Roman Catholicism in Poland
Ever since Poland officially adopted Latin Christianity in 966, the Catholic Church has played an important religious, cultural and political role in the country.
For centuries, Poland has been a predominantly Catholic country, and for most Poles being Catholic is part of the Polish identity. It has historically been part of what separates Polish culture from neighboring Germany, especially eastern and northern Germany, which is mostly Lutheran, and the countries to the east which are Orthodox. During the times of foreign oppression, the Catholic Church remained for many Poles a cultural guard in the fight for independence and national survival. For instance, the Polish abbey in Częstochowa, which successfully resisted a siege in the Swedish invasion of Poland in the 17th century, became a symbol of national resistance to occupation. The establishment of a communist regime controlled by the Soviet Union following World War II allowed the church to continue fulfilling this role. The 1978 election of Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyła as Pope John Paul II strengthened this it even further, and the Polish Pope's numerous visits to his mother country became rallying points for both the faithful and for opposition to the Soviet regime. His beatification in 2011 was a moment of pride and joy for the Polish Church.
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[edit] Number of Catholics in Poland
Currently most Poles, by far, adhere to the Christian faith, with approximately 88% belonging to the Roman Catholic Church and 58% practicing, according to survey by the Centre for Public Opinion Research.[1] According to the Ministry of Foreigns Affairs of the Republic of Poland, 95% of Poles belong to the Roman Catholic Church;[2] however, this is based on number of people baptized in their infancy,[3] provided by the Church itself. CIA Factbook gives a number of 89.8% belonging to the Roman Catholic Church and about 75% as practicing Catholics.[4] The rates of religious observance are steadily decreasing, although Poland still remains one of the most devoutly religious countries in Europe. Polish Catholics participate in the sacraments more frequently than their counterparts in most Western European and North American countries. For example, a 2009 study performed by the Church itself revealed that 80% of Poles go to confession at least once a year, with 60% doing so more often than once a year.[5] By contrast, a 2005 study by Georgetown University's Center for Applied Research on the Apostolate revealed that only 14% of American Catholics take part in the sacrament of penance once a year, with a mere 2% doing so more frequently.[6] Tarnów is the most religious city in Poland, and Łódź is the least. Generally, the southern and eastern parts of Poland are more religious than those of the West and North. Nonetheless, the overwhelming majority of Poles continue to declare themselves Roman Catholic.[7] This is in stark contrast to the otherwise similar neighbouring Czech Republic, which is one of the least religious areas on Earth, with only 19% declaring "they believe there is a God" of any kind.[8]
[edit] Hierarchy
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Latin names of dioceses in italics.
- Białystok, Bialostocensis (1)
- Cracow, Cracoviensis (4)
- Bielsko–Żywiec, Bielscensis-Zyviecensis (5)
- Kielce, Kielcensis (6)
- Tarnów, Tarnoviensis (7)
- Częstochowa, Czestochoviensis (8)
- Gdańsk, Gedanensis (11)
- Gniezno, Gnesnensis (14)
- Katowice, Katovicensis (17)
- Łódź, Lodziensis (20)
- Łowicz, Lovicensis (21)
- Lublin, Lublinensis (22)
- Sandomierz, Sandomiriensis (23)
- Siedlce, Siedlecensis (24)
- Poznań, Posnaniensis (25)
- Kalisz, Calissiensis (26)
- Przemyśl, Premisliensis (27)
- Rzeszów, Rzeszoviensis (28)
- Zamość-Lubaczów, Zamosciensis-Lubaczoviensis (29)
- Szczecin-Kamień, Sedinensis-Caminensis (30)
- Koszalin-Kołobrzeg, Coslinensis-Colubreganus (31)
- Zielona Góra-Gorzów Wielkopolski, Viridimontanensis-Gorzoviensis (32)
- Warmia (Olsztyn), Varmiensis (33)
- Warsaw, Varsaviensis (36)
- Płock, Plocensis (37)
- Warsaw-Praga, Varsaviensis-Pragensis (38)
- Wrocław, Vratislaviensis (39)
[edit] Exteritorial units
[edit] Sexual abuse in the Polish Church
As with the Roman Catholic and other churches around the world, the Church in Poland has been dogged with cases of sexual abuse by members of the clergy. Press reports indicate few of these cases have resulted in serious punishment. [9]
[edit] See also
- Religious denominations in Poland
- Religion in Poland
- Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
- List of Roman Catholic dioceses in Poland
- List of Polish cardinals
- Reorganization of occupied dioceses during World War II
[edit] References
- ^ (Polish) Centrum Badania Opinii Społecznej (Centre for Public Opinion Research (Poland) CBOS). Komunikat z badań; Warszawa, Marzec 2005. Co łączy Polaków z parafią? Preface. Accessed 2007-12-14.
- ^ http://www.poland.gov.pl/?document=397
- ^ http://wystap.pl/kosciol-podaje-7-ochrzczonych-z-kapelusza/
- ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pl.html
- ^ http://wiadomosci.wp.pl/kat,1342,title,80-Polakow-chodzi-do-spowiedzi,wid,11030086,wiadomosc.html
- ^ "A Comeback for Confession". Time. 2007-09-27. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1666268,00.html.
- ^ G³ogów OnLine - Liczenie wiernych w ko¶cio³ach
- ^ "Social values, Science and Technology" (PDF). Eurobarometer. June 2005. http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf. Retrieved 2006-12-19.
- ^ Clerical power thwarts victims in Poland;Priest abusers receive light sentences, most still serve in parishes, By Jonathan Luxmoore, Feb. 08, 2012, National Catholic Reporter
- Frucht, Richard. Eastern Europe: An Introduction to the People, Lands, and Culture. Volume 1. ABD-CLIO inc. Santa Barbara, Ca.
[edit] Further reading
- Pease, Neal (Autumn 1991). "Poland and the Holy See, 1918–1939". Slavic Review (Slavic Review, Vol. 50, No. 3) 50 (3): 521–530. doi:10.2307/2499849. JSTOR 2499849.
[edit] External links
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