Books by Mariusz Chamarczuk
The migration phenomenon in the postmodern world subjected to globalization processes is common a... more The migration phenomenon in the postmodern world subjected to globalization processes is common and seems to surprise no one at this time. Owing to the possibilities and popularization of migration, it has become a way of life as well as a means to benefit from the opportunities of the contemporary civilization such as economic welfare, labour market, a sense of security and peace, and a worthy way of life in a place of your own choice that you deem appropriate. This fundamental and inherent human right of today is commonly noticed, analyzed, described and commented on depending on the study context or discipline in which such reflection is undertaken.
Among migrants, there is a huge number of Christians for whom the journeying (in the biblical sense or as an analogy to life being a journey to the ultimate goal) is a natural way of fulfilling their vocation in life. Regardless of the causes or reasons that may induce migrants to change their place or country of residence, many of them wish to continue to practice their faith on the spiritual, moral, cultural, and social plane, as they recognize the axiology of Christian life as the foundation of their identity and existence. In spite of the progressing secularization of social life in Europe and the far-reaching cultural and religious pluralism, and despite the disregard for as well as questioning of the significance of Christian values in building a modern European society, Christians living on this continent are guaranteed the possibility of meetings and religious practice in various forms, both liturgical and sacramental, and social and cultural.
One of the countries to which Christian immigrants have come, are coming and will surely continue to come in the future is Sweden, a historically Christian country for more than a thousand years but, over the past four and a half centuries, remaining under the influence of the Reformation ideas, a country where the so-called modern nation reduced Christianity to the role of a relic of the past. Among the different Christian congregations present in Sweden, there is also the Catholic Church, whose tradition dates back to the beginnings of Christianity in this country (i.e. to the ninth century and to the pre-Reformation period lasting more than six hundred years). For the last sixty years, the administrative structure of the Catholic Church has been represented by the Diocese of Stockholm, whose believers form a multicultural community of immigrants coming from most of the Catholic countries in Europe and beyond.
This dissertation, entitled The Integration of Immigrants Within the Catholic Church in Sweden, on the one hand addresses very popular issues of the present discussion on emigration and the problems of integration of migrants into the society of residence and, on the other hand, it is an attempt to deal with the less-known issue of the immigration of Catholics to Scandinavia and their inner cohesion in building a community on the foundation of common religious values. As an introduction to the topics dealt with in this dissertation, a description of the Catholic Church in Sweden is provided, along with its historical background and administrative structures, specifying the most important dicasteries and offices as well as their roles and tasks. There is also an overview of the existing and reviving forms of consecrated life in both female and male orders, presenting their multinational and multicultural structures, and not omitting the part played by the Prelature of Opus Dei. With the purpose of showing the Church’s commitment to the integration of the young generation of immigrants in terms of their upbringing and education, an account of educational efforts and after-school activities for the youth of universities, colleges, secondary schools, elementary schools, kindergartens and nurseries is given. The final part of this description focuses on the specialized pastoral care, including work with prisoners, handicapped or sight and hearing impaired people, and furthermore provides a presentation of opportunities for the operation of special-purpose immigrant communities gathered around the national culture and language missions and various rites of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
The next part of the dissertation deals with theoretical and formal assumptions for the integration of immigrants within the Catholic Church in Sweden, taking into account the point of view of the Scandinavian Bishops Conference in this matter. The process of constituting this body has been analyzed in parallel to the growing problem of immigration into Scandinavia, while presenting the evolution of the Conference's views and standpoints with regard to this phenomenon. Subsequently, the paper analyzes the social teachings made by the apostolic administrators and Ordinaries of the Stockholm Diocese regarding the approach to foreigners and immigrants, cultural and religious integration, as well as the ecumenical and interreligious dialogue. As a complement to the above, there is also included an analysis of the formal principles governing the pastoral and social work at the missions of the Eastern Catholic Churches as well as at the national culture and language missions. Such formal regulations have been established in order to standardize and coordinate the conducted activities, and consequently should be implemented in practice. Therefore, to develop this subject, the dissertation deals with the pragmatics of actions aiming at the integration of immigrants into Catholic communities, which can be accomplished through the diocesan structures. Taking the above matter into consideration, the paper examines the methods and initiatives for cultural and religious integration undertaken at the central level; attempts to find an answer to how the integration progress is achieved through parish practices and by following the models of accepting and involving immigrants; provides a reflection on the role of Eastern rites in the process of integrating immigrants from Oriental and Western cultures; and ultimately analyzes the function of the organization of Swedish Young Catholics (Sveriges Unga Katoliker) in the intercultural socialization of children and youth.
