Congregation of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ

CONGREGATION OF THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. - It began in Paris on Feb. 17, 1856

through the work of Bogdan (Adecodato) Janski, a Pole, who, having repented of Saint-Simonism, had devoted himself to the apostolate among his fellow countrymen, leading a common life with Peter Semenenko, Jerome Kajsiewicz and other disciples. When Semenenko and Kajsiewicz were sent to Rome in 1837 to study theology there, he himself came there in 1840, and died there on July 2 of the same year. His companions and disciples continued his work, and on March 27, 1842, the day of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the rule having already been compiled, Semenenko was chosen as the first superior general and the first religious vows were pronounced in the catacombs of St. Sebastian.

The C., having spread in Poland and in other countries, received the decree of praise on Oct. 9, 1860, and was approved on March 10, 1888. The constitutions were definitively approved on March 5, 1902. Its purpose is the apostolic ministry in parishes and colleges, permeating teaching with religious truths and informing with them the whole moral and civil life of youth. Those who distinguished themselves were: Fr. P. Semenenko, as a theologian and ascetical writer, Fr. Kajsiewicz, as a preacher, Fr. Kalinka, historian of Poland, Fr. Pawlicki, historian of philosophy and apologist, Fr. L. Funken as a pedagogue, Fr. E. Funken as a poet, and Fr. Smolikowski as historian of the C. and ascetical writer. The C., spread in Italy, Poland, Switzerland, Bulgaria and America, today numbers 41 houses with over 600 religious.