The Vocation to Parenthood in the Context of a Demographic Crisis in Poland

Abstract

The vocation to parenthood is a constitutive element of married and family life. However, recent decades show that the number of births in Poland is declining steadily. This, in turn, is leading to a decrease in population and population aging in our homeland. The current situation is called a demographic catastrophe, the consequences of which will be felt in the next decades. It is therefore necessary to take concrete steps to change this situation. The aims of this article are to try to describe the present demographic situation in Poland, to recall the main ideas of the teaching of the Catholic Church on the parental tasks of the family and society, and to identify the most important pastoral task, which the Church in Poland faces in this regard.