"I have to stay with them" (Brother Albert Chmielowski)
One day in December, the inhabitants of Krakow saw a strange sight in the street. Tall, one-legged man, dressed in a gray monastic habit, he rode a small horse-drawn cart. He was shaking the bell in a funny way, as if wanting to get attention. At first, this sight caused an understandable sensation. Because think about it, the lame friar, skinny joke and a little church bell. Who is this strange man and what is he looking for on the streets of Krakow ? From then on, he was seen more and more often, as he rode slowly, here and there he would stop and take it all onto his wheelchair, what good people gave him : vegetables, fruit and crops in general or something to eat, and old worn-out clothing. Always calm, always polite, not put off by a bad word, with a wry remark or with a mocking smile.
Who is this strange man ? Many thought. They knew very little about him. That he was once a painter, but now he quit the play, he settled in the municipal heating plant and committed himself to the gentlemen of the magistrate, that he would take care of the poor, homeless people, who stayed there. They were also soon convinced, that he had a very good heart. He could do anything, what he owned, and also to give oneself to the poor. One of the contemporary writers (A. Nowaczyński), who even wanted to join him for some time and also devote himself to the poor, he wrote a book about him and titled it : "The most beautiful man of my generation". And in everyday life he was simply called Brother Albert.
The man's past and his youth were interesting. Adam Chmielowski, because that was Brother Albert's name, was born in the year 1846. His childhood was sad. When he was seven, his father died, and six years later my mother. Thirteen-year-old Adam was brought up by his aunt. She sent him to an agricultural and forestry school in Puławy. And there he was found by the outbreak of the uprising in 1863 r. As a seventeen-year-old boy he fought in the forestry unit near Kazimierz. He was very brave. He was seriously injured in one of the skirmishes. He lost his leg. During the years of wandering, he discovers a painting talent. He studies in the Warsaw Drawing Class and in Munich. He was a friend and advisor to young painters : Maksym Gierymski, Józef Chełmoński and Stanisław Witkiewicz.
When painting religious pictures, especially the image of Christ, the famous "Ecce Homo", experiences a profound inner transformation. The voice of the vocation to religious life is heard in it. Initially, he entered the Jesuit Order, but after six months of novitiate, he leaves him. For his place was not here. During this time she is going through very hard times. His soul has a deep anxiety for his own salvation. Some even suspect him of a mental illness, but it was not a disease, but some strange sadness and inner confusion : what to do ? At that time, he went to the countryside to visit his brother Stanisław. There slowly came reassurance. And when one day he found a small book in the library entitled. "Rule of St.. Francis ", gets enlightenment. He sees his life purpose : service to others in Franciscan poverty, as a Franciscan tertiary.
Banished from Podolia by the tsarist authorities, comes to Krakow. He still paints a lot, but it takes longer in his life to care for the poor, which were not lacking at that time in Krakow. Initially, he gathers them in his apartment, where he feeds them and clothe them. Once, along with a few gentlemen from the charity, he went to one of the homeless shelters in Krakow, the so-called. heating plant. To, what he found here, it shook him. Then he said : ,,I have to stay with them. I can't leave them like that ". He applied for permission from the city hall to take care of this poor home, which was the heating plant. He understood, that wanting to help the poor, it is not enough to go out to them with buns, but you have to become one of them, to transform them. He abandons the existing ones, comfortable life, to live with the poor. It's just a pity, what are they, he sleeps on a board covered with a torn blanket, he changes his outfit into a coarse habit, which does not offend the eyes of the poor. Soon, followed by his example, others join him. In year 1888 a congregation of Brothers Serving the Poor is formed, the so-called. albertyni, and two years later the Albertine Sisters. These people did not hesitate to undertake the most difficult jobs, just to be able to support the poor. Brother Albert and his helpers understood, that you have to love God yes, that loving my shoulders would hurt, legs and head. The gray Albert habit was often found next to the worker's blouse, e.g.. at the construction of the road from Zakopane to Morskie Oko. Brother Albert and his brothers were also seen, how they collected alms for their poor. Slowly they won common sympathy. The poor took them for their own, others saw in them an example of Christian love. A sami albertyni ? They, together with its founder Brother Albert, they understand, to give bread to the hungry, and a homeless person a roof over his head, that's not all. Such alms can sometimes spoil a person even more. Human dignity must be restored to the poor, help him, to make him feel useful and valuable again. And that will happen then, when these people, living only on begging or theft, will have the opportunity to work and earn money. They will be able to support themselves. And Brother Albert makes efforts, that people would work in his asylum. Some people take part in part-time work, and for others he organizes workshops. First, a chair-weaving workshop, then an upholstery workshop. Besides, where can, there he is trying to find employment in various enterprises for people, whom he rescued from their misery, which he healed from theft or from drunkenness, whom he turned back from the path of crime. His activities are all the more important, that is several decades ahead of it, what is today called social care. To, what are employment offices doing today when looking for work for the unemployed, to, what the whole army of people thinks about today, organizing care for the homeless on behalf of the state, old men, terminally ill, etc.. - several decades ago it was in the hands and in the heart of one man - Brother Albert.
And today, care for terminally ill in special institutions is often given to Albertines and Albertines. So the idea of Brother Albert's life continues to be realized. Serving others so involved Brother Albert, that he had run out of time to paint. But despite this, he remained a great artist forever, because his view of the world was so wonderful, for life. He was still looking for a higher perfection, fuller beauty. He has always served the beauty hidden in his battered humanity. This is real art, which makes you better, it reveals the image of God hidden in it. Therefore, when in a year 1916 Brother Albert died, whole Krakow honored him : and the poor and the rich. He was honored as a great artist, the most beautiful man of our time, which he showed with his life, that sacrifice for others always has value.
We invite you to read: Biography of Brother Albert