Church of Christ the King and Monastery of the White Fathers of the Sacred Heart in Polanica-Zdrój

The Church of Christ the King and the Monastery of the Sacred Hearts Fathers in Polanica-Zdrój is a Roman Catholic parish church belonging to the Polanica-Zdrój deanery of the Diocese of Świdnica, and a monastery of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SSCC), known in Poland as the white Sacred Heart fathers, the mother house of the Polish Province.

An inn that became a monastery

The monastery was founded on 12 May 1927 on the initiative of the Fathers of the German Province. The provincial superior bought an inn called "At the Village Mayor's of Sokołówka" from the farmer Mr Fischer. The purchased land included a residential house with a tavern, a second building with a veranda serving as a guest house, barns, and about 40 "morgs" of land.

Growth of the community and the mission school

The religious community quickly grew; by 1932 it housed almost 15 friars. In total, between 1927 and 1946, the "Christ the King" community had 35 members, 22 priests and 13 brothers. Most of the priests taught at the mission school run at the monastery, while some also carried out pastoral work. The school was founded at Easter 1928, when it had 8 pupils being prepared to join the congregation. The Nazi authorities closed it on 31 March 1940.

War and the return of Polish priests of the Sacred Heart

In 1945, soldiers of the Red Army and the Polish People's Army looted and devastated the monastery. On 8 March 1946 a decision was made to expel the friars and the local German population to Western Germany, and the German fathers had to leave the religious house, which stood empty for a time. In the autumn of 1946, at the request of the congregation's superior general, the first Polish priests of the Sacred Heart, who had earlier been in France, arrived at the monastery.

Rebuilding and today's function

Between 1971 and 1973 the monastery building was rebuilt and repainted. Between 2000 and 2010 its interior was adapted for use as a retreat and holiday house, a function the monastery still serves today alongside pastoral work.

Nearby

A few kilometres away lies the Spa Park in Polanica-Zdrój, the main attraction of this spa town.

Practical information

• Village: Polanica-Zdrój, Kłodzko County
• The church and monastery function as an active religious house, also serving as a retreat and holiday house
• Mass times and visiting rules are best checked directly with the parish before a visit