SOME PASTORAL-THEOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON CATHOLIC RELIGIOSITY IN SLOVAKIA IN 2007 Cover Image

NIEKTORÉ PASTORÁLNO-TEOLOGICKÉ DÔSLEDKY SOCIOLOGICKÉHO VÝSKUMU RELIGIOZITY KATOLÍKOV NA SLOVENSKU Z ROKU 2007
SOME PASTORAL-THEOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON CATHOLIC RELIGIOSITY IN SLOVAKIA IN 2007

Author(s): Ladislav Csontos
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion
Published by: Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci
Keywords: Parochial community; Person; Laity; Pastoral theology; Research of religiosity; Pastoral plan; Liturgy; Parochial charity

Summary/Abstract: In 2007 the Department of Sociology of the Philosophical faculty of the University of Trnava together with the support of the Theology faculty of the same university held the first Slovak- wide representative research of catholic religiosity in Slovakia. The purpose was to improve the quality of pastoral theology lectures at all the Theology faculties in Slovakia. The sociological analysis is followed by our pastoral-theological reflections based on the research. The research showed that the life of Slovak Catholics is on the one hand strongly sacramentalised but on the other hand this is not adequately transformed into life in their community. Parochial community does not always fulfill its role to be the dense fibre of inter-human and true communal relationships where the life of faith is reflected in common thinking and where the daily practice is the real expression of faith and of freedom. Consequently as a result of the research some improvements of pastoral theology as well as pastoral practice must follow. Parochial communities should not have more than five thousand residents so that people could walk to their Church. It is very important to have an intensive cooperation with the laity in place in order to achieve a better reception of the Christian initiation sacraments which in turn will improve the life of parochial community. Especially when we consider various activities for small children, youth and family groups, that are not closed in themselves but have their own apostolic dynamism expressed especially in parochial charity. The support for the apostolic mission of the Church within a parochial community is a sign of mature Christianity in that community.

  • Issue Year: XI/2009
  • Issue No: 4
  • Page Range: 58-68
  • Page Count: 11
  • Language: Slovak