$Unique_ID{COW02952} $Pretitle{362} $Title{Poland Catholic Church in Poland} $Subtitle{} $Author{Polish Embassy, Washington DC} $Affiliation{Polish Embassy, Washington DC} $Subject{missionary polish catholic church work mission poland social missionaries pax} $Date{1990} $Log{} Country: Poland Book: Update on Poland Author: Polish Embassy, Washington DC Affiliation: Polish Embassy, Washington DC Date: 1990 Catholic Church in Poland ASSOCIATIONS OF LAY CATHOLICS AND CHRISTIANS IN POLAND The model of socialist democracy advanced in Poland forms a sound base for the existence and activities of associations of lay Catholics and Christians. Each of these groups has its individual character, each was founded at a different time and underwent distinct evolution processes; each defines its own, specific ideological tenets. The PAX Association The beginnings of PAX activities date back to 1945 and the publication of the first edition of the weekly Dzis i Jutro (Today and Tomorrow), which contained the political program of a group of 16 Catholic activists, headed by Boleslaw Piasecki. They formed the only Catholic grouping which-although not abandoning its religious devotion-asserted its cooperation with Marxists in the building of socialism. PAX was registered as an association in 1952. Its ideology is one of the attempts to accommodate the Catholic world outlook with socialism. The ideological-political guidelines of the association-its program document - underline three elements of PAX ideology: patriotism, the Christian system of beliefs, the principles of socialism. Throughout its whole history, PAX has been dedicated to these roots and basic tenets of its involvement in public life. The PAX Association has 21 thousand members and candidates in 49 voivodship and 254 city branches. The association's participation in political life is manifest in its co-presence in legislative bodies. In the Polish Sejm, the PAX deputy group is composed of 9 members: Czeslaw Dabrowski, Jerzy Glinski, Marek Kabat, Zenon Komender-who is also deputy Chairman of the Council of State, Jan Mieloch, Mieczyslaw Stachura, Jan Waleczek, Alfred Wawrzyniak and Jozef Wojcik. There are 957 members of PAX in the people's councils of various levels. PAX is a signatory of the Patriotic Movement for National Rebirth (PRON). The scope of the Association's social influence is visible in its publishing activity. PAX publishes 9 titles: the daily Slowo Powszechne (Universal Word), three weeklies: Kierunki (Directions), Zorza (Dawn), Katolik (The Catholic), four monthlies: Kultura, Oswiata, Nauka (Culture, Education, Science), Zycie i Mysl (Life and Thought), Zycie Katolickie (Catholic Life), Zycie Chrzescijanskie (Christian Life) - published in six language-versions: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Polish for Poles living abroad; and the bimonthly Z pomoca rodzinie (Helping the Family). All these publications reflect the ideology of the PAX movement, but vary with regard to their character and journalistic form. The PAX Publishing Institute plays a significant role in the Catholic affairs of Poland. Established in 1949 at the initiative of Boleslaw Piasecki, it publishes three main types of literature: works of a religious and philosophical nature, historic and political books, and belles lettres. PAX is the publisher of a series entitled "The First Pole in the Holy See" which is a book documentation of John Paul's II pontificate. In 1986, the PAX publishing house printed 109 books in 2.8 mln copies. These publications are sold by the "Veritas" store chain, which is one of the many institutions belonging to the United Economic Establishments under PAX management. The United Economic Establishments group many enterprises carrying out various activities in the sphere of production, trade, publishing and services. Their commercial operations provide the financial means for statutory PAX activity. PAX maintains contacts with numerous Christian organizations abroad. It is notable for its participation in international peace movements such as the Christian Peace Conference in Prague or the Berlin Conference of European Catholics in the GDR. The Association enjoys friendly relations with the Christliche Demokratische Union in the GDR, with Catholic groups in Hungary and with Lidova Demokracie in Czechoslovakia. It also cooperates with Pax Christi centers in Belgium, Holland, the FRG, Great Britain, France and with various press and study groups, e.g. the Italian "La Cultura" and "Forum", and the French "L'Esprit". The Christian Social Association (ChSS) The nucleus of the Christian Social Association was a group of activists from PAX. In the autumn of 1956 they convened a Congress of Catholic activists and journalists, which resulted in the establishing of the Christian Social Institute. In March 1957, the Institute started publishing the weekly Za i Przeciw (For and Against), but later the same year-due to an ideological crisis within its ranks-some