Problematyka duszpasterska synodu włocławskiego biskupa Stanisława Karnkowskiego w 1579 roku

Abstract

The convention whose decrees had a special significance for the life of the Catholic Church, for its laws and organization, was the Trent Council (1545-1563). The start of the Polish way of introducing the Trent reforms was acceptance of the resolutions by King Sigismund August and by the Senate at the Sejm in Parczew in 1564 from the Pope’s nuncio, John Francis Commendoni. The Polish Episcopate, however, because of an undecided attitude of Primate Jakub Uchański, who wanted to convene a national council, as well as because of the uncertain political situation caused by expiration of the Jagellonian dynasty, abstained from accepting the resolutions. The Włocławe;k Diocese, that from 1551 was called Kujawsko-Pomorska, consisted of Kujawy and the Gdańsk Pomerania. The impact of the Reformation was very strong there. A positive role in consolidating Catholicism in the diocese was played by Bishop Stanisław Karnkowski, who was to become the Polish Primate. He was born in Karnkowo, near Włocławek, on 10 May 1520, and died in Łowicz on 8 June 1603. He was appointed Bishop of the Kujawsko-Pomorska diocese on 1 October 1567. In 1569 he established the Theological Seminary in Włocławek. He induced Jakub Wujek to make a Polish translation of the Holy Writ. He also crowned Stefan Batory and blessed his marriage to Anna Jagiellonka. On 29 January 1582 he succeeded to the Metropolitan See in Gniezno. He also established the Theological Seminary in Gniezno. He was the author of many political treatises. Soon after he succeeded to the bishop’s office, on 14 February 1568, Bishop Stanisław Karnkowski issued a decree convening a Synod to Włocławek ad diem Maris, alies feriam tertiam post Dominicam Reminiscere proxiam, which was on 16 March. The Synod introducing the Trend reforms in the area of the vast Włocławek Diocese, emphasized the religious teaching. It also stressed preaching God’s Word by the clergy. However, in order to avoid delivering homilies by undesirable preachers, no-one could do it without the Ordinary’s permission. The teaching priest should be in the state of sanctifying grace and he should preach on every Sunday and holiday and condemn all heretic errors; and the faithful should listen to the homilies in their parishes. Priests should warn people against improper occupations on holidays. The Synod recommended establishing brotherhoods, schools and associations, however, they were personally supervised by a priest. In their preaching parish priests should make use of the Holy Writ, the decrees of the Council of Trent, the breviary and the sacramentary. Finally the Synod reminded priests that they were called to sanctity, so they should make constant progress in their faith and perfection. It should be noted that the convention that is discussed in the article was the first Włocławek Synod whose documents were published; they were printed by Matern Holin in Cologne.