The Role of Laity in the Catholic Church in Poland from the Second Vatican Council to the Death of Primate Wyszyński
The Role of Laity in the Catholic Church in Poland from the Second Vatican Council to the Death of Primate Wyszyński

Summary/Abstract: The role of the laity in the Church has been changing over the previous century. An important impetus for change was the Second Vatican Council. Local churches in different countries implemented the Council’s provisions to varying degrees. Poland had special systemic conditions because of the communist rule. The Primate of the Polish Church Stefan Wyszyński led a bold and consistent effort to renew the face of the Church and increase its moral and social role. He implemented the model of the folk Church, based on traditional forms of religiosity, respect for the hierarchy, and a clear division of roles between the clergy and the laity, where there was no room for dialogue. The Primate’s programme of rebuilding the Church centred around the idea of the Great Novena preparing the entire nation for the festive celebration of the millennium of Poland’s baptism. At the same time, it was a great national examination of conscience, aimed at individual and communal struggle against sin and the restoration of the moral authority of the Church as the spiritual guide of all Poles. At the same time, however, a second trend appeared and developed in the Polish Church, consciously and directly referring to the conciliar teaching on the role of the laity in the Church. This current used new forms of pastoral work, different from the traditional forms of piety, activating the laity to a greater extent, preferring dialogue over leadership, and aimed at deepening religious awareness by spreading knowledge and encouraging the intellectual development of faith (fides quaerens intellectum). An important precursor and creator of this trend was Rev. Franciszek Blachnicki, founder of the Light-Life Movement, also known as the Oasis of the Living Church. A characteristic feature of Polish post-conciliar religiosity was the complementary coexistence of these two currents, which, thanks to their rather radical differences, were able to encompass with their influence the vast majority of the nation.

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