activists left the organization which, in turn, adopted a new statute and name: the Christian Social Association. Members of the ChSS are not only Catholics, but also followers of the Orthodox and Evangelical faith. Unlike PAX, the Christian Social Association speaks against drawing any political stands from the religious set of beliefs; it is of the opinion that religion should not be used for political purposes as it does not carry political content. The Association emphasizes its political independence from the hierarchy, but recognizes its authority in matters pertaining strictly to the faith. Its acceptance of the socialist system stems from patriotic, moral and socio-political tenets. The Christian Social Association has 14.5 thousand members and candidates, active in 43 voivodship branches. Its Sejm representation consists of 7 members: Jan Blachno, Eugeniusz Czykwina, Wiktor Leyek, Kazimierz Morawski, Jan Nawloka, Tadeusz Nowacki, Kazimierz Orzechowski. There are 220 members of the association in the composition of people's councils. Like PAX, the Christian Social Association is a signatory of the Patriotic Movement for National Rebirth. The ChSS engages in publishing activity through the "Novum" Institute of Press and Publications which prints photo albums, books and brochures of a religious character. Its periodicals are: the weeklies Za i Przeciw (For and Against) and Tygodnik Polski (Polish Weekly); the monthlies Hejnal Mariacki (Mariacki Bugle Call)-addressed to Poles living abroad, and Biuletyn Informacyjny (Information Bulletin); the bimonthly Chrzescijanin a wspolczesnosc (The Christian and the Modern World) and the quarterly Studia i Dokumenty Ekumeniczne (Ecumenical Studies and Documents). The Christian Social Association's financial means come from the economic and commercial activities of the "Ars Christiana" enterprise, which produces and sells devotional articles, liturgical attire, votive candles, etc. The Association has vast contacts with religious groupings abroad. Since 1968 it has been cooperating with the Moscow Patriarchate, participating in all international events organized by this body, e.g. in the World Conference of Religious Activists for Protecting the Sacred Gift of Life from Nuclear Catastrophe. It takes part in discussion meetings convened in the FRG by Evangelist groups. Members of the association are the co-founders and participants of the Christian Peace Conference in Prague and the Berlin Conference of European Catholics in the GDR. The Polish Catholic-Social Union (PZKS) The founders of the Polish Social-Catholic Union were Catholic activists who in 1967 established the Center of Social Documentation and Studies. Nine years later this group created the Polish Club of Catholic Intelligentsia in Warsaw. At the end of 1980, the General Assembly of Club delegates introduced changes into the organization's statute and transformed it into the Polish Catholic-Social Union, which was registered in January 1981. In its ideological declaration, the Union defines itself as a social organization of Catholics-operating independently, however in contact with the Polish Episcopate. Wishing to act for the benefit of the country and nation, in its proceedings the Union adheres to the principles of the existing socio-political system and the Polish Constitution. It asserts that it is not a political organization, but a socio-educational association. Its statutory principles declare that it is a broadly understood social, patriotic, citizens' formation of Polish Catholics, operating in the spirit of the Church's social teachings. The PZKS has 9.5 thousand members and candidates, meeting in 36 voivodship branches. Its deputy group in the Sejm includes: Wieslaw Gwizdz, Zygmunt Kostarczyk, Tadeusz Myslik, Marian Szatybelko and Zbigniew Zielinski. The Union is a signatory of the Patriotic Movement for National Rebirth. The statutory activities of the Polish Catholic-Social Union are financed through the industrial and commercial operations of the "Libella" cooperative, of which the organization is a major shareholder. From the moment of the group's emergence, members of the Polish Catholic-Social Union have been participating in the works of the Berlin Conference of European Catholics in the GDR. The Social Society of Polish Catholics (STPK) The Social Society of Polish Catholics, founded in 1959, bases its principles on the Old-Catholic doctrine from which the Polish-Catholic Church stems. These emphasize the social activeness of followers of the faith in the organization of public life and define their place in Poland's socio-political system. Joining the general process of national revival, the Society became a participant of the Patriotic Movement for National Rebirth. The STPK is an organization of national scope; it has 10 voivodship branches and 3 thousand members. The Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Publishing House is the Society's publisher of materials connected with