Studia Pastoralne
Rocznik Wydziału Teologicznego UŚ

INDIRECT AND DIRECT PREPARATION FOR THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION
In the awareness of many faithful the sacrament of penance is but a sheer formality, if not a magical way of getting rid of sin. This attitude manifests itself in the way preparation is made for this sacrament. Quite often the major focus is on reading an examination of conscience from a book of prayers and confessing one's sins, whereas the other conditions of adequate and fruitful participation in the sacrament: penitence, contrition, resolution to amend one's life and penance are performed only on a formal level. While preparing the faithful for the sacrament of penance and reconciliation one should, therefore, speak of indirect and direct preparation. As far as the ministry of penance, one can clearly see specific conclusions and tasks. The main source of the present crisis of this sacrament may be found in reducing the whole penance practice solely to individual confession at the cost of non-sacramental forms of taking sins away. The major postulate is therefore to celebrate the liturgy of the sacrament of penance in the context of the whole penance practice of the Church. For the preparation for the sacrament of penance and reconciliation cannot be separated from the holistic context of penance as the major life attitude of everyday conversion understood here as the biblical metanoia. Moreover, the common practise of celebrating the sacrament may make one conclude that the character of penance is purely personal and that the purpose is to re-establish a correct relation between an individual and God. The reality is that a man does not live in perfect isolation from one's brothers and sisters. One's salvation takes place in a human environment. Therefore one can enumerate these most vital pastoral postulates preparing for the sacrament of penance: shaping the sensibility of the faithful to an individual and social character of sin and conversion, emphasizing the communal element in preparation for the liturgy of the sacrament of penance and understanding a confessor's involvement in shaping the social and ecclesial attitude of a penitent.

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.

THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL ASPECT OF THE THEOLOGY OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION
In our dissertation attention is concentrated on the sacrament of penance and reconciliation. The fundamental aim is to consider the anthropological dimension of this sacrament. The sacrament of penance, like all the sacraments, is a personal meeting between God and an individual person. Its intent and purpose is to restore that individual's relationship to God: that is, the community of life with Him, lost by sin. The sacrament is not only reconciliation with God, but also with the Church and with other people. Man is reconciled with himself, and what is more, with the whole world. The sacrament of penance and reconciliation is a precious gift given man by a God of Mercy, who is the Father of Mercy and the source of all forgiveness. The sacrament is also a challenge for a person to become totally involved in the process of internal conversion. It builds the identity and integrity of a human being. It allows an individual to find himself and his vocation to live the Divine Life. Finally, it remains the only obvious way of an individual's personal development, the aim of which is to reach human holiness. Our responsibility to freedom is also constantly strengthened by this sacrament.

ORDO PAENITENTIAE: „MANUAL” OF SPIRITUALITY FOR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY. CONTENTS YOU GIVE TO METHODOLOGIES
Summary
There are different ways and perspectives with which one can approach the liturgical book in order to grasp the full potentials and values contained therein. The author examines the Ordo Paenitentiae especially considering it as a „handbook” of spirituality for the Christian community. The goal is one of truly living the forgiveness and reconciliation. For this a set of pedagogical, theological, liturgical and pastoral attentions are to be activated before the celebration, but also during and after, so that the whole Christian life is sustained by a constant attitude of penance, which finds its synthesis really in its celebration.

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD AS IT CONCERNS THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION
Penitential preaching arises from the Scriptures and Tradition of the Church. The significant development of this form of word ministry took place in the Middle Ages, when preachers often spoke about sins and appealed for conversion, founding grounds of it in eschatology. Nowadays, it is advisable to speak often and more about the sacrament of penance and reconciliation - referring to revelation and anthropology. It is always necessary to remind believers about the essence and fatal effects of sin - either in a homily concerning the sacrament of penance, as well as in a penitential preaching in the whole; in the same way, it is always actual to stress the endless God's mercy, redemptive effects of divine grace - and to appeal to true conversion and compensation for the evil that has been done. There are many occasions for preaching about penance and reconciliation during the liturgical year, especially during Lent and at Easter time. such religious issues come from the Liturgy of the Word for Sundays and feast days and is an essence of liturgy of the Mass. All forms of cyclical ministry (such as various retreats, parish missions, days of meditation, the Paschal Triduum, along with examination of conscience) are also closely connected with the sacrament of penance and reconciliation. It is also obvious that the priest himself should be a man of penance, this would enable him to speak with convinction and testify to God's endless mercy. It is also advisable to do research on contemporary word ministry - paying special attention to its relation with the sacrament of penance and reconciliation. As a warning to Polish priests should be the currently wide-spread conviction in many western countries that confession is not necessary, resulting in people often going to Communion without the sacrament of penance.

DAS SAKRAMENT DER BUSSE IN DER HOMILETISCHEN ÜBERLIEFERUNG AM BEISPIEL AUSGEWÄHLTER TEXTE DER JAHRE 1985-2000

DAS SAKRAMENT DER BUSSE IN DER PASTORALEN UND SOZIOLOGISCHEN PERSPEKTIVE