Duszpasterstwo i katecheza wobec społecznych i religijnych wyzwań współczesności

Abstract

Social context of contemporary Poland, as well as of other central European countries, is determined by the two major phenomena: European integration and globalisation. Both terms have taken permanent roots in our way of thinking. Not only politics and economy, but also ministry and catechesis have been faced with a new quality of life, whose directions of development are by no means easy to foresee. The problem of Poland entering the structures of the European Union as well as the one of globalisation, which now includes not only economic but intellectual and even spiritual spheres, constitute a source of numerous tensions and disputes. The paper Ministry and Catechesis in the Face of Social and Religious Challenges of Present Day is an attempt to show the actual dangers but also opportunities which these processes carry. On the basis of the pope's instruction and output of the Church social teaching, the author claims that both ministry and catechesis are able to positively influence the shape of the coming changes. Whether concerns and fears accompanying these processes will turn out to be justified or not depends, to a large degree, on the quality of ministry and catechesis.