A more mature Church

The Second Vatican Council, the Marian devotion of the Polish people, the state of the Church, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and most of all, the challenges that are currently faced by the Polish Church. Anna T. Kowalewska, interviewed, for SIR Europe, Msgr. Stanislaw Gadecki, archbishop of Poznan, member of the bishops’ Synod.Half a century since the Second Vatican Council, how is the Church in Poland? "Today, 50 years since the Council, the Church in Poland seems to be more mature in interpreting her identity, her way of being present in the world, and even the Church’s liturgy. Her identity isn’t only limited to Catholics. The Church is aware that the reality in which she lives includes not only Catholics but also other faithful in Christ, as well as Muslims, Jews, and all those who not for their own fault have not yet reached the point of knowing God, although they have sought to live in an honest way. The Church in Poland has learned a lot from the Decree on Ecumenism, and also from the Declaration on non-Christian religions. Moreover, the Church is more mature in understanding her presence in the world, which has neither political nor economic connotations, and which is not bound to any political form. In fact, the Polish Church wishes to be the soul of Poland, a sign of unity with God and mankind. Finally, the Polish Church is more mature as relates to her liturgical form. Despite the difficulties, the national language helps faithful take part in the liturgy in a deeper, more aware and active way. Although the Church in Poland isn’t without tendencies to clericalize the laity and secularize the clergy, she is increasingly aware that liturgy is celebrated with the whole people of God and not by priests alone. During the Council the Polish bishops asked the pope to recognize the Virgin Mary Mother of the Universal Church. Paul VI did so at the end of the Council, on November 21 1964… "I think this request wasn’t only the expression of the Marian devotion of primate Wyszynski. Devotion to Virgin Mary is a strong feature of Polish Catholicism. In a prophetic way, cardinal Wyszynski identified and enhanced an important trait of Polish Catholicism. Marian devotion doesn’t decrease in time because it is part of Polish genoma".While in Western Europe the Church is increasingly fragile, in Poland it grows increasingly stronger. Why? "Because in Poland no other force at national level is not afraid of the consequences of its words".What has the fall of the Berlin Wall meant for the Polish Church? "1989 has brought about a great change. The Church, and the whole of society, thanks to Solidarnosc recovered freedom and responsibility that had been denied by Communist rule. But responsibility cannot be recovered when it has been lacking for decades. In order to assume responsibilities – and not only the honours deriving from freedom – it probably takes a whole generation, like in the Exhodus account". The economic crisis in Poland is felt by the population but in a less dramatic way than Greece or Italy. What could the Church do? "The Church is not an expert in finances and economy. Her social teaching underlines that economy must serve the accomplishment of the human person, seeking to satisfy the needs of large areas of society. The Church should speak of the responsibility for the family, the question of life, of poverty, and she should try not to take partisan stands in economic issues".