Old-Catholic liturgy and of two periodicals: the weekly Rodzina (Family) and the theological-philosophical quarterly Poslannictwo (Mission). The commercial base for the STPK's activities is provided by the "Polkat" Enterprise of industry and services. The Social Society of Polish Catholics maintains close links with communities of the Polish National Catholic Church and the "Spojnia" Polish National in the USA and Canada. It also cooperates with the Polish branch of the Christian Peace Conference and, since 1975, is a regional member of the ChPC in Prague. The Polish Evangelical Society This society resumed its activities in 1981. At first its operations were limited to the Poznan voivodship, but today it is an all-Poland organization with 12 regional branches grouping about one thousand members. The Society is a social organization of Polish citizens of Evangelical persuasion. Its main objectives are: - propagating knowledge about the traditions of the Polish Reformation movement and the role of the Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland, - strengthening respect for the principles of religious pluralism and tolerance in Polish society, - educating youth of the Evangelical faith, - maintaining contacts with religious organizations and churches in Poland and abroad. This Society does not have its own publication, but its areas of interest are often presented in the Zwiastun (Herald) monthly, published by the Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession. The creation of two new associations is a clear example of how citizens adhering to various faiths engage themselves in the cause of socialism and participate in public life - in a manner that does not interfere with their religious beliefs. The "Responsibility and Action" Society This Society, active since November 1986, is an association of representatives of science and culture who - being Catholics-acknowledge Christian values as the basis for involvement in social life. Drawing from both Catholic and Polish national tradition, the Society aims to: - disseminate the teachings of the Roman Catholic church, especially with regard to social doctrine, - shape and propagate Catholic morality, - take interest in the religious condition of its members, - propagate the principles of truthfulness, justice, freedom and tolerance, respect for human dignity, - shape public and patriotic attitudes in Polish society, - strengthen peace in the country and in international relations. The "Laborem Exercens" Foundation This organization was created in January 1987. Its main objective is to inculcate esteem for work and social discipline, to shape attitudes and opinions which define the individual's conduct and actions as a citizen and family member, to educate the young - all in accordance with Evangelical dictates, the teachings of the Catholic church and the ideas of the Patriotic Movement for National Rebirth. The "Caritas" Association of Catholics - Charitable Society This is the only organization which groups both Catholic clergy and laymen. "Caritas" was founded in 1950 on the strength of an agreement between the government and the Episcopate. As an association of Catholic laymen and clergy, the society contributes to the advancement of coexistence and cooperation between the Catholic church and the socialist state within the framework of national reconciliation. "Caritas" is involved in extensive charity and welfare work. Its 205 homes provide care and treatment in a wide range of medical specializations for over 15 thousand incurably ill, physically handicapped and mentally retarded people. These establishments employ 7 thousand staff, including 2 300 nuns and monks from 49 different orders. A large part of the costs connected with its operations is covered by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. "Caritas" has 45 voivodship branches with over 2 thousand members. The Association's publishing activity concentrates on religious, social and cultural themes, and includes the weekly Mysl Spoleczna (Social Thought) and the monthly Wiara i Odpowiedzialnosc (Faith and Responsibility). These publications are addressed to those of the faithful who take interest in questions pertaining to religion, voluntary social work, problems of care centers and the handicapped. The "Caritas" Association of Catholics maintains close links with foreign Catholic and Christian organizations (e.g. the clerical organization "Pacem in Terris" in Czechoslovakia, the Peace Movement of the Catholic Clergy in Hungary, the Berlin Conference of European Catholics in the GDR). Catholic Intelligentsia Clubs (KIK) Unlike other denominational organizations, these Clubs do not have a national structure. Their activities, based on separate statutes, are carried out within the city or town where the particular Club is located. Presently there are 41 KIK's with 14 thousand members and so-called participants (who form the vast majority). Catholic Intelligentsia Clubs started