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$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
chan