Our Founder

Honorat Koźmiński was born on October 16, 1829, in a small town near Warsaw, Poland, as the second child of Stefan Koźmiński, a district architect, and Aleksandra née Kahl. Raised in a religious household, he initially held a strong faith. However, the secular environment of his school led him to lose his religious convictions. In 1844, he enrolled in the School of Fine Arts in Warsaw to study architecture.

On April 23, 1846, Koźmiński was wrongfully accused of participating in an anti-Tsarist conspiracy and was imprisoned in the Warsaw Citadel. During his imprisonment, he underwent a profound spiritual crisis, wrestling with both physical suffering and internal turmoil. Eventually, he experienced a profound conversion, an experience he later attributed to the prayers of his mother. On the Feast of the Assumption that same year, he rediscovered his faith, and following his release on March 27, 1847, he embraced a renewed spiritual life.

After careful reflection and prayer, the 19-year-old decided to join the Order of the Capuchin Fathers in Warsaw. He began his spiritual formation on December 8, 1848, under the guidance of the Capuchin order as a follower of Saint Francis. Koźmiński was ordained a priest on December 27, 1852. As a devoted monk and priest, he served in various roles, including confessor, catechist, preacher, folk missionary, director of the Third Order of Saint Francis, and promoter of the Living Rosary. Within the Order, he also held important positions such as provincial secretary, lecturer at the religious seminary, definitor, and superior of the monastery.

In 1855, Honorat Koźmiński began a unique mission: establishing religious orders. His efforts resulted in the founding of 26 congregations—men’s, women’s, and three orders in habit (including one contemplative), though most were non-habited. Remarkably, 16 of these congregations still exist today. This work was carried out with great apostolic zeal. Father Honorat was always able to find innovative ways to continue evangelizing even under the most challenging conditions.

During this time, his gifts as a confessor and spiritual director became widely known, and Zakroczym became a renowned pilgrimage site, particularly for confession. People from across Poland, as well as Lithuania, Ukraine, and Podolia, would wait for days to meet with Father Honorat. Over 28 years of this ministry, he established religious communities and authored more than 60,000 pages of letters, sermons, and printed works, filling a gap in religious literature and providing essential resources for parish services and private prayer. Through these writings and pastoral care, Father Honorat nourished a flourishing spiritual movement.

On May 5, 1892, Tsarist authorities dissolved the monastery in Zakroczym, relocating Father Honorat and the other monks to the monastery in Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą. This chapter of Father Honorat’s life was marked by profound suffering, particularly spiritual trials, as he paid a high price for his life's mission. Unable to continue his work as a confessor, he intensified his efforts in writing, producing dozens of books, some of which survive in manuscript form. He passed away on December 16, 1916, at the age of 87, after 68 years in the Order. Despite the turmoil of World War I, his funeral was a grand ceremony, attended by those convinced they were laying a holy priest and monk to eternal rest. As one witness summarized, “He always walked with God.”

The process for Father Honorat's beatification began in 1929, resumed in 1949, and formally commenced on April 7, 1949, concluding the first phase by January 12, 1951. The examination of his writings was completed on April 15, 1969, and a decree affirming them was issued on April 5, 1974. On October 16, 1988, Pope John Paul II declared him Blessed, recognizing him as a priest, apostle, and tireless minister of reconciliation, especially in the sacrament of confession, where his work as a spiritual director proved heroic. Father Honorat’s profound gift for recognizing and illuminating God’s call in others was grounded in deep prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. He was fully immersed in God while also deeply engaged with the world around him.

Father Honorat encouraged people to pursue holiness by living the Gospel in their daily lives, often discreetly, without outward signs. He urged his followers to emulate Jesus and Mary in Nazareth, embodying the evangelical counsels in their communities. Through his spiritual sons and daughters, he sought to rekindle the zeal of the early Christians, reaching people from all walks of life.
Today, he is venerated in the Church as a blessed model, showing us how to interpret the “signs of the times,” follow God’s way, and act in challenging times. He teaches us to address complex issues and serve human needs through the Gospel, following the example of Christ, who came “not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”