joseph.mcmahon, from experience in looking for birth records in two Catholic countries, I can make a couple of suggestions. One is that the name of the town in Polish is Oświęciem, not Auschwitz - the name of the town during the the German occupation. They don't like to see foreign names being used, especially one so loaded with bad history. Another is to note that your request for information is not unique (many, many people make such requests), and local parishes are unlikely to have staff to do research or respond (in English). Going to city government offices for info often requires an appointment, and you have to be specific in knowing what you're looking for, as they can be uninterested in helping you. Original old church records are often in Latin or so hard to read they're undecipherable. Then because of large and inter-related families, you get a lot of similar names, so you need exact names and birthdates. I think I recall in Poland that you have to prove a relationship (i.e., your birth certificate) in order to request records <100 years old.
By all means give it a try. But if you're willing to pay for services, try contacting one of the many genealogical services that operate there (and in most countries) who know where to look, they can do the research for you. Probably not in time for your trip.
