Studia Pastoralne
Rocznik Wydziału Teologicznego UŚ

CATECHESIS INTRODUCING THE CHILD TO THE SACRAMENTS OF PENANCE AND OF THE EUCHARIST IN THE LIGHT OF THE POST-VATICAN II DOCUMENTS OF THE CHURCH
The reflection taken up in this article shows that the documents of the Church which have been published after the II Vatican Council are a rich source of information concerning the preparation of children to the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation and to the Sacrament of the Eucharist. In Church teaching after the Council we find not only indicated the content, which should be present in the preparation of children to Penance and the Eucharist, but also its forms and method. The documents of the Church generally outline a certain program or direction of sacramental formation, so the demands given need to be supplemented by a catechetical and pastoral reflection, which would lead to more detailed and practical suggetstions, possible to use in pastoral and catechetical ministry. Although each elaboration must take into consideration elements that are characteristic for the introdution formation of the child to the reality of Penance and the Eucharist, which - in accordance with requirements given in the Church documents after the Council - regard above all the following issues:
- the preparation of children to the Sacraments of Penance and of the Eucharist takes place through a number of stages, which can be called: far, close and direct;
- the formation of penance and eucharistic attitudes begins already in the first months and years of the children's lives, thus the important role of parents and family;
- in the process of introducing children to the reality of Penance and the Eucharist initiation catechesis has a principal role;
- on each of the stages of preparation one has to take into consideration the situation of the catechized, the level of personal development and family environment.

Polish translations of St. Thomas Aquinas hymn “Adoro te devote” in Catholic Songbooks
Summary
The origin of the Eucharistic hymns, including Adoro te devote of Saint Thomas Aquinas was the fruit of the Eucharistic devotion developed in the Middle Ages, which was manifested by the desire to see the Host and the establishment of the Feast of Corpus Christi. Research on the original anthem in Latin has collected three of its versions: Adoro te deuote, latens ueritas; Adoro te devote, latens Deitas; Adoro these supplex latens Deitas. It seems, however, that most of translations have Adoro te devote, latens Deitas as a model. Author of the study found 7 versions of the translations of this hymn. They are preserved in collections of varying provenance, both temporal and territorial. Translations generally differ in the size of the verses. Are used texts included 11-, 12- and 13-syllable. The stanzas are 4-line, with female rhymes, perfect and contiguous: aabb. The number of versions of the hymn Adoro te devote in Polish translation testifies to the great popularity of this hymn among the faithful.

The Eucharistic devotion and the cult of the Eucharist outside the Mass
Summary
St John Paul II wrote in his last encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia, that the “Eucharist is a priceless treasure: by not only celebrating it but also by praying before it outside of Mass we are enabled to make contact with the very wellspring of grace” (EE 25). Therefore, the Church not only places a special emphasis on the Holy Communion but it also proposes that the faithful develop the Eucharistic devotion in themselves, by a deepened participation in the Holy Mass. Why should it be the Eucharistic devotion? It is because every Mass teaches us how to establish mature relations with God and other people. Thanks to Mass we mature to perfect love, which we learn by the contemplation of the mystery of Christ. The real Eucharistic devotion should be theophanic, christocentric and pneumocentric, meaning that it should be focused on the Holy Trinity and have both a personalistic character – oriented towards the personal God, and an ecclesial one – which teaches the openness to the Church. The Eucharistic devotion demands not only the participation in the Mass but the cult of the Eucharist outside of Mass as well. Hence, the Church has developed three forms of such cult: exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic procession and Eucharistic congresses. Exposition and adoration express the recognition of the miraculous nature of Christ and encourage to unify with Him. The Eucharistic processions indicate the nature of the Church, which is a community on a pilgrimage to heaven. Eucharistic congresses, in turn, whether organized locally or at a more extended level, always express a living Eucharistic devotion and countering religious indifference.

EUCHARISTIE - NAHRUNG FÜR ERSCHÖPFTE MENSCHEN AUF IHREM WEG

DIE SORGE VON JOHANNES PAUL II UM DIE RICHTIGE FEIER DER HEILIGEN EUCHARISTIE UND DIE VOLLE TEILNAHME IN IHR
Von Anfang an bemühte sich Johannes Paul II um den Verlauf der Feier der Eucharistie und um eine bewusste, aktive und volle Teilnahme der Gläubigen. In der Eucharistiefeier, die das Werk des ganzen Christus, seines Hauptes und Leibes ist, soll in der Liturgie jeder seine angemessene, zutreffende Aufgabe haben.
Die Messfeier wird durch den Priester geleitet. Der Verlauf der Heiligen Messe ist von der Kirche geordnet. Der Priester, der dazu geweiht wurde, muss seine Aufgabe nach dem liturgischen Recht erfüllen. Er hat keine Machtbefugnis über die liturgischen Handlungen und vorgeschriebenen Texte. Die Liturgie hat einen bestimmten, unveränderlichen Bestand-teil, über den zu wachen die Kirche verpflichtet ist. Die Gläubigen werden zur aktiven Beteiligung an der Eucharistiefeier eingeladen.
Ihnen können auch manche liturgische Funktionen anvertraut werden, z. B.: Lektor, Kommunionshelfer, Kantor u. a. Die Grundlage, auf der die Gläubigen manche liturgischen Funktionen ausüben dürfen ist die Weihe durch die Sakramente der Taufe und der Firmung zu einem heiligen Priestertum.

