Inicjatywy nowego laikatu a parafia farna i wikariat biskupi w Bydgoszczy w latach 80. XX w.

Abstract

The 1980s marked a breakthrough, among others, in the history of the city’s laity. Apart from locally-operating groups involved in religious formation and worship, the period saw the establishment of groups derived from the “Solidarity” movement which, though limited in number but very dynamic in nature, regarded the Church as one of the few enclaves of freedom. That environment – which at first had some difficulty comprehending the Church in full, but then demonstrated support to its activities by studying the Church’s Social Doctrine – gave rise to lay institutions such as the local Literary Arch-Confraternity, St Brigid’s Oblate Fraternity and the Ministry of Pastoral Care for Working People. New forms of zealous religious devotion, rational in nature and committed to social issues, emerged at that time. After 1989 some members of the Lower and Upper Houses of the Polish Parliament as well as municipal councillors identified themselves with the Church’s Social Teaching and followed its guidelines in their political activities.