Władze komunistyczne wobec zakonów męskich na Środkowym Nadodrzu w latach 1970-1980
The communist authorities’ policy with regard to male religious orders in Środkowe Nadodrze in the years 1970-1980

Summary/Abstract: In the 1970s in the Polish People's Republic, despite declaration of co-existence of the state and the Church, the Communists continued to fight with the Church on the ideological plane and strived to weaken it and reduce its pastoral activity, and it especially referred to religious orders in Polish society. Those principles were implemented by the organs of administration and security in Środkowe Nadodrze. During that period, they tried to lead a flexible policy with regard to religious orders. According to the top-down decisions, religious authorities tried to neutralize monks from the political influence of bishops. First, they sought, and with success, to make religious orders and congregations in that area loyal to them. They did that mainly through frequent individual conversations with monks and visits to religious houses. Then they continued to implement the task of forcing the orders to respect socio-political principles and binding state laws. They systematically analysed and then provided the Office of Religious Affairs in Warsaw with the information on the overall assessment of the current attitudes and activities of religious orders in their provinces. They monitored, on a regular basis, the relationships inside religious orders and their pastoral activities. They sought to set monks at variance with the local bishop and diocesan clergy. The actions taken by local governments towards religious orders brought the desired effect. Monks complied with the state regulations concerning the Church and they were not engaged in anti-socialist activities.

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