Big decline of Catholic religion in Poland

Reading some posts here I have impression that there is big decline of Catholic religion is Poland now. Is it true?

From my observation whne I go for Polish catholic mass in Peterborough church is full of young people ( 20-30 years old) and much more families with young children. It doesn't look for me like decline.

For comparison on English masses there are lost old people and foreigners ( Africa, south America,Phillipines,India.....)

When I visited last year, in a small country village, the tumbled down "house/Church" was full, people kneeling outside....first 4-6 rows made up of all-in-black old widows.

Religion usually dies from bigger urban centres outwards were tradition is less respected.

And seeing as some of your religious leaders were commoner gardener "spies" for the state authorities, the power of the church will wane, just as it has in Ireland.

People in a foreign land will always stick to their own kind/traditions, sorta safety/comfort activity....hence peterboroughs polish masses full of younger people, as they are the main type of Polish people in town!

I think however that nothing has changed in those people's minds. You get on the bus, and every second word you hear during convos is 'k...a', 'j...c' or 'ch.j'. That's why I haven't made any friends with any other Poles I see when I'm out yet. I'm not claiming that I don't use any swear words at all - but they don't serve as commas when I've got something to say.

Many of those people are coming from villages and small towns, so they go to church as a result of some momentum. Besides it's a opportunity of social meeting, isn't it ?

Barotolome i fink i know wot u mean..... i guess sometimes it mite b sad hearin all those "commas" n it makes me feel ashamed...

I feel ashamed too...

life init?

unfortunatelly

People in a foreign land will always stick to their own kind/traditions, sorta safety/comfort activity....hence peterboroughs polish masses full of younger people, as they are the main type of Polish people in town!

that is true but noone force them to go to church.
Maybe it is more to do with meeting polish people than with being religius?????

probably everybodys got their own reasons... as many ppl as many opinions

dont be B, its not like the English can understand and trust me young english people are just as bad, its lack of vocabulary in their case though!

There is a big crisis in the offing in the Polish church - for example, first communion is becoming much less popular ... only 50% in my parish (Warsaw suburb). Church-going villagers moving to Warsaw often stop going to church. The poor uneducated people on my street only go to church if they're over 60 years of age.
The churches are still full because there are fewer of them than in England and no competition to confuse and deter the masses.
Give Poland another 25 years and then the alarm bells will start ringing. Faith doesn't disappear overnight, it takes long years of ignoring the general population.

all interesting stuff varsovian... whilst catholicism might be on the decline amongst the population do you think the same can be said regarrding the influence it has in other spheres of polish society... politics being the prime example...?

The churches are still full because there are fewer of them than in England and no competition to confuse and deter the masses.

fewer?

I wouldn't say there are fewer of them in Poland than in UK.

My home "village" of 8 000 in England had 5 churches in it.

As regards politics ...
Difficult to say. I can't imagine anything being long-term in politics without there being a secure basis. I hope there will always be some sort of Christian bias to Polish politics - there is still one in the UK despite the lack of church-going.
It's more a question of whether the power-hungry who infest parts of the Catholic church in Poland want to push for too much power and end up getting discredited, or whether they play a safer game and settle for wielding power through influence. I'd do the latter if I were them - a much better bet in the long term.
Amazingly, the likes of Rydzik have managed to get people to ignore their links - financial and political - with the South American Polish Nazi Kobylanski. Having taken his money and orders, they are now hoping he will die quietly in his old age without being extradited for his war crimes.
That's what makes me want to puke when I go into Komorow church (just west of Warsaw) and see the "shrine" to the Nazi start-up company Radio Maryja next to plaques commemorating the brave parishioners who died fighting against Kobylanski's comrades-in-arms. And I'm not Polish.

Yeah, I know, but sometimes I'd like to know some Poles I see, but when I hear them talking, I just bite my tongue and leave it. With so many Poles working here, swear words are becoming familiar to Britons, and even more of them can distinguish Poles judging by that 'factor'

And back to the thread, I just think that the Church can't keep up with the changes. World is going forward, and Catholicism is less 'attractive' for people. It won't give satisfactory answers for many questions of modern world. And seeing Polish Church being e.g. helpless towards Radio Maryja, many people just give up their faith.

