Piętnastolecie diecezji rzeszowskiej w kontekście roli diecezji w życiu Kościoła i narodu. Refleksja historyczna

Abstract

Pope John Paul II changed the administrative division of Polish church issuing a bulla “Totus Tuus Poloniae populus” in 25 March 1992. The papal edict gave the beginning to eight new metropolies and 13 dioceses. The creation of local churches (i.e. dioceses) was a significant and spectacular event. From the beginning of church organizational structures to the present time, political authorities, socio-political movements and all organs controlling politics, economy, culture and developing their regime, thinking and civilizational models have taken a keen interest in church’s structures. The diocese was and is a vital and key fundament of the church’s construction and its keystone was and is a bishop. It is easy to make the destruction of the diocese eliminating the bishop in a physical and moral way. The church without the bishop and diocese has no chances for development, survival and simply does not exist but vegetates underground in souls and hearts of the faithful. Among new dioceses in 1992, Rzeszów diocese was established by the personal decision of Pope John Paul II. Rzeszów diocese emerged from two parts of Przemyśl and one part of Tarnów diocese.