springing up at the turn of 1956 and 1957; their founders came from groups concentrated around the Cracow-based Tygodnik Powszechny (Universal Weekly) and Znak (The Sign) monthly. The first to be established was the Warsaw Club, which aspires to play the predominant role among its counterparts. The Catholic Intelligentsia Clubs are recognized by the Catholic church hierarchy, as they respect the inspiration of the Church in matters of social and political involvement. The Chairman of the Lublin Catholic Intelligentsia Club is at the same time a Sejm deputy. Some of the Clubs maintain international contacts with "Pax Christi" and "Pax Romana" organizations. MISSIONARY ACTIVITY BY CATHOLIC CHURCH The involvement in evangelicalization is the measure and token of the Church's vitality. The solemn behest of Christ of annunciating the Good News way up to the back of beyond, which the Church inherited from the apostles, keeps on obliging all the faithful: that is why the Church cares so much for any missionary activity. I. The History of the Missionary Involvement of the Catholic Church in Poland till 1945 Poland's participation at the Church's missionary activity dates back to the rule of Boleslaw the Brave. Of particular importance at that time was the Prussian mission by St. Adalbert, during which the latter died a martyr's death in 997. Another Prussian mission originated at the beginning of the 13th c. under the direction of the Cistercians of Lekna. Other areas covered by Poles with their missionary activity in the Middle Ages are Lithuania, Samogitia, Yatsvezh, Russia and Pomerania. In the latter part of the 19th c. and at the beginning of this century, Poland's missionary activity is directed at the Far East. In the inter-war period, Polish missionaries were to be seen on all the continents. According to the data of 1933, 210 Polish nuns were engaged in missionary activities while the data of 1937 say 263 fathers, friars and seminarists were on missionary assignments. The typically Polish missionary areas then were: the mission in Rhodesia, missions at Shenteh-fu and Wencho Polish mission in Sakhalin and Nagasaka. Specially meritorious in the missionary work among Poles were: - Pawel Wlodkowic, President of the Cracow Academy, who, at the Constance Council in 1415, specified the evangelization methods, condemning the forced conversion to faith and calling for the respect of human dignity and free will. - Andrzej Rudomina SJ, a missionary in China. He lived in the years 1594-1631. - Wojciech Mecinski SJ, a missionary in India, then in Japan, martyred in 1643. - Mikolaj Florencjusz Szostak, a Carmelite, archbishop of Verapoly, India. Died in 1773. - Maksymilian Ryllo SJ, founder of the Catholic University in Beirut, an apostle of Syria, Malta and Central Africa. Died in 1848. - Cardinal Mieczyslaw Halka Ledochowski (1822-1902), archbishop of Gniezno and Poznan, from 1892 - prefect of the Faith Propagation. - Patriach Wladyslaw Zaleski (1852-1925), the Apostolic Delegate in India. - Jan Beyzym (1850-1912), an apostle for the lepers on the Madagascar. - Blessed Maria Teresa Ledochowska (1863-1922), founder of the St. Peter Klawer Solidation. - Franciszek Bialas SVD, a professor of the Catholic University of Fu-Yen in Peking, founder of the "Monumenta Serica" periodical and Institute for religious studies in China. - St. Maksymilian M. Kolbe OFMConv. (1894-1941), a missionary in Japan, founder of the Polish and Japanese Niepokalanow and editor of the "Rycerz Niepokalanej" in Polish and Japanese. - Friar Zenon Zebrowski OFMConv. (1890-1982), an apostle for the poor in Japan. Great understanding for the missionary work by the Polish Church in the inter-war period was manifested by the then Primate, Cardinal August Hlond. In 1927, shortly before the International Missionary Congress of Students in Poznan, he wrote: "The missionary Congress will make it that Poland of today will put this old duty of hers among the loftiest religious and civilizational objectives of her existence." His augury came true, as the import of the missionary movement increased in Poland. Various missionary groups started coming into being. The activity by the Papal Mission Programmes got intensified. Organized were exhibitions, conventions and local missionary congresses. The most important out of them was the National Missionary Congress, which was held in Poznan in 1938. The inter-war period saw the publication of a number of missionary prints, books and magazines, the most important being: "Annales Missiologicae (1928-1938), "Echo from Africa" (1893- ), "Catholic Missions" (1882-1939), "Our Missionary" (1935-1939), "Missionary Incentive" (1926-1939), "Missionary Youth" (1925-1939). The aim of those publications was to make the largest part of Polish society sensitive to the missionary cause, and thus win support for the missions both in the spiritual, material and personal forms. That promisingly started and far-flung missionary work of the Church in