By moving the study and reflections on the integration initiatives into the religious, cultural and social environment, it has been verified how the integration progresses through the ecumenical and interreligious dialogue that opens up a good opportunity and acts as a laboratory for developing “the culture of immigrant acceptance”, which was often spoken about and encouraged by Pope John Paul II. A search has been made to identify the symptoms and outcomes of numerous activities undertaken for the benefit of migrants as well as charitable and social care provided to them by the Caritas organization. The paper also contemplates on the significance of selected Catholic movements and associations, such as the Apostleship of Prayer, Concordia Catholica, Focolare Movement, Catholic Charismatic Renewal, in the integration of immigrants by providing a natural meeting place for cultures and traditions, not forgetting to mention other local associations and organizations, especially those operating within religious orders which are held in high regard in Sweden.
Since the nature of this dissertation is sociological, it has been decided to contain the results of several years of empirical studies of the state of immigrant integration within Catholic communities in Sweden, which were carried out between the years 2004 and 2010. Although these studies concern some culturally diversified parish communities and associations, they make it possible to draw general statements and conclusions. To this end, firstly the purpose, methods and environments covered by the quantitative and qualitative studies have been presented, and the study results have been discussed. Subsequently, the paper provides the interpretation of significant correlations which occurred between the studied environments, especially with regards to the attitude demonstrated by immigrants from European countries towards the proposed forms of their involvement in the parish and mission activities, and furthermore presents opinions on the integration and social role of parishes and missions in small and large urban environments. The final conclusions derived from the empirical tests reveal a preliminary image of the reality, which is hard to capture, highly unstable and vulnerable to changes, but after all they depict the Catholic community in Sweden that undergoes a difficult process of increasing cultural and social integration. Apparently, the success of this process depends largely on undertaking arduous work and efforts in creating a climate of openness and acceptance, as well as on offering real and measurable assistance for immigrants. In the long run, this will translate into the growing presence and enrooting of the Catholic culture in Swedish social life thanks to the active participation of Catholic immigrants.
Praca zbiorowa o sytuacji demograficznej w Polsce w świetle katolickiej nauki społecznej.
Papers by Mariusz Chamarczuk
Seminare, Jun 29, 2006
