Polityka władz komunistycznych wobec Kościoła częstochowskiego w latach 1984-1989

Abstract

The article discusses the policy of communist authorities towards the Church of Czestochowa in 1984-1989. At the end of 1983 the communist authorities decided to tighten up the anti-church policy in order to weaken an increasing position of the Catholic Church in Poland. The pastoral service of priests was constantly kept under surveillance by officers of the repression apparatus. Every activity described as hostile attitude towards Polish People’s Republic in the form of homilies, lectures, exhibitions etc. faced the reaction of state’s authorities. It was a reason why the governor removed Fr. Zenon Raczyński from the post of parish priest in St. Joseph parish in Czestochowa. Moreover, the communist authorities impeded the creation of new parishes and the building of new temples. Both pilgrims and people who gave them accommodation were persecuted. Academic teachers and students were persecuted because of their involving in religious life. The action of removing crosses from public places was continued. Bishop Stanisław Nowak, who ruled the diocese of Czestochowa, and his co-workers fought in conversations with representatives of state’s authorities for free faith declaration and intervened with repressed people. Their actions began to be effective after warming the relations between the Church and the State which took place in 1987 in regard to organization of the Pope’s Paul the Second pilgrimage to the Motherland, but in fact, it was connected with some political changes in the Soviet Union and increasing economic crisis.