Poland was cut short by the outbreak of World War II, during which murdered were many missionary activists by the Nazis in this country. A number of the latter, including Maksymilian Kolbe, were murdered in Auschwitz while friar Andrzej Matyl SVD was killed by the Japanese. Bernard Polefka SVD was buried alive in China in 1942. II. Theology of Mission The Church's missionary involvement, stemming, first of all, from Christ's behest, is simultaneously a dictate of love and condition for the growth of the Christ community. It also stems from the nature of God himself, the economy of salvation and nature of the Church. Through the Sacrament of Babtism and Confirmation Christ calls every Christian to bear witness for Him not only in his environ but also amid those who have not heard the Good News yet or played it down. This truth, propounded way back by the Apostles, was also recalled by the last Council: "Apostleship amounts to participation in the salvation missions by the Church and the Lord himself calls all, through Babtism and Confirmation, to this apostleship precisely. Owing to the Sacraments particularly to the Holy Eucharist, bestowed and upheld is that love of God and people which makes the essence of entire apostleship." (KK 33). Thus, the duty of participating in the cause of evangelization of the world also stems from the rule of love which Christ made the supreme right of life and work of the Church. St. John, the Apostle of love, wrote: "We learned to know love by His giving his life for us. We also should give life for brethren" (1 J 3, 16). The Christian love embraces all people and all of their needs, all the more so the most important needs concerning their participation in God's life and salvation. It is exactly through manifesting love that community obtains the grace of deepening one's own religious life: "The grace of restoration may grow in communities only when each of them expands the limits of love up to the extremes of earth and cares for those who are far away, in a similar manner as they do for their own members" (DM 37). III. Structures of Church's Missionary Work The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (formerly for Propagation of Faith), called into being in 1622, is responsible for the Church's missionary work in organizational aspect. It was called into being by Pope Gregory XV. Its composition includes cardinals, including the Cardinal Prefect at the head. At present, he is Cardinal Jozef Tomko, a Slovak by origin. The Congregation's tasks include the creation of new dioceses, appointment of missionary bishops, coordination of missionary work, lending financial assistance. The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, apart from the structures peculiar to it, also acts through the so-called Papal Mission Programmes, constituting a reflection of the spiritual, material and personal solidarity of all churches in the evangelization service. There are four missionary programmes called papal: - the Missionary Union (est. 1916) - the Programme of Propagating the Faith (est. 1822) - the Programme of Missionary Childhood (est. 1843) - the St. Peter Cause (est. 1889). These programmes are now realized in upwards of 100 countries. Through various forms of work they try to embrace with evangelization all people of all ranks of the Church. A number of convents and orders, specially versed in evangelization work, also deal with missionary work. IV. Polish Church's Missionary Involvement after 1945 The Papal Missionary Programmes constitute the mainstream of the Catholic Church's missionary work in Poland. So far, they have amounted to a pastoral movement on behalf of mission, covering all members of religious community. Last year, they acquired a legal identity, so they now can pursue freely their animation activity, can acquire and possess estates necessary for a proper functioning. The programmes are run by a national director with whom secretaries of individual programmes cooperate. Directors of the Papal Missionary Programmes act at the diocesan level, directors of the Papal Missionary Programmes and bishop's delegates for missions - also at the diocesan level, while promoters and clerks-at orders. The Papal Programmes have existed in Poland since their establishment: the Programme for Propagation of Faith has existed in Poland since 1837, the Programme for Childhood Mission - since 1857, the Missionary Union - since 1919. The St. Peter's Cause was established as lately as in the inter-war period. They resumed their work in 1949 but following the unfavourable internal political conditions they stopped working later on. These programmes resumed work in 1970 after bishop Jan Wosinski of Plock became the programmes' national director. In 1985, this function was taken over by bishop Edmund Piszcz of Olsztyn. The Papal Programmes are implementing their statutory objectives among which there are: to win spiritual support and financial support for missions, care for inciting and