Primate Wyszyński and the Council’s renewal of the Church in Poland Cover Image

Prymas Wyszyński a soborowa odnowa Kościoła w Polsce
Primate Wyszyński and the Council’s renewal of the Church in Poland

Author(s): Józef Łupiński
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
Published by: Kuria Metropolitalna Białostocka
Keywords: Second Vatican Council; Constitution on the Liturgy; Catholic Church in Poland; Primate Stefan Wyszyński; post Council reforms.

Summary/Abstract: In the Catholic Church in Poland after the Second Vatican Council, the priority was the implementation of the provisions contained in the Constitution on the Liturgy. The most important task was the proper formation of the clergy and the faithful. The gradual introduction of the Polish language to the liturgy turned out to be the optimal solution. As a result, it contributed to conscious and fruitful participation in the liturgy. The implementation of the provisions of the Constitution on the Liturgy took into account the specific context of Polish piety, based on traditional popular piety. It is impossible to understand the introduction of post-conciliar reforms in Poland without reference to the specific historical context of our country. The Church carried out post-conciliar renewal within a communist system hostile to religion. Faith in Poland, pushed to the margins, was focused on defense and survival. The conciliar renewal aptly began with a deepening of the liturgy. Thanks to the primate Wyszynski, it was carried out carefully and calmly, which in the long run turned out to be salutary, because mistakes made in other countries were avoided.Several decades after the Council, it must be said that the program of renewal of the Catholic Church in Poland and reforms of the Church have still not been fully implemented. The Second Vatican Council was a historic turning point in the Church. It seemed that the conciliar reception in Poland was over. During his pontificate, Saint Pope John Paul II reminded Poles that the Council was still an unfinished work.

  • Issue Year: 40/2022
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 419-436
  • Page Count: 18
  • Language: Polish