The Zagłębie Association is planning to publish the book “Teresa Kierocińska and her times” next year. It will be possible because of the fact that – as the only institution in the region – it was granted a subsidy in the second stage of the competition in the field of culture and preservation of cultural heritage, organized by the Marshal’s Office in Katowice. The book written by Ireneusz Łęczek and presenting the history of the Righteous Among the Nations will probably be published until the end of the year and will be available in bookstores in the first months of 2011.

Janina Kierocińska – Mother Teresa of St Joseph – was born in 1885 in Wieluń. Together with the Carmelite Fr Anzelm Gądek she founded the Congregation of Carmelite Nuns of the Baby Jesus in Sosnowiec. She was its first Mother Superior and held this function until her death on July 12th, 1946. During the Second World War she organized clandestine classes, helped the homeless, took care of children and run a free kitchen. She was called the “Mother of Zagłębie”. During the Nazi occupation she risked her life, helping and giving shelter to the Home Army partisans from the 23rd division of the infantry of the Śląskie district, commanded by Stanisław Wencel. She also helped Auschwitz prisoners by sending food parcels and clothes to the camp. She took in girls who were in danger of being sent to forced labour in Germany – some of them later joined the Congregation. The orphanage run by the nuns gave shelter to children from concentration camps, among them the camp in Radosze in Sosnowiec. They also helped orphans who lost their parents during the war. The orphanage was closed down by the communist authorities in 1962.

During the Nazi occupation Mother Teresa had also been hiding Jews in the Sosnowiec convent. In 1943 a stranger brought a little girl several months old – the nuns called her Tela. Soon, they gave shelter to another girl. Adults of Jewish descent had also been hiding in the convent. In 1983 the beatification process of Mother Teresa was launched. On May 11th, 1993 Teresa Janina Kierocińska was posthumously honored with the title of the Righteous Among the Nations.