moulding missionary vocations, to cherish the missionary spirit among children, to encourage to pray for missionary purposes and to make entire society sensitive to missionary problems. The Papal Missionary Programme mobilizes Polish clergy to lending organized assistance to missionaries. Its objective is to encourage priests, monks, nuns and persons making pastoral service at the Church to support the missions with prayer and offering, to incite missionary vocation, deepen missionary consciousness, as well as the missionary dimension of priesthood and monastic vocation. The Papal Programme for Propagation of Faith aims at promoting the missionary spirit "in all the centres of God's people: in families, basic communities, parishes, schools, movements and organizations" (Statutes II, 9). This programme takes up the organization of missionary initiatives at national, diocesan and parish level. The task of the Papal Programme for Missionary Childhood is to incite and promote the missionary consciousness among children, make them sensitive to the needs of children in missionary countries, to teach them how to share with them the values of faith and material means, as well as to promote missionary vocation. The Papal St. Peter Cause also aims at "sensitivizing Christians to the matter of forming local clergy in the missionary churches. It invites to cooperation in preparation of candidates for priesthood through spiritual and material assistance. (Statutes II, 15). An important part in the missionary work by the Polish Church is being played by the Episcopate's Commission for Mission, called into being in 1967. Its chairman was bishop Kazimierz Kowalski of Pelplin, in 1972 - bishop Jan Wosinski, and in 1985 - bishop Edmund Piszcz. The Mission Bureau was called into being to coordinate the works of the Commissions and Papal Programmes, with father Antoni Koszorz SVD and father Waclaw Kuflewski being its first chairmen. Now the position is held by father Stanislaw Bogdanski SDB. Taking into consideration the necessity of proper preparation of diocesan priests and in case of shortage of other possibilities of monks, too, the Commission set up, in 1984, a Centre for Mission Formation and in 1987 - a Missionary Lay Institute. Another link of the work for mission is formed by mission commissions, Consults of Superiors of Male and Female Congregations. These commissions organize every year meetings of monastic mission promoters, get out mission materials and financially support those missionaries, males and females, who are in need. It is important in animatory work to promote knowledge, both in the popular and scientific forms. The main centres dealing with that are: a) Missiological Section of the Academy of Catholic Theology in Warsaw, founded in 1969 by father Feliks Zaplata SVD. Apart from its routine didactic and scientific work, the Section organizes missiological seminars and brings out various publications. It is now run by father Wladyslaw Kowalak SVD. b) The Lublin Catholic University where father Teofil Chodzidlo SVD was the first lecturer of missiology (from 1969), next - father Henryk Zimon SVD (now the subject is lectured by father Marian Balwierz of the Katowice Diocese.) c) The Missiological Section of the Polish Theological Society in Cracow, established in 1976, and run by father Antoni Bacinski CM. d) Seminaries especially of these orders and convents which earmark missionaries, as well as diocesan seminaries of Pelplin, Katowice, Olsztyn, Cracow, Tarnow and others. A considerable part of the mission animation work by Polish Church is done by diocesan and monastic animation centres, among other places in Tarnow, Opole, Cracow, Poznan, Przemysl, Katowice, as well as by Franciscan nuns of Mary Missionaries, Fathers Oblates, Carmelites Barefooted in Cracow, Holy Spirit Servants in Raciborz, Verbists in Pieniezno, Felicians in Warsaw, Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Stadniki, Salvatorians in Cracow, Stara Wies Servants, Claverians in Krosno, Salesians in Warsaw, St. Family Missionaries in Kazimierz Biskupi, Pallotines in Warsaw. These centres are in touch with missionaries and their supporters, organize religious excercises, days of concentration and thinking, congresses and missionary seminars. They initiate campaigns of prayer assistance and financial support for missions, run missionary circles and organize weeks of missions, meetings with the sick, film screenings, exhibitions and publish missionary magazines, calendars, posters and leaflets. Of the missionary periodicals now appearing in Poland mention is due to the "Papal Missionary Intentions" and the "Missionary" (Warsaw), "Mission Ways" (Poznan) and the "Echo from Africa", published in Krosno by the Claverian Sisters. As an important part is played by clergymen in the mission formation of the Church, then their understanding for themissionary work by the Church should originate as early as at the seminary: hence so much attention is devoted