Ksiądz Józef Majka - protagonista katolickiej nauki społecznej

Abstract

Fr Józef Majka’s key area of research was the Catholic social doctrine. He was among those people of science who were knowledgeable not only as to the foundations of this sphere of knowledge, but possessed a perfect insight into its development. Sharing the lot of the society of real socialism permitted him to see the errors and incoherence of that system. Fr J. Majka was an expert not only of the foundation of the Catholic social doctrine but also of the social matter of the second half of the 19th century. His works taught both the academic milieus and the large masses of his readers an alternative social thinking. His proposals as to the homeland situation resulted from personalism made more profound in the Lublin milieu. It is these personalistic aspects that dominated in his scientific work. He had a good command of the Catholic social doctrine which made a firm background for Fr Majka in his vision of Poland’s functioning in a democratic system. According to him, the new system initiated in 1989 should be grounded on ethical bases. The Catholic social doctrine made more profound over the years allowed Fr Majka to easily orientate himself not only within the sphere of principles but also in the territory of practical social life.