Organizacja duszpasterstwa młodzieży w Polsce po II wojnie światowej

Abstract

The Church's situation during the communist regime was difficult. The authorities tended to eliminate the Church from social life and usurped an exclusive right to bring up the youth. Despite this state of affairs the Church started a pastoral activity among the youth almost immediately after the war. The first form of an organized pastoral care was Catholic Youth Associations. Their activity was suspendeed in 1948, though in some dioceses they went on until 1952. In 1989 the Catholic Youth Associations were reactivated. Another form of work with the youth was scout pastoral care. The most efficient organized form of the pastoral care about the youth was the National Youth Pastoral Care. It came into being in 1957, and was divided into two sections: the National Male Youth Pastoral Care and the National Female Youth Pastoral Care. In 1984 the Polish Episcopal Conference called into existence a Subcommittee for the affairs of the Youth Pastoral Care which became a representative of the National Youth Pastoral Care in the country and abroad. In 1987 the Subcommittee was raised to the rank of the Episcopal Committee for the affairs of Youth Pastoral Care. The latter is at present responsible for the organization of the youth pastoral care in Poland.