The history of Szar Print E-mail
June 1999, the Holy Father John Paul II visits Poland. Children of primary school no.3 belonging to the parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Tomaszow Lubelski have already had their First Holy Communion. Their catechist - Sister Helen Pasieczna proposed praying ten first Rosary’s prayers a week to commemorate Pope John Paul II. Children were very eager to fulfill the task.

The thought of continuing this form of prayer appealed to MA Boguslaw Zapalski  – the teacher of public, national School of Music and organist. Then, he thought: "Each one of the catechists may propose this form of prayer to his pupils ,students on regular basis of the catechetical work."

The topic "Contemporary dangers of children and youth" became the starting point for him, which has been occupying him  for years. At the beginning of  talks he pointed out at various areas of evil depending on different ages of  students: violence in movies and computer games, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, listening to heavy metal music, sects, New Age philosophy.

Questions  were put forward during the second part of the meeting  "What can I do to live safely, how to choose the right path?". The answer was one. We must seek help from the Virgin Mary. We must do what she has always wanted us to do and what she asks us to do now  - "Pray the Rosary’s prayer". How to accomplish it ?Introduce the prayer to your school friends, encourage them to pray the first ten prayers of the Rosary’s prayer a day under the guidance of catechists to strengthen the newly created bond of  Rosary’s prayers.
Additional motivation for action was also Holy Father Pio, his requests forwarded to children to pray the Rosary’s prayers and he organized  groups of children devoted to Rosary’s prayers.
The above mentioned way of showing interest in the Rosary was accurate and a growing number of students willing follow the idea was surprising catechists. So there started forming small classes at school of the Rosary’s followers, which soon turned into the SCHOOL ARMY OF THE ROSARY.

7 X 2000 that is when the first general meeting took place in the church of  NSPJ, which was called the conference of”Szar”. Organizational issues started arrising, so the catechists founded the Center (CK) in order to coordinate activities. It is situated and functions at the parish of NSPJ in Tomaszów Lubelski, under protection of  a parish priest and a dean at the same time, MA. John M. Krawczyk.
After three years of preliminary experiments “Szar’s” regulations started shaping, which were approved by the Diocesan Curia in Zamosc.

Here are the names of the ladies Catechists, who were  the first in Tomaszów Lubelski to undertake the task of spreading the Rosary amongst their students.

1. Primary School No. 2 and lower Secondary School No. 2: MA Bożena Bryk, MA Stanislawa Bartoszyk, MA Beata Wojtowicz.
2. Primary School No. 3: MA Henry  Sochan, MA Jadwiga Szczerba, Sister Pasieczna Helena, Priest  Miroslaw Sawka, MA Bożena Babiuch.
3. School of Technology - Agriculture: MA Janina Winnicka
4. lower Secondary School No. 1:MA Elizabeth Jastrzab, MA Teresa Skrzypczuk.

Since the school year 2000/2001 we have been listing students names and adding them to the "Book of the School’s Rosary’s followers" each student has his particular entry number.
Here is a list of schools belonging to “Szar” created on the basis of entries of the "Book to the  School’s Rosary’s followers."

1. Special School and Educational Center - Tomaszów Lub.
2. Primary School - Jarczów
3. Primary School - No. 2 - Tomaszów Lub.
4. Lower Secondary School No. 2 - Tomaszów Lub.
5. Primary School - No. 3 - Tomaszów Lub.
6. Lower Secondary School No. 1 - Tomaszów Lub.
7. Primary School-Przeorsk
8. Lower Secondary School nr1-Tomaszów Lub.
9. Agricultural School-Tomaszów Lub.
10. Economical School - Tomaszów Lub.
11. Mechanical School-Tomaszów Lub.
12. Grammar School-Tomaszów Lub.
13. Primary School - Łaszczówka
14. Lower Secondary School-Krynica
15. Primary School - Justynówka
16. Lower Secondary School - Podhorce
17. Primary School - Podhorce
18. Primary School - Wieprzow
19. Lower Secondary School-Lubycza Krolewska
20. Primary School - Lubycza Krolewska
21. School No. 6 - Lubycza Krolewska
22. Primary School - Łaszczówka
23. Lower Secondary School- Łaszczówka
24. Lower Secondary School - Rachanie
25. Lower Secondary School - Tarnawatka
26. Primary School - Majdan Górny
27. Primary School - Sabaudia
28. Primary School - Szarowola
29. Primary School-Łosiniec
30. Lower Secondary School-Szarowola
31. Primary School - Pasieki
32. Primary School - Kunki
33. Primary School - Ulów
34. Primary School - Ulhówek
35. Primary School - Zwiartów
36. Primary School - Werszczyca
37. Catholic Primary School - Zamosc
38.Lower secondary Catholic School - Zamosc
39. Primary School-Machnow Nowy
40. Primary School-Machnow Stary
41. Primary School - Czarnystok
42. Primary School - Belzec

The above list of schools refers to the period of September 1999 - September 2009. A total  number of registered pupils by the end of this period was 4203
“Szar” functions properly at schools where the same catechists work for a long period of time. The situation is different when replacements of catechists (priests) take place.
In such cases, we propose following teachings of the predecessors.
We invite you to join us and  study materials on our website.

Holy Virgin Mary the Queen of the Rosary pray for us.

Further history of “Szar ”completed by adding:
1. Conferences. Conferences: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
2. Website (Version 3) availed 10/07/2009
3.Newspaper "Internet with Mary" coming out every second month

Ladies, Gentlemen and dear students create with us the history of  the School Army the Rosary!