Enrico dal C o v o l o, Ojcowie Kościoła mistrzami formacji kapłańskiej, tł. z j. włoskiego K. Ch... more Enrico dal C o v o l o, Ojcowie Kościoła mistrzami formacji kapłańskiej, tł. z j. włoskiego K. Charmasa, [b.w.], Lublin 2005, ss. 69. Z pewnością środowiska formacyjne, w których przygotowują się kandydaci do kapłaństwa, z radością przyjmą pojawienie się na polskim rynku wydawniczym książki Enrico dal Covolo pt. Ojcowie Kościoła mistrzami formacji kapłańskiej, wydanej w Lublinie w 2005 r. Pomimo że dociera ona do nas kilka lat po swej włoskiej premierze (1998, tytuł oryginału: Sacerdoti come i nostri padri. I Padri della Chiesa maestri di formazione sacerdotale), to w niczym nie traci na swej aktualności. Przekona się o tym ten, kto spróbuje ją czytać w perspektywie wskazanej przez Jana Pawła II w Adhortacji posynodalnej Pastores dabo vobis z 1992 r. Papież otwiera swój dokument przypomnieniem sceny, w której Jezus wychodzi "na górę i przywołuje do siebie, tych których sam chciał, a oni przyszli do Niego" (PDV 2). Tak zaczęła się formacja apostołów, przyszłych kapłanów, reprezentantów Jezusa Chrystus. Kościół, starając się być wierny tamtemu doświadczeniu przebywania uczniów z Jezusem, przez wieki swego istnienia troszczył się o formację przyszłych kapłanów. Czyni to także dzisiaj, podejmując wysiłek sprostania wielorakim wyzwaniom kulturowym, społecznym, duchowym i ludzkim. Po raz pierwszy jednak znalazł się w takiej sytuacji, kiedy pośród jego wyznawców nie tylko nie był obecny fizycznie sam Jezus, ale także nikt z jego bezpośrednich uczniów. Książka dal Covolo jest ciekawym świadectwem właśnie tamtego doświadczenia. Nie chodzi tu tylko o opis instytucji, metodologii czy treści formacyjnych i o ewentualne próby przenoszenia ich w nasze czasy. Ważniejsza wydaje się zdolność Kościoła do konfrontowania się w określonych warunkach historycznych z tym, "co w fizjonomii kapłana pozostaje niezmienne" (PDV 5). Stąd znaczenie książki także dla nas, ludzi współcześnie zainteresowanych formacją przyszłych kapłanów. Czytelnik może w tym względzie w pełni zaufać autorowi książki.
Seminare. Poszukiwania naukowe, 2008
Zjawisko emigracji z punktu widzenia socjologii jest wydarzeniem bardzo interesującym. Jego złożo... more Zjawisko emigracji z punktu widzenia socjologii jest wydarzeniem bardzo interesującym. Jego złożoność i wieloaspektowość pobudza do prowadzenia badań i analiz w przeróżnych kontekstach sytuacyjno-okolicznościowych. Jednym z ważnych aspektów życia emigracyjnego jest zjawisko tworzenia przyjaznych środowisk, wspólnot, struktur na obczyźnie, w celu zagwarantowania ciągłości prowadzonej działalności, zabezpieczenia przestrzeni wolności, wspólnych interesów, wzajemnej pomocy i podtrzymywaniu więzi. Nie ulega wątpliwości, że przedstawiciele każdej grupy narodowej, etnicznej, kulturowej, powodowani różnymi przyczynami i okolicznościami do opuszczenia kraju pochodzenia, zmuszeni do odnalezienia swego miejsca w regionie imigracji organizują się w przeróżne struktury. Są to ogólnie funkcjonujące, popularne formy zrzeszania się znane jako: związkowe, stowarzyszeniowe, zawodowe, federacyjne, religijne, kulturalne, oświatowe, czy też mniej formalne, które można zakwalifikować jako rodzinne lub towarzyskie. Jest to prawidłowość charakterystyczna dla większości grup emigracyjnych, mająca swe źródło w naturalnej potrzebie posiadania sprzymierzeńców w obcym środowisku oraz instynkcie walki o