Studia Pastoralne
Rocznik Wydziału Teologicznego UŚ

PREPARATION FOR THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION: LOST OPPORTUNITY?
Summary
The aim of preparation for Confirmation is the formation for a testimonial form of Christian life and practising of apostolate. In the context of these tasks the present mode of preparation for the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation still remains highly insufficient.This preparation is of a too individualistic and formalcharacter. It does not prepare for living in a community and therefore does not meet its major purpose of fostering Christian maturity. In this context a new meaning should be bestowed upon the roles of witnesses and mystagogy in preparation for the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation.The conclusion is that in pastoral practice one should take into consideration the fuller introduction of the confirmed to a parish life by a catechumenal method. In order to achieve this aim one can use more profoundly the deuterocatechumenal formation of the Light-Life Movement (Ruch Światło-Życie) an experience of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal which is quite efficient in introducing into a reality of faith through seminars of faith renewal. There is also a very valid postulate at stake to create „spirituality centres” in dioceses or special centres preparing adults for Confirmation according to the Rites of Christian initiation of adults (Ordo initiationis christianae adultorum).
Keywords: catechisation, catechumenate, Christian initiation, mistagogy, sacrament of Confirmation

DAS SCHULWESEN IN DER OPPELNER REGENTSCHAFT IM 19. JAHRHUNDERT
Die preußische Staatsmacht wurde gleich nach dem Anschluss Schlesiens 1763 auf die Schulen aufmerksam. Diese Aufmerksamkeit galt zuerst der Unterrichtssprache. Im Jahre 1763 wurde den Geistlichen und den Lehrern unter Strafe der Entlassung aus dem Posten befohlen, innerhalb eines Jahres deutsch zu lernen. 1765 wurde vom Abt von Zagan, J.I. Felbiger, eine neue Schulordnung vorbereitet. Sie führte die Schulpflicht für Kinder im Alter von 6 bis 13 ein. Die Kinder sollten das Lesen, Schreiben und Rechnen erlernen. Dieses Gesetz ordnete den Bau der Schulen auf dem Land, auch in den Dörfern, die keine Pfarrkirche hatten, die aber mehr als 4 Km von der nächsten Schule entfernt waren, an. Es sollten auch Seminare für Lehrer entstehen. Die Unterrichtssprache blieb polnisch. Die Schule blieb eine kirchliche Institution, der Staat behielt für sich die Mitaufsicht vor. Das neue Schulgesetz von 1801 veränderte weder den Charakter noch die Strukturen des Schulwesens. Die christliche Erziehung der Kinder blieb das Ziel der Schule. Wesentliche Veränderungen im Schulwesen kamen erst in der Zeit des Kulturkampfes. Die Aufsicht über die Schulen wurde den Staatsinspektoren übergeben. Nur die deutsche Sprache durfte im Unterricht verwendet werden. Die Schulpflicht wurde auf Kinder und Jugendliche von 4 bis 17 stufenweise ausgedehnt. Die Zahl der Schulgebäude stieg bedeutend: 1763 gab es im Oppelner Erzdiakonat 629 Pfarrschulen, 1911 gab es in der Oppelner Regentschaft (Erzdiakonat und einstiges Neisser Fürstentum, Kreis Kreuzburg und Dekanat Beuthen) 1589 Schulen und 6769 Lehrer. Die Kinder besuchten die Schulen wesentlich öfter. Dank den in der Oppelner Regentschaft bestehenden 13 Seminaren für Lehrer, waren diese besser ausgebildet.

THE MYSTERY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE CATECHESIS FOR THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION.
Summary
Preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation is one of the more important issuesof contemporary catechesis. In Poland many interesting programs directly concerning this preparation have been published. These differ between them on the level of substance and methods. Whatever a program is to be accepted, it must be remembered that the central theme of these encounters should be the mystery of the Holy Spirit. This mystery can be fathomed from different sides and in many ways, but always with the use of biblical sources, patristic sources, the teaching of the Church and the rich theological reflectionthatis available. In the context of Confirmation especially important are the issues concerning the presence and action of the Holy Spirit at the beginning of the Church and in full Christian initiation; the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit; life in the power of the Holy Spirit in the contemporary world. These issues have been developed in this article, addressed above all to those responsible for the catechesis of those preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Keywords: christian initiation, Confirmation, Holy Spirit

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN AND STUDENTS IN THE TERRITORY OF POLAND IN THE LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURIES IN THE LIGHT OF LITERATURE AND MEMOIR WRTINGS.
Summary
The research objective of the article is to show the methods and forms of religious education of school children and students in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the territory of Poland based on fiction and memoir writings. Religious instruction teachers were responsible for teaching religion at schools. Some of them conducted classes in accordance with the teaching methodology; they were able to make students interested in religious matters, and they were treated as authorities and became their students’ spiritual mentors. Others did not contribute much to the religious and moral shaping of young people, due to the lack of teaching skills or appropriate knowledge, or because they treated their duties carelessly. The authorities representing foreign rule in the territory of Poland, by treating religion instrumentally, forced students to various religious practices, which created a negative effect, and turned the students off religion and the Church. Many students were deep believers and practicing Catholics. However, lack of proper educational impact caused some students’ difficulties with faith. Some of them even considered themselves atheists. The source material presented in the article can also be instructive for contemporary teachers of religious education.