I think the real problem for the Catholic Church is not really the church itself, but rather it’s a problem with the leadership. I agree with several of the posts that the world is evolving at a far greater pace then the church itself and I believe that the slow pace evolution within the Church is a direct result of the crisis within the leadership and the stagnation of the old guard, i.e. not enough younger people taking up the religious vocation. Just the other day we saw another church leader in Poland step down in disgrace, because of past political transgressions. This is unfortunately hurting the Catholic community as a whole because it’s placing far to great an importance and focus on the leadership and simultaneously ignoring the needs of the Catholic Community. How can we as Catholics engage, experience, and develop our spirituality in the Catholic Community when we are constantly distracted with the transgressions of a few within our community, i.e. the priest, bishops and cardinals. Unfortunately, the press, radio and television force us to focus on these individuals and this can only strengthen our doubts about our faith. It causes us to question the legitimacy of our religion. It makes it quite hard in fact for us to remember that the leadership within the Catholic Community are just people too and who are subject to the same human frailties that we all are. Please note that this is not some apologist’s ramblings that in any way justifies the either their behavior or the policies of the Catholic Church. I speak only from my own personal crisis with the Catholic Church, spiritual development and the confusion I suffered from between personal spiritual development and a commitment to the religion.

Wow this is a lot more then I would have thought I might ever say about this topic.

This is a most inaccurate statement, what has the good Bishop done wrong? Told the communist authorities how many times his fellow priest smoked cigarettes, this was just a pay back from the old communist guard with the help of an increasing sensationalist press and media, It was a disgrace that this Bishop was forced to resign due to media pressure, has anyone heard of the word forgiveness, obviously not.
Its a disgrace that these old party members who made life for the average pole a misery now hold key stakes in the capitalist system.


This was the case when the boss walked the world, and ever since.

Gee I'm glad I don't live in a perfect church and its good to know the sinner is forgiven and given a fresh slat and made to feel welcome,
Can't be said the same for polish media etc.

you are right but still they are the ones who give you absolution.
Isn't it ironic?
Those who sin in the same way you do have the power to give you absolution.

not being a catholic myself I can never understand how people can live in such a hypocrisy.

what about policeman who break the law, politicians like Bill Clinton and Monica.L, what about the average person like you and me.
You may want to study the catholic faith, it may change your mind!
Gee it must be hard to be perfect in every way gandzia.

i see all the catholics in Pland shopping on Sundays at carefour, obi and all the other big stores, most of the ones heading to church are older.

Quoting: Grimbly, Post #18
Just the other day we saw another church leader in Poland step down in disgrace, because of past political transgressions



Lef, I suppose the point being made was....he was portrayed a man of god, of integrity....yet he showed himself to be a person who would do what was necessary to get by, to take the option that may have benefited him and him alone...not what the Catholic church is about...is it?

Especially when everyone else in positions of political slavery were making decisions in the opposite direction......saying NO to the state to betray and spy.

But what has he done wrong, I'm glad the catholic church is not perfect, because if they were, they wouldn't want me as a member.
I suspect no spying was done, it was a way for him not to buck the system or cause trouble for the government whilst in German.
I haven't a problem with a person who makes a mistake in life and later on asks for forgiveness, he is a better man than most.
There were a lot of people in poland who were pimps and indeed many patriotic priests who towed the party line, doesn't mean that they were bad people, as we look back to those terrible times its very easy to be pass judgement.

Hey, I don't claim that the leaders should be perfect. I just don't think that's a human thing to absolve from sins as we are all sinners. We are all created equal, aren't we.
What is more, I think they should live accordingly to what they teach. It's not a new thing that people blindly believe their leaders. but believing leaders is not faith, don't you think?


What I hear from my friends is that they do believe in God, but they don't believe in church anymore.

And that's something to think about. You cannot only blame media for what is going one.

The bottom line is that no person on this earth was born perfect, one has to struggle with his demons every day, no person is exempted.
Like they say in the good book, he without sin let him cast the first stone

Look I'm no spokesperson of the catholic church, I go to church, I'm not the greatest of believers, but I respect the priest and nuns, it doesn't matter if there are a few rotters, what has that got to do with the faith?

Largely becuase they allow themselves to be elevated to be Gods spokeman on earth.......doing the will of my father........etc...now, if he did this at the behest of his Bishop/cardinal at the time....ie it was sanctioned..plus he would be supported if "outed" then its different.....

But it appears he did it on his own....

I am not lecturing anyone, as to how to behave/lead their lives......but he was....quite a difference.......I think its called hypocrisy....

Priests are only human beings like everyone else.

I think that quite much depends on how strong someone's faith is.

If someone turns against church because of priests behaviour his faith isn't very strong.

True.........but if the example is being set by intermediaries on earth.......then its a poor one...it doesn't inspire....doesn't make you feel that you should follow the churches teachings.......

In Ireland/UK/USA there have been huge child abuse issues...the churches influence has been greatly diminished..........note I said church...not religion....!

I know ...but there are also lots anonymous people ( or well known like mother Theresa) modest, humble who do so much good for others.

In Ireland/UK/USA there have been huge child abuse issues...the churches influence has been greatly diminished..........note I said church...not religion....!

It is awful.