przetrwanie, a także w głębokiej potrzebie lepszego i sprawniejszego działania w celu ochrony własnych praw i interesów. Działania te mogą posiadać motywacje czysto patriotyczne, moralne i religijne oraz ekonomiczno-materialne. Mają one różne cele, ale wśród nich ważne miejsce zajmuje chęć przechowywania i przekazywania następnym pokoleniom idei, cech, postaw postrzeganych jako wartościowe. Wychodźstwo polskie, czy też Polonia (choć z racji historycznych i metodologicznych nie powinno się tych określeń emigracji polskiej utożsamiać) rozpro
Seminare. Poszukiwania naukowe, 2004
Seminare. Poszukiwania naukowe, 2005
Głębokie prawdy humanizmu chrześcijańskiego głoszone od stuleci przez naśladowców Chrystusa, czeg... more Głębokie prawdy humanizmu chrześcijańskiego głoszone od stuleci przez naśladowców Chrystusa, czego efektem stało się ubogacenie Ewangelią kultur europejskich i światowych, to z pewnością oprócz teorii wyrosłych z nauczania Chrystusa (różnego rodzaju kierunków nauk teologicznych, filozoficznych, antropologicznych i moralnych), także historia czynów osób poszukujących Boga, czerpiących przykład i wzór od Założyciela chrześcijaństwa. Czyny te były i są świadectwem głębokiej solidarności z innymi, nie tylko współwyznawcami tej samej religii, ale konkretnymi osobami pozostającymi w "potrzebie". Solidarność taka, wyrastająca z motywacji chrześcijańskiej miłości bliźniego, wrażliwości na "biedę i nędzę ludzką", dostrzegająca cierpienie, opuszczenie, bezradność, beznadzieję i zapomnienie, była i jest wyzwaniem dla każdego człowieka poszukującego spełnienia w granicach swego czasu. Przepiękne postawy takiej solidarności odnajdujemy w wielu miejscach świata. Przykłady takiej działalności napełniają szacunkiem i podziwem. Łatwiej jednak o nich mówić, opowiadać i przekazywać szlachetne czyny z przeszłości lub innego miejsca, trudniej być sprawcą, pomysłodawcą i realizatorem miłości czynnej, zobowiązującej ale przecież bezinteresownej, niosącej nadzie-1 Wyrażenie używane w teologii pastoralnej jako określenie praktycznego realizowania w codziennym życiu postawy wprowadzania w czyn treści ewangelicznego przykazania miłości bliźniego, czyli szeroko pojętego czynienia dobra. Postawa taka urasta do rangi osobistego zaangażowania w dzieło ewangelizacji świata poprzez świadectwo własnego życia. Jest również postawą czysto eklezjalną, gdyż Kościół jako instytucja bosko-ludzka oprócz przekazywania Orędzia Zbawienia za pomocą słowa, czyni dzieła miłosierdzia i pochyla się nad nędzą ludzką (materialną i moralną), wypełniając w ten sposób swoje podstawowe zadanie wynikające z Ewangelii.
Seminare, Dec 30, 2022
W ramach Festiwalu odbywają się są co najmniej dwa konkursy. To jedna ze specyficznych cech Festi... more W ramach Festiwalu odbywają się są co najmniej dwa konkursy. To jedna ze specyficznych cech Festiwalu w Rumi, która go wyróżnia od innych imprez artystycznych. 5 W ramach konkursu zespołów chóralnych przeprowadzono także konkurs na najlepsze wykonanie pieśni religijnej w języku kaszubskim. Dobrowolne wzięcie w nim udziału wiązało się z wykonaniem dodatkowego utworu w języku kaszubskim w programie występu konkursowego w obu kategoriach.
Seminare. Poszukiwania naukowe, 2006
