Should the Church “mix” into politics?

The teaching of the Catholic Church since the 1980s clearly distinguishes 2 terms: “politics” and “political commitment”. Policy as a prudent concern for the common good precedes all programmes, political parties and forms of government. It is simply a form of human activity that includes all social activities, volunteering, initiatives and cultural and spiritual activities. On the another hand, political engagement is primarily understood as a policy practice circumstantial to political parties and parties, to the government and to the full state administration. This concept includes the creation of circumstantial programs, the investigation into power and the implementation of it – he says in an interview with PCh24.pl, kp. Prof. Leszek Szewczyk – habilitated doctor of theological sciences in the field of homiletics, prof. of the University of Silesia in Katowice; associate of the UŚ legislature and the Institute of Theological Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences; head of the Doctoral Studies of the Faculty of Theology of the Polish Academy of Sciences; certified speech therapist; lecturer at the Higher Seminary of Franciscan Fathers in Katowice – Panewniki; coordinator of the work of the Editorial Programs of Polish Radio Katowice; secretary of the Association of Polish Homilets.

Priest Professor, should the Church “mix” into politics?

Traditionally, the concept of "policy" is defined in 2 ways. The first, broad, defines politics as striving for the common good and involves dignity and fundamental human rights, common good, social justice. A narrow knowing of politics defines it as a desire for power, as a organization policy aimed at gaining and maintaining state power.

The teaching of the Catholic Church since the 1980s clearly distinguishes 2 terms: “politics” and “political commitment”. Policy as a prudent concern for the common good precedes all programmes, political parties and forms of government. It is simply a form of human activity that includes all social activities, volunteering, initiatives and cultural and spiritual activities. On the another hand, political engagement is primarily understood as a policy practice circumstantial to political parties and parties, to the government and to the full state administration. This concept includes the creation of circumstantial programs, the investigation into power and the implementation of it.

What is the task of the Church?

The task of the Church towards politics is to service political institutions with cognition and experience. The Church gives an explanation of moral norms in matters of human conduct and of its tasks "it is essential to issue an assessment of the moral even in matters of political affairs, erstwhile the fundamental rights of the individual or the salvation of souls so require, by applying all and only those measures which are compatible with the Gospel and common good according to the diversity of time and conditions" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, p. 2246). And it is the work of the clergy to be for all and to service unity. Therefore, they cannot engage in organization agitation, power and so on. This is the domain of worldly believers. The task of the clergy is to evangelize and form persons active politically. They may besides constitute a "moral opposition" to political practice.

A Christian can separate a private sphere from a political sphere?

It seems that John Paul II gave a very precise answer to this question in the apostolic adhortation of the vocation and secular mission in the Church and in the world. Christifideles laici, where he pointed out that in the lives of members of the Church "there must not be 2 parallel currents: on the 1 hand, the alleged "spiritual" life with its own values and requirements, on the another hand, the alleged "swieckie" life, including family, work, social relations, political and cultural engagement ... all action, all situation, all concrete form of commitment — specified as professional competence and solidarity in the workplace; love, devotion, participation in the upbringing of children in the family; social and political service; defence of fact in culture — all of this is simply a provident occasion for “regular exercise in faith, hope and love” (ChL 59).

How is simply a sermon different from a homily?

In common language, the terms ‘speech’ and ‘homilia’ are frequently utilized interchangeably. However, these 2 concepts have different meanings and relate to various forms of preaching of God’s word. Homilia is preached in the context of the liturgy and forms an integral part of it, and the sermon is the unit of prediction outside that context. Homilia is speaking of God and revealed truths and is simply a continuation and updating of Bible readings. “Homily, part of the liturgy, is highly recommended: it is the food essential to sustain Christian life. It should be an explanation of any aspect of Bible reading or another text from the fixed or variable parts of the Mass of a given day, taking into account both the celebrated mystery and the peculiar needs of the listeners" (General Introduction to the Mass of Rome 65). The preaching of the homily is reserved only for authoritative stewards, or those who have accepted the ordination. The sermon is not related to the liturgical context and can besides be given by a lay individual (under peculiar conditions).