THE COMMON PARTICIPATION OF SPOUSES IN THE EUCHARIST.
Summary
This article refers first to the Church’s recent teaching on the Eucharist and the sacrament of matrimony, and second shows a close relation between the two sacraments and the principle of participation of spouses in the Eucharist. The principles issue from the very essence of the Holy Mass and its structure. They are also dictated by the sacramental bond that ties spouses. The bond between the Eucharist and matrimony issues from their reference to the mystery of Christ. Both the sacraments are signs of Christ’s mystery; the Eucharist makes the whole of Christ’s mystery present, and matrimony is a sign of Christ’s mystery as a mystery of the nuptials, that is the revelation of the Father’s love towards the Church and of the Church’s voluntary resignation to the Father in Jesus Christ. It is a sign of Christ’s mystery, interpreted as a sign of the unity of God and people, and first of all a sign of Christ’s love towards the Church. Marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman in God is revived, or is constantly reborn, by the spouses’ participation in the sacrament of the altar. Moreover, the bond between matrimony and the Eucharist is inscribed in the bond between the Church and the Eucharist.

EUCHARISTISCHE FRÖMMIGKEIT HEUTE
Johannes Paul II schreibt: "Jedes Bemühen um Heiligkeit […] muss die notwendige Kraft aus dem eucha-ristischen Mysterium beziehen und auf dieses Mysterium als ihren Höhepunkt hingeordnet sein" (EdE 60). Ist die Eucharistie heute noch eine Quelle der eucharistischen Frömmigkeit?
Diese Frömmigkeit entwickelte sich im Laufe der Geschichte und dauert bis heute, aber się ergab sich nicht im-mer aus einem guten Verständnis der Eucharistie. Die heutige eucharistische Frömmigkeit bringt das Vaticanum II mit der Lehre von der Eucharistie. "Das eucharistische Mysterium - Opfer, Gegenwart, Mahl - darf nicht verkürzt und nicht verzweckt werden. Man muss es in seiner Fülle leben" (EdE 61). Diese Lehre ist das Fundament dieser Frömmigkeit. Się ist eine trinitarische, ecclesiologische, sakramentale, gemeinschaftliche aber auch persönliche Frömmigkeit.
Sie besteht aus folgenden Elementen: Glaube an die Heilstat Jesu Christi, die in der Eucharistie vergegenwärtig wird, Verständnis und Erleben des Paschamysteriums, Mitarbeit mit Christus, Hören und Aufnehmen von Gottes Wort, Dankbarkeit Jesus gegenüber für seine Gabe, Teilnahme an der Hl. Kommunion, Kult der Eucharistie außerhalb der Messe. Die eucharistische Frömmigkeit braucht deswegen eine gute liturgische Formation und das "Staunen" über die Eucharistie (EdE 6).

A PRIEST WITH THE SEAL OF HIS MINISTRY OF SERVICE.
Summary
The relation of the priest to Jesus Christ, and in him to his Church, is found in the very being of the priest by virtue of his sacramental consecration and in his ministry. The priest, who reflects his Lord, Jesus Christ is the servant of Christ present in the Church as mystery, communion and mission. Thus, by his very nature and sacramental mission, the priest appears in the structure of the Church as a sign of the absolute priority and gratuitousness of the grace given to the Church by the risen Christ. Through the ministerial priesthood the Church becomes aware in faith that her being comes not from herself but from the grace of Christ in the Holy Spirit. Each priest, whether diocesan or religious, is united to the other members of this presbyterate on the basis of the sacrament of holy orders and by particular bonds of apostolic charity, ministry and fraternity All priests in fact, whether diocesan or religious, share in the one priesthood of Christ the head and shepherd. Finally, because their role and task within the Church do not replace but promote the baptismal priesthood of the entire People of God, leading it to its full ecclesial realization, priests have a positive and helping relationship to the whole community. They have to recognize and uphold the dignity of the ecclesial community serving the sacraments and helping faithfully the given people.

DIE EUCHARISTIE ALS QUELLE DER HOFFNUNG IN DER BOTSCHAFT JOHANNES PAUL DES II.

EUCHARISTIE - NAHRUNG FÜR DAS LEBEN