DIE FRÖMMIGKEIT DER OBERSCHLESICHEN PILGER AN DER WENDE DES XIX UND XX JAHRHUNDERTS
Die Frömmigkeit vieler oberschlesischen Pilger an der Wende des XIX und XX Jahr-hunderts war stark im "Genius loci" der Pilgerorte verankert, wobei sich and die Spitze Marienwallfahrtsorte (Kalvarien) schoben. Die Pilgerorte im religiösen Bewusstsein des oberschlesischen Volkes waren dank Gottes Vorsehung ausgewählt. Sie erschienen als Orte besonderer Gnaden, sozialer Verbundenheit und Freiheit, des Gebetes und der Freude. Solche Orte findet man sowohl in Nieder- wie auch Ober-schlesien. Das wichtigste ist aber das religiöse Erleben am heiligen Ort. Die Eucharistie füllt den heiligen Ort aus. Mit der Stärke der Eucharistie ist die Kirche als Gottes Volk "gewachsen" und "zusammengewachsen". Diese sich am Pilgerort bauende Kirche wurde zum "eklesialen" Gär-stoff der Familien, und so auch der Pfarrgemeinden. Diese sich bauende Kirche war auch ein Zeichen der eschatologischen Einigkeit, die uns Himmel erwartet - in Verbundenheit mit Gott. Im Pilgerphänomen kommt auch die eschatologische, Marien- und Passions Dimension zum Vorschein, durch welche sich die Kirche in Oberschlesien selbst realisierte.

Christian everyday life of lay persons as presented in the writings of father Franciszek Grudniok (1920–1998)
Summary
Franciszek Grudniok’s writings show several aspects of Christian life. Saying prayers and conducting religious practices, which lead to holiness in everyday life, are the major ones. A prayer is described as the foundation of Christian life. Listening to the Word of God and obeying it in everyday life is a special kind of prayer. The author presents a great value of the Word of God in the course of Christian development. An important aspect in Christian life is proper experience of Eucharist and confession as the basic sacraments. These two factors let people develop spiritual life. Next, the paper presents Grudniok’s view on human suffering. It is shown as a kind of mystery which is difficult to describe. The topic was familiar to Franciszek Grudniok. He wanted to present suffering as a treasure of spiritual life. Finally, several forms of spiritual life suggested by Franciszek Grudniok to lay persons are presented. Spirituality of St. Mary, Eucharistic spirituality as well as the spirituality of various Saints are shown in the paper.

THE PASTORAL ACTIVITY OF THE DOMINICANS IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF LVIV IN THE INTERWAR PERIOD. RECONNAISSANCE OF RESEARCH
Summary
This article gives an outline of the Domenican parish ministry in the Roman-Catholic Archdiocese of Lviv in 1918-1939, where 9 Dominican monasteries and the same parishes were located. Three parishes was incorporated into the monastery of Lviv. Polish Province of Dominican Order had got the most of the parish in the archdiocese of Lviv. Two parishes were transferred to the diocesan clergy in the second half of the 30 of the twentieth century. An important element in the pastoral care of the parish was parish catechesis in schools and outside them. Parish work was also accompanied by a variety of special pastoral care. Here I discussed only Marian shrines that worked at the Dominican parishes through which parishes are better developed. Other forms of pastoral special (brotherhoods and religious associations and work among students and intellectuals) has been omitted here, because they require separate studies. The pastoral activity intermingled typical folk devotions, the cult of relics and saints and more complex intellectual formation, aiming to deepen their religious knowledge. In all these activities preaching was essential. The article revealed research capabilities, as well as the state mainly from sources preserved in the collections of the Archives of the Polish Province of the Dominican Order in Cracow.

Religious life of Poles displaced to Soviet Union in the light of their memoirs. Historiographical study
Summary
The historiography study is an attempt to present an actual state of memoirs, elaborations, dictionaries and periodicals connected with religious life of Poles displaced to the Soviet Union between 1939 and 1945.
During the Second World War many Polish clericals and laics were displaced to the Soviet Union mostly because of deportation. Their faith and belief, directly determining the way of their lives as displaced people, became phenomena in the whole history of the Catholic Church.

THE FIRST HENRI LACORDAIRE CONFERENCE IN THE PARIS CATHEDRAL.
Summary
The famous „les Conferences de Notre-Dame” also known as „les Conferences de Careme” are still very important for the religious life in France. They are addressed to the intelligence and delivered on all Sundays of the Lent in the Notre-Dame in Paris. The beginning was initiated by Henri Dominique Lacordaire (1802–1861), one of the greatest French preachers. The article presents the beginning of the work and analyses the first conference given by Lacordaire on 8 March 1835. The first full Polish translation of the conference is attached to the article because only fragmentary translations of the conference have been known before.

TRADITION OF SINGING BEFORE AND AFTER A SERMON IN COLLECTIONS OF CHURCH HYMNS IN UPPER SILESIA IN THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY.
Summary
The songs related to the proclamation of the word of God belong to the oldest ones in the Polish language and form a group of so-called „sermon songs”. They were helpful in the active participation in the liturgy of the Eucharist when it was celebrated in Latin. Especially in the XIX and XX centuries, the tradition of their performance, in and out of the liturgy, was very alive also in Silesia. The old Polish sources of Church songs show an extensive collection of songs intended to be sung before and after a sermon. In the actual repertory of Church songs there are more than a dozen of them. Regarding the theological content of these songs sung before the sermon are the beseeching prayers for the light of the Holy Spirit and God’s wisdom for the preacher and listeners. When they are sung after the sermon, they are a begging for God’s help for the fulfillment of the teaching. Nowadays, the importance of these songs is decreasing and this process is related to the Second Vatican Council’s liturgical reform which underlines the function of the homily and the continuity of the Liturgy of the Word. However, in these circumstances it seems to be still possible to maintain the tradition of singing and imploring the grace of the Holy Spirit.