He held the office of parish priest as a curate or calendar. Unfortunately, he did not have an honorary title, since only 15% of this deanery was such.