Duchowy wymiar działalności charytatywnej w życiu i myśli biskupa Czesława Domina (1929-1996)

Abstract

Charitable works within the Church are necessary for the realization of Christ's commandment to love one another. However, there is a danger that the motivation within the institutional dimension of the Church can be disconnected from an authentic spirituality. One of the leading figures in recent years, engaged in multidimensional charitable activities in Poland, was Bishop Czesław Domin. He was not only an incredibly efficient person who made great personal sacrifices, but he was actively engaged in the care of those in abject poverty. Most of all, he took care of the spiritual part of his own work and also all those who were working with him for the poor. Bishop Domin was able to work with an anthropocentric dimension in his charitable activities – i.e. the person, rather than the institution, was the centre of his interests. He knew that the Ecclesiastical dimension was to remind that charitable works, together with teaching and sanctifying, belong to the mission of the Church. Bishop Domin understood the importance of charity within the personal spiritual development of every Christian because real faith cannot exist without concrete acts of love.