Association of Jesuit Alumni in Poland
In
1937 the Jesuits opened a high school in the Orlowo section of Gdynia, a city on
the Baltic Sea, but this new venture did not last long. When the Nazis invaded
Poland in September 1939, they arrested and executed the Jesuits who were
working in the school. In April 1945, the Jesuits again took up their teaching
mission in Gdynia, but their work was terminated in 1947. This time by the
Communist government.
Over the years the alumni of the school in Gdynia, and indeed the alumni
of the other two Jesuit high schools in Poland, had nourished the hope that one
day Jesuit education would again flourish in Poland. Their dreams finally became
a reality when the Jesuits reopened the school in Gdynia at the beginning of the
school year 1994/95, with 42 pupils. It was also thanks to the old alumni,
because they had the hope and will to encourage the Jesuits.
Our
organization – The Jesuit High School Friends’ Society in Gdynia – started
its history in 1994, when it was founded by all the alumni from years before.
After the first graduates of the new school were out in 1998, some of them
became also members of the association. So far it is the only Jesuit school in
Poland and we are the only alumni/ae association.
At this moment our association consists of the alumni of old schools in
Gdynia, Vilnus and Chyrow and also some new graduates. We are open to all the
others who want to be members of our community and help the school.
Our aims are to keep in touch with all the alumni/ae and to join in all
the activities of the high school. The right building has been just finished,
the school is still developing and that is why
we try to help in financing various things (f.ex. classroom equipment,
fitness room, computer room). We also help some students who cannot afford their
tuition and finally - we are
present during every important event that takes place at school. We try our best
to solve some problems that the school may have.
We meet three times a year with all our members. It is always a nice
possibility to talk to our fellow alumni/ae and also to listen to a lecture and
discuss some topics that interest us as catholics.
We are very happy to join
the World Union of Jesuit Alumni/ae during the congress in Kolkata and share our
experiences with people from other countries.
Here is our address and website:
Towarzystwo Przyjaciol
Liceum Jezuitow w Gdyni
Tatrzanska 35
81-813 GDYNIA
Poland
e-mail: alumni@arrupe.org