Seminare, Jan 11, 2023
W Warszawie, w dniach 1418 wrzenia 2011 roku, odby³ siê XIV Miêdzynarodowy Kongres Prawa Kanonicz... more W Warszawie, w dniach 1418 wrzenia 2011 roku, odby³ siê XIV Miêdzynarodowy Kongres Prawa Kanonicznego. Organizatorem i gospodarzem by³ Wydzia³ Prawa Kanonicznego Uniwersytetu Kardyna³a Stefana Wyszyñskiego w Warszawie, przy wspó³pracy Consociatio Internationalis Studio Iuris Canonici Promovendo z siedzib¹ w Rzymie. Kongresy Prawa Kanonicznego s³u¿¹ po-g³êbieniu wiedzy w zakresie prawa kanonicznego, ale tak¿e promuj¹ tê dziedzinê wiedzy w danym regionie wiata. Zorganizowany Kongres by³ powiêcony w³adzy wykonawczej i administracyjnej w Kociele z wiod¹cym tematem: Administracja w prawie kanonicznym. W sesji inauguracyjnej przemówienia wyg³osili m.in.: Jego Magnificencja Rektor UKSW ks. prof. Henryk Skorowski, metropolita warszawski kard. Kazimierz Nycz, który jest Wielkim Kanclerzem kocielnych wydzia³ów UKSW, Nuncjusz Apostolski w Polsce abp Celestino Migliore, Prymas Polski abp Józef Kowalczyk, ks. prof. Patrick Valdrini, przewodnicz¹cy Consociatio Internationalis Studio Iuris Canonici Promovendo. Odczytano tak¿e list Prezydenta RP, pana Bro-nis³awa Komorowskiego. Wyk³ad inauguracyjny, zatytu³owany Rozwój prawa administracyjnego w obowi¹zuj¹cym systemie kanonicznym, wyg³osi³ bp prof. Juan Ignacio Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru. Sesji przewodniczy³ ks. prof. Janusz Kowal. Popo³udniow¹ sesjê powiêcon¹ podstawom historycznym i teologicznym poprowadzi³ prof. Piero Antonio Bonet. Kolejne referaty wyg³osili: ks. prof. Józef Krukowski (Podstawy prawa administracyjnego w Kociele), prof. Carlo Fantappié (Administracja w Kociele od Corpus Iuris Canonici do Kodeksu z 1917) i ks. prof. Alejandro W. Bunge (Administracja w Kociele po Kodeksie z 1917 r.). Po zakoñczonej dyskusji nad referatami, uczestnicy Kongresu rozeszli siê do grup jêzykowych, w których prezentowano komunikaty naukowe. Wa¿nym wydarzeniem kolejnego dnia Kongresu by³o nadanie przez Uniwersytet Kardyna³a Stefana Wyszyñskiego godnoci doktora honoris causa Jego Eminencji Ksiêdzu Kardyna³owi Peterowi Erdö, który jest arcybiskupem metropolit¹ EsztergomBudapeszt i prymasem Wêgier, jak rów-nie¿ znakomitym kanonist¹. Kolejn¹ sesjê poprowadzi³ ks. prof. Ariel David Busso i dotyczy³a ona wykonywania w³adzy administracyjnej. Pierwszy referat w sesji wyg³osi³ prof. Salvatore Berlingò (Funkcja administracyjna a urzêdy kocielne), a kolejne: ks. prof. Józef Wroceñski (W³adza administracyjna zwyczajna w³asna i zastêpcza), ks. prof. Stephan Bernard Haering (W³adza delegowana i w³adza na mocy specjalnego upowa¿nienia). Sesjê zakoñczy³a dyskusja nad referatami. W popo³udniowej sesji trzeciego dnia Kongresu, któr¹ poprowadzi³ prof. Paolo Moneta, tematem przewodnim by³y formy dzia³alnoci administracyjnej, akty i procedury. Jako pierwsza wyst¹-pi³a prof. Francisca PérezMadrid z przed³o¿eniem Akt administracyjny, nastêpnie prof. Olivier Echappé (Procedury administracyjne), oraz ks. prof. Damián Guillermo Astigueta (Wymierzanie sankcji na drodze administracyjnej). Dalsza praca w grupach, wyst¹pienia z komunikatami naukowymi i dyskusja nad nimi zakoñczy³y sesjê.
