Where Is It?
Can you find Poland on the map? It touches the north of Rumania, and it is divided from Hungary by Czechoslovakia. On its other side it touches Russia.
The first Polish ruler to become a Christian was Mieszko, in A.D. 936, and from tat time missionaries were sent from G ermany and Bohemia to make the people Christian. From this date Poland was gradually civilised, until in our time it is one of the strongest Catholic countries.
Civil Wars For e long time during its early history (about the same time as William the Conqueror came to the English throne) Poland was unsettled by terrible civil wars, and it was almost entirely due to the clergy that anybody knew anything at all or could read and write.
Age of Saints In the thirteenth century, in spite of all the civil wars and plagues and invasions, the people remained very religious, and at this time there were many Polish saints.
After the foundation of the Jesuit Order, many Jesuits came into Poland and built schools, which by giving the young people a good Catholic education helped to drive the supporters of the Reformation out of the country.
During the seventeenth century Poland had a very well-known king, John Sobieski; he fought many wars with the Turks, who were trying to destroy Christianity, and he finally defeated him. For him and for his soldiers the Catholic religion was a marvellous force and a source of strength.
Love of Our Lady At the present time Poland is a republic, and the people are very good Catholics indeed. They have a great devotion to Our Lady, and there are many shrines to her in the country.
Trade Revival The Polish people have recently built a big harbour on the Baltic Sea, called Gdinia. This is a most important development in their trade, as many foreign ships call and load and unload goods at this harbour, and provide work for Polish people.