Reflections on Life in Poland

 Sr. Jolanta Olech, USJK

            The presentation that we have just watched gave us a brief historical background to my topic. It led us to the year of 1989 that brought radical changes to Poland and to that part of Europe, which had been a satellite of the Soviet Union, successor of the Russian Empire. This change, though longed for, expected and forged in the underground, took everyone by surprise, since no one expected the communists to give up their power without putting up a fight, without bloodshed, almost in a democratic way. The change resulted from the first democratic election in 60 years, one that had been negotiated by the opposition with the ruling party. A new Parliament was called up, to which belonged a strong group of Solidarity members, and the first democratic government was established. There is no time now to analyze all reasons for that enormous transition; however, it is necessary to say that it was one of miracles by which God’s Providence changes the face of the earth.

            For Poland, the past 15 years have been a beautiful, thrilling and difficult time; full of joy, gratitude, hope and anxiety. I am going to concentrate on the three aspects:

a general state of affairs, the Church in a new reality and religious life in a free Poland.

1. Poland today

            Today, Poland is a free, democratic country, belonging to the European Union. The history of its freedom has been only 15 years old, so it is easy to understand why there is so much to do in each sphere of life. We have a Parliament (two chambers) selected in a general election; a Government usually formed by a victorious party in coalition with other parties and a President whose job is to represent and stabilize various situations. During the last 15 years political preferences were moving from one extreme to another (as it is the case with most countries), that is from the right to the left (in spite of previous experiences) and vice versa. Also now, after the four years of the leftist ruling

that was shaken up by political and economic crises and affairs, two parties of Solidarity background gained victory: one more liberal and the other concerned about social reforms. The main problem in these years seems to be a lack of trust on the part of the people towards all political parties that fight for power (Usually only about 50 % of the population participates in voting).

            Our country has gone through radical reforms: political (clarification of different political orientations: from the right, through a liberal centre, to the post-communistic left and to more or less populist parties; creation of a new administration staff, free from political influence; clear politics in the country and abroad); legal (adaptation of legislation to a new situation of the country, in agreement with the European standards); municipal (giving more power to municipalities and regions); economic (free-trade, privatization of businesses, industries, banks etc., financial policy, economic changes with its unavoidable affairs and  abuses sometimes connected with national or international mafia); social (reforms of health services, education, retirement pensions, medical coverage, social assistance and the entire social system typical of a communistic regime). All these changes have been taking place simultaneously in the country that has been destroyed by 50 years of predatory administration.

            An obvious outcome of the situation mentioned above has been a breaking up of a social structure, ostentatious wealth, areas of poverty; fast rising of rich classes and downfall of the middle class; high percentage (about 45%) of people living below national average, high unemployment reaching up to 20%; elements of wild capitalism (exploitation of workers, low wages, black market); economic emigration and other.

            Another effect of this new situation has been: family crisis caused by pursuing the necessities of life, decrease of birth rate creating demographic problems and a feeling of frustration coming out of experiencing all these changes.

            Difficult and negative phenomena in the political and social arena have created a feeling of disappointment in our society. We thought that with the fall of communism our life would become automatically better, safer and richer. For many, however, reality has become too hard to bear. That is the reason for some nostalgic feelings about the poor past, which seemingly assured stability.

            Today, we realize more than before that communism wounded many members of our society by its system of lying, by creating a gap between the state and its citizens based on the lack of trust in the government, as well as by creating an attitude of claiming everything for individual needs and of just trying to survive. These deep wounds require long lasting efforts to heal them and to make peace with one’s past. It is often difficult to remind others of taking responsibility for the common good, of solidarity and of striving for the good of others. Beside those wounds caused by the system of lying, the people have been affected by a typical - for Europe - process of secularization and the life style advocated by the media. Here, the young people become the main victims.

            We encounter many problems of political, economic and social nature. It is impossible to talk about all of them. The most important seem to be:

 

            * urgent need of political stabilization, of creating a long-term program by someone reliable (it cannot be provided by constantly changing governments);

 

            * improving the country’s economy which will result in developing a trusting attitude toward changes: decrease in unemployment, economic security for the poor, especially families with many children;

           

            * paying special attention to proper upbringing of children and young people providing them with equal life opportunities;

 

            * working on getting used to change and stirring in people the sense of responsibility for their country.

 

At the same time, the fact of gaining freedom gradually becomes believable and gives an impulse to act more dynamically, especially in the case of a younger generation. The country quickly changes for better in all dimensions: willingness to get a better education, initiative, desire to build a more dignified and creative life for oneself and the family, interest and opening up to the world around. All these and many others give hope for the future.

            Joining the European Union has not yet made essential changes, however, it gives hope for some stability and peace in this region.

2. The Polish Church

            Under the communistic regime, the Church continued to be a very important institution in the society and deserving of respect. However it was constantly besieged. The most difficult time was until the year 1956 when the ruling party tried to eradicate the faith and liquidate the Church. Cardinal Stephan Wyszynski’s wisdom and the Nation’s attitude gained victory in this relentless fight. The following years were, perhaps, less dramatic, yet equally hard.

The authorities changed their fighting methods, but did not give up on their main goal. If it was not possible to destroy the Church, it was necessary to weaken it, to discredit its people so that the Nation would lose their trust and even their faith. Gradual loss of power on the part of the government went together with an increase of freedom that was used by the Church for the pastoral work and for helping the people. The 50 years of communistic rule meant constant vigilance. It was a life in a besieged stronghold.

 

            In spite of a difficult situation, Poland remained a Christian country[1] Having experienced communism made Poland more aware of its identity. Also, John Paul II was an important factor here. He was - and hopefully will remain - a great gift, an inspirer and aid for the Polish Church, both at the time of communistic regime and in the period of transition.

 

            Regaining of freedom became for the Church in Poland an important chance and challenge. Chance – because it can live and work towards its goal without being restricted by unjust laws and interference of the authorities. Here I will mention a few changes that have taken place:

 

            * Legal Church-State relations have been settled (based on autonomy and proper separation), as well as State-Vatican relations (establishment of the Nunciature, giving up of special privileges for the Primate, direct communication). It gave the whole Church and its communities legal safety and the possibility of acting according to their tasks and charisms. We stopped living in unusual conditions. Normal life has come back with all its weight.

 

            * Dioceses were reorganized and made smaller to make the pastoral work easier. New metropolises were created. The Bishops Conference revised its statutes according to the Norms of the Universal Church. A Military Ordinariate was established to make it possible to reach out to until now unreachable groups of people (soldiers, police force, servicemen dressed in uniforms, prisons etc.)

 

            * It became possible to improve the parish work (also because of a greater number of priestly vocations), to create new parishes, to build new churches, “to leave” the sacristy and to increase the engagement of lay people in creating new organizations, movements, associations (forbidden in the communistic regime), to organize charitable activities at all levels (return of Caritas to be a Church organization that does charitable works in the country and gets involved in helping victims of disasters all over the world).

 

            * Religion as a teachable subject returned to elementary and secondary schools according to the Constitution that guarantees religious freedom of confessing one’s faith. Also, there was the possibility to prepare more catechists (also lay catechist) and give them better preparation. Many changes took place in the parish pastoral work and in the pastoral work among children and youth.

 

            * It became possible for the Church to be more active in academic and scientific work, especially concerning the life of the Church. The second Catholic University was born, colleges and post-secondary schools were opened; also faculties of theology were added at a few universities in big cities. Those schools educate teachers at all levels including catechists and lay people. New publishing centres were established making it possible to spread the use of theological and spiritual writings (unavailable and restricted in the communistic regime).

 

            *Within these 15 years there has taken place a development of the Catholic schools network – from kindergarten to universities; new centres of spiritual renewal and Christian formation have been established. Charitable institutions were re-organized to deal with various kinds of needs – material and spiritual: for example, educating, finding jobs, and helping the outcasts. Religious orders have had a great input in all these charitable works.

            It is impossible to mention everything. The past years have been very fruitful, industrious and well utilized.

 

Chances go together with challenges that the Church has been given by a new situation.

We are trying to face them, being aware that we have to take them on for now and in the future.

Here are some of them:

 

            * We should be able not to yield to the temptation of becoming triumphant and enter parlours of politics (mainly because various groups have tried to use the Church’s authority), nor to remain in a stronghold or letting things go their own way. It is important to keep in society an appropriate status, staying on the side of God and people and not of political orientations. The Church has to remain Mother of all, to undertake a dialogue with everybody and to be with the Nation, as it has been for centuries. It has never been easy to act this way, but we have been gaining more experience

 

            * At the same time it has been necessary, in the multidimensional transformation of the Country, which was mentioned before, to be a conscience and a guardian of values for the good of the Country and its citizens, especially the poorest, and not of certain groups.

            * It is vital to constantly reflect on the vision of pastoral work in a new reality at the parochial and diocesan level in order to reach out to as many persons as possible and change their way of thinking. Though there is a high percentage of practicing Catholics, yet the secularization process has been on the increase all over the world. Everyday life of Christians and their opinions on various issues do not always agree with the faith they confess: (sexual ethics, stability of marriage, defense of life, etc.) The level of their religious awareness is often questionable. Development of all kinds of sects;

 

            * It is indispensable, in a difficult communal and economic situation, to defend those who have no say, that is those who are poor and deprived of using benefits of contemporary times, and to offer them substantial help besides words and prayers;

 

            * During the communistic regime especially, contemporary history was falsified. Today we can and we want to get back. It is a difficult and painful process. We want to live in a world that is more open and friendly, but it is necessary to square up with demons of the past, to clear historical remembrance, call a spade a spade, honestly sum up losses and faults, to forgive and come to reconciliation, both inside the Country (squaring up with communism, rehabilitation of Nazi victims of nazism and communism, Jewish problem) and outside with our neighbours (Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania). The Church tries to play an important role in this field. Let us recall here two significant events: reconciliation with the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in June, 2005 and the Polish and German Bishops’ Declaration on the 40^th anniversary of a letter sent by Polish Bishops to the Germans: We forgive and we ask for forgiveness.

 

3. The Consecrated Life

 

            The consecrated persons shared the life of the whole Church. In the communistic regime, it had to fight all the time to avoid liquidation and at the same time to try to help the people according to their charism. It demanded constant vigilance, striving for unity and solidarity (any split could be used by the Secret Service to infiltrate the community), flexibility (ability to start a new task when the previous ones were forbidden) readiness to suffer persecution in consequence of preserving the faith and loyalty, and also some shrewdness. For example, after all institutions administered by religious communities were closed in 1960’s and the Parliament passed a law allowing each citizen to look after 5 non-related children (there was a shortage of nurseries), the religious immediately organized such a kind of shelter for children. From these shelters, today’s nurseries developed

            I have, however, to say that in comparison with other countries our life in Poland was rather normal, especially from 1970’s on. We could accept and educate young people. We could do pastoral work with some limitations but in general according to our charism. We could also contact the people from other countries to exchange ideas with the Universal Church and the world.

 

            During the past 15 years the consecrated life in Poland shared all the matters and activities of the Church that had been mentioned above. Most of all, it was concerned about returning to its original charism and entering thus far inaccessible areas of life.

            Today we have about 25,000 women religious (in 2570 communities) and 13,000 men religious in over 250 different institutes of consecrated life. Most of these institutes have existed in Poland for many centuries or decades. In the last 20 years, new communities (over 50 women religious and over a dozen of men religious) and many religious movements belonging to consecrated life were established The religious have four Conferences of Major Superiors: those for institutes of women religious, women contemplative cloisters, lay institutes, and congregations of men religious. The Conferences work together, for example every 3 years they organize a symposium to discuss contemporary questions (in the year 2006 the main topic will concentrate on the 40^th anniversary of accommodated renovation). Also new forms of consecrated life were created, for example hermits or consecrated virgins.

            There are 100 institutes as active members of the Conference of Major Religious Superiors of Women. General Assemblies take place twice a year. They concentrate mostly on formation and reflection on recent problems of the consecrated life and the Church. The Executive Counsel consists of 8 members that represent different charisms, a permanent secretariat (3 sisters: general secretary, assistant-secretary and jurist) and 9 commissions[2].

The Conference works closely with diocesan officials dealing with religious life. A representative of the Conference of Major Religious Superiors of Cloistered Life also participates in the work of our Counsel. As a permanent form of co-operation between religious institutes we have had: (for more than 30 years) an annual one week long formative course for new superiors, an annual one week long formative meeting of mistresses of different levels of formation, annual meetings (formative and professional) of various groups of sisters organized by commissions (administrative) including, inter-juniorate in Warsaw. During the last 20 years, in collaboration with the religious men’s institutes, two-year courses for the persons responsible for formation were organized. Now with an easier access to universities, this collaboration is going to finish. We are thinking, however, of organizing permanent formative meetings for religious of so-called “second and third” age groups.

            As I have already mentioned, the consecrated life in Poland, with enthusiasm and creativity (and, I hope - competence) made use of an atmosphere that was suitable for undertaking the challenges that had to be faced by the whole Church.. For us as consecrated persons, the greatest challenge was to return to our charisms. We had to quit many of our activities that had to be more or less similar in the case of all religious institutes, during the communistic regimes, and regardless of expenses, rebuild our own institutions, to assure our presence in the society, to prepare the people and return to our traditions, at the same time taking into consideration the contemporary needs and demands of others. This process is not yet over. It involves a growing collaboration with the laity, not only in a professional way but also by sharing with them our charisms and spirituality.

 

 Returning to traditional work we have to not forget the necessity of creating new ways of serving others, for example, organizing spiritual centers in our institutes. There also exist some other models of service that cannot be put under specific categories (looking after abandoned children, homeless and hungry people, children coming from poor and dysfunctional families). There is a great need to get more involved in an ecumenical activity (in Poland there are not too many non-Christian communities), in extending our friendship to non-believers. In addition, there is not enough time for planning.  Everything has to be done “on journey…” The people in fact expect from consecrated persons a real help and work. We constantly ask ourselves: “Are we doing what God and the other people expect of us? Are we generous enough? Are there any other ‘areopagi’ for us to climb?

            We are constantly challenged to get involved in the accommodated renewal of our communities. Certainly the 40 years after Vatican II were not as turbulent in case of Polish religious institutes, as it was in the West. The living conditions were different. We had to concentrate on survival and not on exploration and experimentation. Nevertheless, all our communities went through a study of Vatican II documents and later Church documents, through revision of the religious law, a study of life style changes, mutual relations and formation. These were not revolutionary changes (and are not even now), but undoubtedly they exist and make us think how far we should go to express our creative fidelity to the Church, to contemporary people and to our charism. At the same time we realize that the contemporary times expect of us, without any doubt, to give our witness to the Invisible, to really live the Gospel. We know that even though we do much and we are expected to do more, the survival of our communities depends on the high standard of personal life of each one of us in the dimensions of faith, hope and love. That is why in our renewal programs and in definite forms of mutual assistance, we pay so much attention to forming our mentality and spirituality, to creating a personal relation with God and fraternal/sisterly relations within communities – to achieve a proper balance between requirements of consecration and activity.

            One of the greatest challenges in our life is a call to formation at all levels of religious life (superiors, persons responsible for formation, permanent and initial formation in all its integrity and in all dimensions: human, Christian, religious) in present times which are not always easy to understand. The problem is (as always) to help forming today and for today a mature person, deeply rooted in God and in his/her charism who, at the same time is able to undertake the tasks and challenges of the present times. We try to co-operate between our communities and institutes. What are the effects of our efforts?  It is not easy to express an opinion. Certainly they are marked with joys, sorrows and sometimes defeats.

           

            Vocations. The Europeans think that Poland has many vocations in the Church. It is true, but it refers mostly to priestly vocations and next (though not to the same extent) to vocations to religious men’s institutes. As far as religious women’s institutes are concerned, we experienced a greater increase only at the end of the 19th century, the first half of the 20th century and at the turn of 1970’s and 1980’s. After the Second World War there were not enough vocations to equal a number of religious returning, after a long life, to the Father’s House. In these last years we have noticed a decrease in vocations, especially in the communities who have always had many. This refers also to the cloistered life. It is difficult to find a reason for this situation. Each community has simply to face it.

 

            Listening to what has been said until now, you will probably ask whether all this has not been presented in a too optimistic way. We share our difficulties and problems with the religious in the whole world. We also experience that the time we are living in is a period of transition and crisis (we hope this to be a crisis of increase…). We sometimes feel tired and lacking enthusiasm. We notice in ourselves and in our communities secularizing trends, such as, weakening of the faith and hope, individualism, looking for an easier life, more concern for self than for others, a middle-class life style looking for stabilization and comfort.  It is sometimes not easy for us to give up on material success in solidarity with the needy. We fear climbing a new ‘areopagus’ for it would require courage and risk taking. We fret over a decrease in vocations and lack of fidelity, but often we do not know how to deal with this, especially spiritually. Sometimes we feel we are not enough appreciated within a Church community, sometimes not enough regarded as consecrated women. I could continue giving you a list of our worries, hurts and dilemmas. We realize, however, that we will find the best remedy for our troubles – as we were reminded at the World Congress in the year of 2004 – by re-finding and amplifying (surely, already glimmering) in our hearts the passion for Jesus Christ and for humanity.

 

 

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