Seminare, Jan 19, 2023
zwraca uwagê na wspó³czesny wzrost zainteresowania pielgrzymowaniem. Autorzy pisz¹, ¿e coraz czês... more zwraca uwagê na wspó³czesny wzrost zainteresowania pielgrzymowaniem. Autorzy pisz¹, ¿e coraz czêstszy powrót do pielgrzymowania w jego tradycyjnej formie oraz przeró¿nych odmianach g³êboko dociera do sumieñ wspó³czesnych ludzi wierz¹cych. Nie ma bowiem w¹tpliwoci, ¿e w pielgrzymowaniu, bêd¹cym uzewnêtrznieniem sumienia poszukuj¹cego, pragnienia dokonania wewnêtrznej odmiany oraz uzyskania pociechy i nadziei, znajduj¹ swój wyraz potrzeby o du¿ym znaczeniu ludzkim i religijnym (nr 1). Istotnie, pielgrzymowanie do sanktuariów stanowi w Kociele wielo-wiekow¹ i sprawdzon¹, siêgaj¹c¹ jego pocz¹tków, praktykê pobo¿noci. Przez wieki nie utraci³o ono swych wartoci, lecz zakorzenia³o siê coraz mocniej, przynosz¹c obfite duchowe owoce, co wyranie widaae we wspó³czesnym odradzaniu siê p¹tnictwa, bêd¹cym zjawiskiem budz¹cym nadziejê wobec licznych zjawisk religijnego zobojêtnienia we wspó³czesnym wiecie. W ostatnich latach obserwuje siê coraz wiêksze zainteresowanie ruchem pielgrzymkowym. Oblicza siê, i¿ w skali wiatowej na p¹tnicze drogi wyrusza, w ró¿nych formach oko³o 240 milionów osób, w tym oko³o 150 milionów chrzecijan. Zainteresowanie i troska o pielgrzymowanie nie jest rzecz¹ now¹ w Kociele, w jego dzia³alnoci pastoralnej. Wystarczy wspomnieae o ró¿nego rodzaju trosce w przesz³oci, która konkrety-zowa³a siê w specjalnych formach katechez, maj¹cych objaniaae znaczenie teologicznoduchowe pielgrzymowania, a tak¿e o zwi¹zanych z nim specjalnych celebracjach liturgicznych. Ponadto, Koció³ wspiera³ pielgrzymowanie tak¿e poprzez budowanie schronisk, klasztorów ze specjalnymi miejscami dla goci, domów pielgrzyma (Pielgrzymowanie u progu trzeciego tysi¹clecia, nr 3). Wszystko to mia³o s³u¿yae jak najlepszej opiece duchowej nad p¹tnikami. Zarówno w przesz³oci, jak i obecnie kompetentna w³adza kocielna dokonuje tak¿e rozmaitych unormowañ prawnych odnosz¹cych siê do pielgrzymowania do sanktuariów i spe³nianej tam opieki duszpasterskiej w celu ich podporz¹dkowania dyscyplinie kanonicznej poprzez zabezpieczenie religijnego charakteru pielgrzymowania, chronienia przed nadu¿yciami, zapewnienie odpowiedniego poziomu duchowego, duszpasterskiego i organizacyjnego p¹tnictwa, danie jasnych kryteriów, wed³ug których uznaje siê pielgrzymki za kocielne i odró¿nia je od wycieczek turystycznych. W to zainteresowanie siê pielgrzymowaniem na p³aszczynie kanonicznej, prawnej i historycznej, wpisuje siê wydana w 2008 roku przez wydawnictwo Cacucci z Bari monografia Pellegrini, Romei e Palmieri. Il pellegrinaggio fra diritto e religione. Autork¹ wspomnianej ksi¹¿ki jest w³oska kanonistka Maria Luisa Lo Giacco bêd¹ca pracownikiem naukowym wydzia³u prawa uniwersytetu w Bari. Jest ona tak¿e m.in. redaktorem ksi¹¿ki La famiglia e i suoi soggetti. Temi giuri-SEMINARE t. 30 * 2011* s. 309322
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Books by Mariusz Chamarczuk
Among migrants, there is a huge number of Christians for whom the journeying (in the biblical sense or as an analogy to life being a journey to the ultimate goal) is a natural way of fulfilling their vocation in life. Regardless of the causes or reasons that may induce migrants to change their place or country of residence, many of them wish to continue to practice their faith on the spiritual, moral, cultural, and social plane, as they recognize the axiology of Christian life as the foundation of their identity and existence. In spite of the progressing secularization of social life in Europe and the far-reaching cultural and religious pluralism, and despite the disregard for as well as questioning of the significance of Christian values in building a modern European society, Christians living on this continent are guaranteed the possibility of meetings and religious practice in various forms, both liturgical and sacramental, and social and cultural.
