KONFLIKT NA TLE NAUCZANIA RELIGII W OKRESIE MIĘDZYWOJENNYM NA PRZYKŁADZIE PARAFII WIŻAJNY

From the very beginning of Polish statehood in 1918, conflicts sparked between the civil authorities and the Episcopate of Poland. In a natural way, they projected downwards to towns and villages, antagonizing and dividing the Polish society. Many publications dating to just after World War 2 one-sidedly assigned blame to the Catholic Church. The present paper shows such accusations to be wrongful and blatantly untrue. The choice of the parish is not random – it was here that the most renowned conflict around teaching religion in the Łomża diocese took place. Father Witold Balukiewicz’s endeavors to build a modern school and teach religion in the full scope guaranteed by the law and the Father’s later social engagement. In light of the facts and with the benefit of hindsight, it is not difficult to determine who was right.