O NOMINACJI KS. JANA KLEMENSA GOŁASZEWSKIEGO NA BISKUPA WIGIERSKIEGO UWAG KILKA

Jan Klements Gołaszewski was born on 23 November 1748 in Kowalewszczyzna in Podole, in a noble family. He was ordained to the priest-hood in 1772 at the St. Vincent de Paul Missionary Fathers Congregation in Warsaw. After leaving the congregation he was a parish priest in Pawłowice, and then in his native parish in Waniewo. In the years 1798-1800 he was the vicar in spiritualibus in the Podlasie area. He was one of the close co-operators of the first bishop of the diocese of Wigry Michał Franciszek Karpowicz, who appointed Rev. Gołaszewski as a vicar general and judicial vicar. After the death of Bishop Karpowicz he was put up by the Prussian administration as a candidate for the position of the bishop of Wigry. The Prussian authorities also considered the translation of Bishop Józef Miaskowski from Warsaw to Wigry. Finally, the King of Prussia approved the election of Gołaszewski for the bishop of the diocese of Wigry in spring 1804. The information process and official procedures involved in receiving the Holy Seeʼs approval of the nomi-nation and consecration of a priest entailed the necessity of substantial pay-ments, which Gołaszewski was unable to make. His preconization took place on 26 June 1806. Napoleonʼs campaign and the unstable political situation became a direct reason for the postponing of the episcopal consecration of the nominee. It finally took place on 5 March 1809 in Warsaw (in the times of the Duchy of Warsaw). Bishop Gołaszewski died on 8 March 1820.