One of the countries to which Christian immigrants have come, are coming and will surely continue to come in the future is Sweden, a historically Christian country for more than a thousand years but, over the past four and a half centuries, remaining under the influence of the Reformation ideas, a country where the so-called modern nation reduced Christianity to the role of a relic of the past. Among the different Christian congregations present in Sweden, there is also the Catholic Church, whose tradition dates back to the beginnings of Christianity in this country (i.e. to the ninth century and to the pre-Reformation period lasting more than six hundred years). For the last sixty years, the administrative structure of the Catholic Church has been represented by the Diocese of Stockholm, whose believers form a multicultural community of immigrants coming from most of the Catholic countries in Europe and beyond.
This dissertation, entitled The Integration of Immigrants Within the Catholic Church in Sweden, on the one hand addresses very popular issues of the present discussion on emigration and the problems of integration of migrants into the society of residence and, on the other hand, it is an attempt to deal with the less-known issue of the immigration of Catholics to Scandinavia and their inner cohesion in building a community on the foundation of common religious values. As an introduction to the topics dealt with in this dissertation, a description of the Catholic Church in Sweden is provided, along with its historical background and administrative structures, specifying the most important dicasteries and offices as well as their roles and tasks. There is also an overview of the existing and reviving forms of consecrated life in both female and male orders, presenting their multinational and multicultural structures, and not omitting the part played by the Prelature of Opus Dei. With the purpose of showing the Church’s commitment to the integration of the young generation of immigrants in terms of their upbringing and education, an account of educational efforts and after-school activities for the youth of universities, colleges, secondary schools, elementary schools, kindergartens and nurseries is given. The final part of this description focuses on the specialized pastoral care, including work with prisoners, handicapped or sight and hearing impaired people, and furthermore provides a presentation of opportunities for the operation of special-purpose immigrant communities gathered around the national culture and language missions and various rites of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
The next part of the dissertation deals with theoretical and formal assumptions for the integration of immigrants within the Catholic Church in Sweden, taking into account the point of view of the Scandinavian Bishops Conference in this matter. The process of constituting this body has been analyzed in parallel to the growing problem of immigration into Scandinavia, while presenting the evolution of the Conference's views and standpoints with regard to this phenomenon. Subsequently, the paper analyzes the social teachings made by the apostolic administrators and Ordinaries of the Stockholm Diocese regarding the approach to foreigners and immigrants, cultural and religious integration, as well as the ecumenical and interreligious dialogue. As a complement to the above, there is also included an analysis of the formal principles governing the pastoral and social work at the missions of the Eastern Catholic Churches as well as at the national culture and language missions. Such formal regulations have been established in order to standardize and coordinate the conducted activities, and consequently should be implemented in practice. Therefore, to develop this subject, the dissertation deals with the pragmatics of actions aiming at the integration of immigrants into Catholic communities, which can be accomplished through the diocesan structures. Taking the above matter into consideration, the paper examines the methods and initiatives for cultural and religious integration undertaken at the central level; attempts to find an answer to how the integration progress is achieved through parish practices and by following the models of accepting and involving immigrants; provides a reflection on the role of Eastern rites in the process of integrating immigrants from Oriental and Western cultures; and ultimately analyzes the function of the organization of Swedish Young Catholics (Sveriges Unga Katoliker) in the intercultural socialization of children and youth.
By moving the study and reflections on the integration initiatives into the religious, cultural and social environment, it has been verified how the integration progresses through the ecumenical and interreligious dialogue that opens up a good opportunity and acts as a laboratory for developing “the culture of immigrant acceptance”, which was often spoken about and encouraged by Pope John Paul II. A search has been made to identify the symptoms and outcomes of numerous activities undertaken for the benefit of migrants as well as charitable and social care provided to them by the Caritas organization. The paper also contemplates on the significance of selected Catholic movements and associations, such as the Apostleship of Prayer, Concordia Catholica, Focolare Movement, Catholic Charismatic Renewal, in the integration of immigrants by providing a natural meeting place for cultures and traditions, not forgetting to mention other local associations and organizations, especially those operating within religious orders which are held in high regard in Sweden.
