Respondent
Theme
Catechesis in the Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic and Orthodox churches in the North-Eastern Poland in 1945-1988.
Defence Date
Annotation
Dissertation for the degree of doctor of historical sciences, specialty
07.00.02. – World History. – Lviv National Ivan Franko University. – Lviv,
2014.
The thesis highlights the catechesis formation in the Roman Catholic,
Greek Catholic and Orthodox churches in the North-Eastern Poland in the times
of the Polish National Republic. From the mid 1940s until the end of the 1980’s
state and party authorities tried to crowd out the Church in the public and
political life participation, and above all crowd out from the the education of the
young generation.
The cathehisis study in schools was until 1961 when according to the
law “On the educational and upbringing systems‟ development” the religion
was crowded out from the school programs. The official version for the
religious education‟s elimination was the lack of school administration reports
on the lessons of religion and religious education, and information about
religious education and upbringing process among young people in churches.
Authorities obliged churches structures to register “catechetical points” –
churches or other buildings that were used for religious communities, training
and education, and on the other hand, carried out various obstacles in order that
such a “catechetical points” were not registered. Representatives of civil
authorities had to register those bodies and to engage and monitor their
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program. In practice, basically, they were instructors or senior government
representatives PULP (Polish United Labor Party).
The political changes occurring in Poland in 1989 created opportunities
for the younger generation free religious knowledge getting and the principles
of Christian education learning with the other school subjects.
The question of catechetical study at school is a matter of political
parties‟ and representatives‟ of churches, parents‟, community‟s debate
nowadays. Some left-wing organizations in Poland support the return of
catechesis only to churches, there are those that offer to resume practice that
acted at the time of the PNR (Polish National Republic).
The cathehisis study in schools occurred intermittently throughout the
period of the Polish National Republic, through the pressure of Polish
Episcopate and supporters on the official authorities. The decision of the
Second Vatican Council and demand of Pope John Paul II had particular
importance for the development of catechesis in the state. The author defined
stages of catechesis and its contents.
Key words: catechesis, Polish National Republic, Second Vatican
Council, religion at school, “catechetical points,” Pope John Paul II.