A Franciscan Odyssey

by Lucjan Krolikowski, Dr Gosia Brykczynska (Translator)

Overview

This book is a translation of the highly successful published memoir of a Polish Franciscan priest, Father Łucjan Królikowski OFM Conv, who entered the Franciscan order in Niepokalanów, Poland and was accepted into the seraphic order by St Maximilian Kolbe himself. Fr Królikowski expected to spend his life as a missionary, but found himself as a seminarian – in 1939 – studying theology in Lwów (at that time located in Eastern Poland), just as World War II broke out. The invasion of Poland by the Soviet army in mid September of that year resulted in his deportation to a Soviet Gulag in northern Siberia, together with two other Franciscan seminarians. This book is the story of his wanderings and survival - as he left Poland for Siberia; travelling to Soviet Central Asia to join the Polish army and undergo military training. It recounts his experiences as a war-time seminarian in the Middle East and how he arrived in Canada with a group of refugee orphans after a four year sojourn in East Africa where he worked as their chaplain. Eventually, he was re-assigned to the North American Polish Franciscan province and devoted the rest of his life to the service of Polish refugees and his "African" orphans. He recounts with verve and candour his adventures as a scout master, his war-time experiences as a Soviet prisoner and Polish soldier and his African interlude working as a refugee settlement chaplain, ensuring appropriate and compassionate care for orphaned Polish refugee children.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940013965492
Publisher:	William R. Parks
Publication date:	02/20/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	6 MB

About the Author

"A Franciscan Odyssey" is a remarkable well written autobiographical memoir that covers an important aspect of World War II from a Franciscan priest's personal point of view. Fr. Lucjan writes about his arrest with half a million other Poles, transportation in boxcars out of Poland to Siberia and the time they spent together in Siberia. This part of WW II history and the Eastern Front has been ignored by the western media. He also covers life in very peaceful Poland before the war including life as a seminarian under St. Maximilian Kolbe, his spiritual director.

Editorial Reviews

Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski commented on the writing ability of Rev. Krolikowski, concerning a previous book the author wrote, "Stolen Childhood" which covers some of the same historical events as found in this book. Dr.Brzezinski stated, "A compelling and moving account of World War II: the saga of 380,000 Polish children deported to the Soviet Union during the years 1939-41 ... of great value to historians of World War II, but also of more general interest as a document of love and courage.

N/A - Zbigniew Brzezinski

Stan Zerkowski, liturgist and church manager, stated, "The book is a spiritual testament to a priest's faith-journey that discovered God's Presence in circumstances that were, without a firm faith, ostensibly void of the Almighty's Hand and Love (in Siberia and during the war). With a spirituality grounded in Francis of Assisi and feet firmly planted in the stuff of the world, a realization of the Divine's Presence and action pierces otherwise dim and cruel circumstances to confound reason."

N/A - Stan Zerkowski

Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski commented on the writing ability of Rev. Krolikowski, concerning a previous book the author wrote, "Stolen Childhood" which covers some of the same historical events as found in this book. Dr.Brzezinski stated, "A compelling and moving account of World War II: the saga of 380,000 Polish children deported to the Soviet Union during the years 1939-41 ... of great value to historians of World War II, but also of more general interest as a document of love and courage.

Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski