Udział księży-posłów w obradach plenarnych sejmu ustawodawczego Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej 1919-1922

Abstract

The period of the Legislative Sejm (1919-1922) was pregnant for the Polish nation, and Catholic priests were one of the most active parlimenlary groups. They often addressed the meeting on the matteis which were crucial for the Church’s and nations life. In the first half-year of the silting of the Sejm the priests’ addresses were devoted to the problem of the agricultural reform which was crucial then. The clergy in some general terms declared to be ready to sacrifice for the sake of common good concerning the goods of dead hand, but they also firmly opposed the encroachment on the Church property without the permission of the Holy See and church authorities in the country. Many addresses were devoted to the problem of the constitution. The debate concerning the latter was opened as early as March 17, 1919, and was crowned by the passing of the constitution on March 17, 1921. The pattern to which the priests adhered in their addresses was the Constitution of May 3, 1791. The Sejm declared for a close cooperation between the Church and the Slate. The priests look part in parlimenlary debates as deputies of particular polling districts, that is why they talked about the problems of their electorate. The priests-deputies drew in their addresses on to the policy the Polish government carried out. The representatives of the clergy took part in discussions on the consecutive exposé of presidents and ministers. Many times the clergy spoke in favour of various people’s needs. It was then the social and public sphere that the priests-deputies devoted much of their attention to during various works and sittings of the Sejm. When we add to the above that priests were also rapporteurs of many parlimentary commissions, we can conclude that the influence of the clergy on the parlimenlary forum was considerable in the first Sejm of the Polish Republic after Poland had regained independence. It was an important period of legislative and judicial solutions which considerably influenced the later period in the life of the Church and Polish nation.