to the work of the missionary circles of alumni at seminaries. It is exactly the latter that through various forms of animation (missionary masses, collections of gifts for the missions, meetings with missionaries and symposia) they contribute to that future priests stress consciously and ardently the missionary role of the Church. An office of missionary clerks has been set up for such an animation of the clergy and nuns. It organizes meetings and days of mission and concentration at the decanal, diocesan and national levels. Congresses represent one of the forms of the missionary education. In 1970, Poznan saw a Missionary Congress of the Oblates to commemorate the 50th anniversary of that congregation in Poland. In 1976, the Salesians held their missionary Congress. In 1979, the Verbists organized a missionary Congress in connection with the Centenary of the work of that congregation in China. In 1981, Missionary Days of Palloti were organized in Oltarzewo. Those symposia were attended by clergymen and laity. Individual orders and convents, running missions, organized special conventions for the missionaries' families and days of concentration for lay associates, including men of various walks of life - teachers, health service workers, workers, cultural workers, children and youth. Similar activities were carried out in 1983 in individual dioceses which also organized days of concentration for lay animators of the missionary movement in the place of their residence. Some of the most merited dioceses in this respect are: the Cracow, Tarnow, Przemysl, Opole and Katowice. Alongside the spiritual enrichment of their participants, prayers for the missions and missionaries, there are lectures on missiology, as well as practical exercises in the field of parochial missionary cooperation. Apart from the diocesan congresses for the missionary promoters, the Laity Mission Promotion Section at the Episcopate's Commission for Mission organizes every year, jointly with the Papal Secretariat for Promotion of Faith, national days of concentration for lay mission animators, preparing them for the work for mission. The first meeting of this kind was held at Niepokalanow in July 1982. The mission movement was particularly viable among students in the inter-war period. Having these glorious traditions in mind, the Lublin Catholic University organized Mission Weeks in 1969. In 1978, organized were Poznan Missiological Days. Furthermore, numerous centres organized special concentration days for academic youth. A number of the Catholic Intellectuals Clubs (total number 40) also staked in their work on the missionary orientation. The most active are the oldest Clubs: in Cracow, Warsaw, Poznan. Greatly popular are the exhibitions presenting the missionary engagement of the Church or of particular orders and museum expositions. The most important missionary museums in Poland are: Fathers' Verbists in Pieniezno, the Salesians' in Czerwinsk and Kutno-Wozniakow, Fathers Oblates' in Swiety Krzyz, Fathers Franciscans' in Niepokalanow, The St. Family Missionaries' in Kazimierz Biskupi, Sisters Claverians' in Krosno, Fathers Jesuits' in Stara Wies, Fathers Redemporists' in Tuchow, Fathers of the Holy Heart in Stadniki. In order to deepen the knowledge of non christian cultures and religions church museums organized special symposia to better prepare missionaries for contacts with other cultures as well as for work in the mainstream of accommodation and cultural work. Of particular importance for understanding the situation of the missionary Church, especially for the so-called missionary base, are missionaries' meetings, as well as visits by missionary bishops. Bishops get acquainted with the work of the Polish Church and usually ask for missionaries, who, despite the growing ranks of local clergy, are constantly in short supply. Out of the guests from the missionary countries mention is due to Cardinal Sergio Pignedoli, the former Prefect of the Faith Propagation Office, who visited Poland in 1970, Polish missionary bishops, bishop Ignacy Krauze CM of Brazilia, bishop Jan Cedzich SVD of Praguay, bishop Adam Kozlowiecki SJ of Zambia and bishop Wilhelm Kurtz SVD of Papua New Guinea. The home-comings by Pope John Paul II were momentous events in the missionary aspect, too. During his first pilgrimage in 1979, Holy Father handed two times the missionary crosses to Poles going on missions - at the foot of St. Adalbert's in Gniezno and at the foot of the Queen of Poland in Czestochowa. During his second home coming, the Pope handed missionary crosses to Polish missionaries in Niepokalanow. During the third home coming by John Paul II, missionary crosses were handed to 194 Polish missionaries - a special gift of Polish Church to missionary churches - during the beautification ceremonies for bishop Michal Kozal. The missionary experiences of Polish bishops are not indifferent for the missionary in Poland. Many out of them were to missionary countries: Cardinal Karol Wojtyla - Papua-New Guinea, bishop Jan Wosinski - Brazilia, Argentina, Praguay, Zambia, bishop Alfons Nossol - Togo, bishop Jerzy Ablewicz - the Congo, bishop Herbert Bednorz and bishop Jan Oblak - Japan, Cardinal Franciszek Macharski - the Philippines, bishop Edward Kisiel - Argentina, cardinal Jozef Glemp, Poland's Primate, Brazilia, Algeria, the Ivory Coast. While presenting the missionary work by the Church in Poland, it is hard not to mention the pastoral activities in this respect, including month-long missionary masses, a missionary week (from the third week of October), catechetical instruction, parochial mission days, a missionary day of the sick, a missionary day of the child, a missionary day of the monks and nuns, a week of prayer for uniting the Christians, a missionary day of priests. Also falling into this category are: spiritual aid for missions in the form of papal every-month missionary prayer intention, missionary live rosary, rosary prayer for individual continents, adoration of the Holiest Sacrament for missions, constant days of prayer and spiritual offering on behalf of missionaries. The material assistance for those in need is another form of missionary involvement. There are a number of centres providing this kind of assistance for various countres, the largest being the Catholic Centre for Assistance at the Missionary Commission of the Poznan Archdiocese. In the years 1974-1986, that Centre sent out a total of 464.4 tons of articles of various kinds. This aid reached many countries, primarily missionary ones, where it was received by Polish missionaries. In some cases, this aid was sent to the countries which were affected by natural calamities (drought, earthquake, floods). The Centre owed its viability to the strenuous work by father Czeslaw Bialek, who died in 1984, and his selfless associates. A considerable volume of this charitable assistance for missionary countries is also handed by the Polish Provincials of Fathers Verbists, the Salesians, Oblates and the Charity Commission of Poland's Episcopate. The above-mentioned centres deal with the collection and consignment of gifts but the list is not exhausted completely. They are only part of the examples of the assistance which the faithful of Poland's Church lend to the missionary countries. Apart from consignments of daily-use articles, the assistance for missions also includes training and preparation of future missionaries, teaching foreign languages and health treatment of missionaries being on vacation in Poland, transport to missionary countries, financing of various mission initiatives, participation in cost-footing the construction of schools, hospitals, churches, in the purchase of means of transportation, upkeep of missionaries and missionary personels, subscription to magazines, consignment of books. Financial means for these purposes come primarily from donations collected during missionary weeks, meetings with missionaries, missionary masses, as well as from exhibition proceeds, fees for masses, from press collections, Christmas creches, sales of religious magazines and books, raffles, etc. Young people join in these actions, organizing churchyard stalls with their own products and earmarking the profit for missions. Children collect waste paper, junk, as well as post stamps and earmark thus acquired money for missions, passing that money on to various centres and missionary posts in Poland. Donations for missions also come, in a considerable proportion, from the State Authorities: from the National Bank of Poland, the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Chief Customs Office and the Polish Ocean Lines and the Polish Airlines, LOT. Thanks to tax exemptions and cut-price tariffs for Polish shipping, gifts from Poland reach places in which there is the greatest need. V. Polish Missionaries in the World Without the wide-ranging educational-information work, without prayer, the missionary movement in this country, Poland could not boast such an excellently working mass of Polish missionaries on all continents: priests, monks, nuns and catholic laity. She could not boast such a great missionary involvement by the Polish Pope - John Paul II, who does not exclude from his pastoral service any nation or state, wanting to reach all of them with Gospel and Jesus Christ. She could not boast either of Poles-bishops who are building the strong foundations of Church in the missionary areas. She could not boast of such lay persons working selflessly for the Kingdom of God, as, for instance Wanda Blenska, the doctor for the lepers in Uganda. The Catholic Church in Poland is represented in 57 missionary countries where 416 nuns, 883 monks and fathers, 212 diocesan priests and 17 laymen work. Their departure for missions was many a time the result of the persistent overcoming of the difficult beginnings of the post-war reality and the new missionary dash which had its roots in the teachings of the Vatican Council II.