Działalność Prymasa Polski Stefana Wyszyńskiego na forum Komisji/Rady Głównej Episkopatu Polski (1949-1953, 1956-1981)

The aim of the article is to present the leader of the Primate of Poland, Stefan Wyszyński, at the forum of the Main Committee/Main Board of the Episcopate of Poland (1949–1953, 1956–1981). The main research problem is the description of the participation in the work of the Main Committee/Main Board of the Episcopate of Poland, the impact on this body and the assessment of the effects of this activity. The following hypotheses can be formulated: 1) in the analyzed period, Stefan Wyszyński had a key influence on the activities of the Main Committee/Main Board of the Episcopate of Poland; 2) actions taken by Stefan Wyszyński in the forum of the Polish Episcopate were of decisive importance for the relations between the state and the Church; 3) Stefan Wyszyński undertook multi-faceted, multi-directional and multi-faceted activities. Research based on the historical (genetic) method and content analysis allow for the presentation of the following factual data. Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński played a crucial role in the post-war history of the Catholic Church in Poland. After being appointed the Primate, in periods of 1949-1953 and 1956-1981, he was a chairman of the Episcopal Conference of Poland. Since 1969, he had also chaired the Committee of the Main Board of the Episcopate of Poland, a body being a presidium of the Episcopate of Poland. When it was chaired by Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, main tasks of the Main Committee/Main Board of the Episcopate of Poland included: 1) development of projects, schemas and guidelines to pastoral letters and other public addresses of the Catholic Church; 2) an analysis of the current situation of the Catholic Church; 3) coordination of works of other committees and sub-committee of the Episcopate. Taking into account basic directions of work of the Polish bishops, resulting from the social and political situation in those times, issues being strictly under control of the chairman of the Main Committee/Main Board of the Episcopate of Poland himself can be specified. Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński was personally responsible for: 1) specifying main directions and contents for pastoral teaching; 2) shaping relationships with authorities of the Polish People's Republic (PRL); 3) managing the personnel policy of the Episcopate in its part concerning nomination of bishops; 4) inspiring changes in the organisational structure, objectives, tasks and the legal status of the Episcopal Conference of Poland. These problems are discussed in more detail further in this paper, although it should be emphasised that they do not exhaust an extensive range of issues for which the chairman of the Main Committee/Main Board of the Episcopate of Poland was responsible. Amongst the others, the following issues were not analysed: 5) coordination of contacts with the Holy See and foreign episcopal conferences, and 6) a strict control over a process of reception and implementation of resolutions of the Second Vatican Council. Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński’s contribution to the works of the Main Committee/Main Board of the Episcopate of Poland still remains an issue requiring a comprehensive, complete and exhaustive study. Indeed, it is not possible to understand processes taking place in the Catholic Church in Poland and in its relations with the Communist state without this fundamental knowledge.