Porozumienie państwo-Kościół i jego reperkusje na przykładzie województwa ostrołęckiego

Abstract

The policy against Catholic Church in Poland changed accordingly to current political and economic situation. 1950 brought clear decrease in mutual relations. Accomplished fact policy were a clear sign that the authorities were ready to commence further repressions in order to extort the Church’s submission. Such a policy of the government and above all the willingness to restrict autonomy of the Church caused a necessity to sign an agreement on 14th April 1950. It soon occurred that the agreement was for the authorities only a means of propaganda because the plenty of promises were never kept. In fact some records of the act were evaded or even broken. The following years brought new possibilities and areas for the Church-State confrontation. One of them was a new law: The People’s Republic of Poland’s Constitution from 22nd July 1952, which guaranteed every citizen freedom of conscience, religion and separated the Church and the State. Despite the fact that the law caused reservations among the clergy, it went into effect very soon. The following year was a period of time when repressions against the Church in Poland went to its peak. The government prepared a provocation which turned out to be a decree signed on 9th February 1953, concerning appointing posts by the clergy. The upsetting act was not against the terms of the earlier agreement and to crown it all it forced the priests to take a loyalty oath to the People’s Republic of Poland. In response to the bullying, Episcopate submitted a “Non possumus” memorial on 8th May 1953, where they criticized the State’s policy towards the Church. For the Episcopate it also meant a breach of the agreement of 14th April 1950. The imposed agreement turned out to be fragile and it did not last long. However, owing to the agreement, the Church gained time to defend itself against the increasing hostilities form the government.