CRITICISM OF THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF POLAND IN SERMONS BY IGNACY TOKARCZUK

The sermons delivered by Bishop Ignacy Tokarczuk provided him with an opportunity for embarking upon a number of social-religious problems. His statements dealt with questions of a general social nature, but predominantly with the struggle conducted by the communist regime in Poland against religion. Bishop Tokarczuk called for equal rights for all, and appealed to the authorities to cease their battle and to consider more relevant questions, such as preventing the social-economic crisis which could cause anti-state social unrest. The bishop ordinary perceived the decline of the Polish economy in the absence of civic liberties. In his opinion, the authorities should respect the fundamental rights governing human nature, whose lack incurs great damage to state and society. In addition, he pointed to the crises of 1968, 1970 and 1976, which proved the frailty of the system at a time when society demanded constitutionally guaranteed rights. Bishop Tokarczuk maintained that the official policy demeaned human dignity. By showing preference for an atheist model of the state, the authorities wished to maintain control over the inner civic domain. The sermons accentuated the great menace inherent in the absence of basic values in human life. The bishop of Przemysl drew attention to alcoholism, whose presence was apparently ignored by the authorities. He also mentioned the problem of deception in political life: politicians tended to inform society about the domestic situation either partially or by resorting to lies. The dissemination of this type of propaganda made use of the mass media, totally controlled by the authorities. In his speeches, the bishop of Przemysl also discussed abortion permitted by the state authorities and contrary to the Ten Commandments. Bishop Tokarczuk not only criticised but also accentuated methods of overcoming the crisis rampant in numerous fields of life. His declarations and statements encountered a defensive attitude at all levels of the authorities or incited them to launch an attack.