What's an pulpit for in a church?

Liturgic books on the celebration of Mass, i.e. Mass and Teacher in their General Introductions, they contain clear and unambiguous provisions concerning the arrangement of the church, including those relating to the place from which the word of God is read and preached. The Church requires that they be separated from the altar as the table of sacrifice and exposed as a table of the word of God. Thus the faithful will see more easy 2 parts of the Mass: the liturgy of the word, whose center is the pulpit as the table of the word of God, and the liturgy of the sacrifice to which the altar refers. Therefore, there should be 2 tables in each church: the pulpit as the table of God’s word and the table of sacrifice, or altar.

The pulpit reads lessons, the consequence psalm, and the Easter message; it is besides possible to give homily and to pray universal prayer, or prayer of the faithful. It is not appropriate for the pulpit to execute their functions: commentator, cantor and choir manager" (General Introduction to the Mass of Rome No. 272). All the more reason not to preach speeches and occasional speeches.

What's a good homily, a good sermon?

The Congregation for Divine Culture and the Discipline of the Sacraments published in 2014 "Homiletic Directory". It recalls that “homily, which is part of the liturgy, is highly recommended due to the fact that it is the food essential to sustain Christian life.” The shortest answer can be that homilies and sermons should be dynamic, professionally prepared, well delivered and confirmed by the witness of the preaching life. They should draw listeners closer to God and make us more like Christ.

How should we respond erstwhile there are inactive "political sermons" in our temple? Can we start going to another church?

The centres of social investigation (state and ecclesiastical) frequently print the results of investigation on the engagement of the Church in social and political life in Poland. The opposition of the majority of the public raises – above all – the proposition by the faithful priests how they should vote in elections. Electoral agitation in churches is not only widely unacceptable, but besides meets the critical reception of those most active in spiritual practices. According to the surveyers, excessive engagement in politics is inactive apparent.

However, from a survey conducted respective years ago, (in 2015) most surveyed respondents (58%) declared that in the parishes of their residence it never happens that priests during sermons uncover their organization sympathy or propose which political groups should be supported. Elements of political agitation are seen in clergy sermons in the local parishes of 26% of respondents: most of them (i.e. 16% of the full respondents) admit that specified situations happen occasionally.

Poles are besides very critical of addressing political topics during sermons in the church, due to the fact that as many as 70 percent of respondents measure this phenomenon negatively. I think that we are proceeding little and little specified “political” sermons. But if in the church we attend they are preached, for the sake of their spiritual benefit, the place to participate in the liturgy can be changed.

Why do people halt going to church?

In 2018, the Pew investigation Center published a study on secularization processes in the world. The studies included the following criteria: self-identification with a circumstantial spiritual tradition, participation in services, practice of regular individual prayer and the importance of religion in the life of the surveyed. investigation shows that in the "first criterion – recognition with a given tradition – the decline among Poles is simply a dispute, but not a dramatic 1 (6 points), which places us close the European average. However, in the remaining 3 criteria Poland is the fastest secularised country in the world" (P. Sikora, Non-Catholic Poland, ‘Wszystkie Tygodnik’ (2018), No 28, p. 11).

In Poland, before our eyes, there is simply a process of changing the kind of religion: from inherited to spiritual by choice, or full conscious, lived. This involves leaving God and the Church and has a direct effect on weakening spiritual practices. spiritual practices are an crucial parameter of religion. The shrinking participation of believers in spiritual practices is simply a symptom of changes in conventional religion.

Often, the reason for the abandonment of spiritual practices is to strive for – not always decently understood – human freedom and social justice, a critical reaction to religion, especially to Christianity, but besides to stumble over church abuses and anti-testimony from both clergy and lay believers. But hope is given by believers who have found a place in various movements, communities and spiritual associations. These movements can be attributed to maintaining Polish religion, as they are a driving force for affirmative changes in Polish Catholicism.

Thank you for talking.

Marta Dybińska