Since the nature of this dissertation is sociological, it has been decided to contain the results of several years of empirical studies of the state of immigrant integration within Catholic communities in Sweden, which were carried out between the years 2004 and 2010. Although these studies concern some culturally diversified parish communities and associations, they make it possible to draw general statements and conclusions. To this end, firstly the purpose, methods and environments covered by the quantitative and qualitative studies have been presented, and the study results have been discussed. Subsequently, the paper provides the interpretation of significant correlations which occurred between the studied environments, especially with regards to the attitude demonstrated by immigrants from European countries towards the proposed forms of their involvement in the parish and mission activities, and furthermore presents opinions on the integration and social role of parishes and missions in small and large urban environments. The final conclusions derived from the empirical tests reveal a preliminary image of the reality, which is hard to capture, highly unstable and vulnerable to changes, but after all they depict the Catholic community in Sweden that undergoes a difficult process of increasing cultural and social integration. Apparently, the success of this process depends largely on undertaking arduous work and efforts in creating a climate of openness and acceptance, as well as on offering real and measurable assistance for immigrants. In the long run, this will translate into the growing presence and enrooting of the Catholic culture in Swedish social life thanks to the active participation of Catholic immigrants.
Papers by Mariusz Chamarczuk
Among migrants, there is a huge number of Christians for whom the journeying (in the biblical sense or as an analogy to life being a journey to the ultimate goal) is a natural way of fulfilling their vocation in life. Regardless of the causes or reasons that may induce migrants to change their place or country of residence, many of them wish to continue to practice their faith on the spiritual, moral, cultural, and social plane, as they recognize the axiology of Christian life as the foundation of their identity and existence. In spite of the progressing secularization of social life in Europe and the far-reaching cultural and religious pluralism, and despite the disregard for as well as questioning of the significance of Christian values in building a modern European society, Christians living on this continent are guaranteed the possibility of meetings and religious practice in various forms, both liturgical and sacramental, and social and cultural.
One of the countries to which Christian immigrants have come, are coming and will surely continue to come in the future is Sweden, a historically Christian country for more than a thousand years but, over the past four and a half centuries, remaining under the influence of the Reformation ideas, a country where the so-called modern nation reduced Christianity to the role of a relic of the past. Among the different Christian congregations present in Sweden, there is also the Catholic Church, whose tradition dates back to the beginnings of Christianity in this country (i.e. to the ninth century and to the pre-Reformation period lasting more than six hundred years). For the last sixty years, the administrative structure of the Catholic Church has been represented by the Diocese of Stockholm, whose believers form a multicultural community of immigrants coming from most of the Catholic countries in Europe and beyond.
This dissertation, entitled The Integration of Immigrants Within the Catholic Church in Sweden, on the one hand addresses very popular issues of the present discussion on emigration and the problems of integration of migrants into the society of residence and, on the other hand, it is an attempt to deal with the less-known issue of the immigration of Catholics to Scandinavia and their inner cohesion in building a community on the foundation of common religious values. As an introduction to the topics dealt with in this dissertation, a description of the Catholic Church in Sweden is provided, along with its historical background and administrative structures, specifying the most important dicasteries and offices as well as their roles and tasks. There is also an overview of the existing and reviving forms of consecrated life in both female and male orders, presenting their multinational and multicultural structures, and not omitting the part played by the Prelature of Opus Dei. With the purpose of showing the Church’s commitment to the integration of the young generation of immigrants in terms of their upbringing and education, an account of educational efforts and after-school activities for the youth of universities, colleges, secondary schools, elementary schools, kindergartens and nurseries is given. The final part of this description focuses on the specialized pastoral care, including work with prisoners, handicapped or sight and hearing impaired people, and furthermore provides a presentation of opportunities for the operation of special-purpose immigrant communities gathered around the national culture and language missions and various rites of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
The next part of the dissertation deals with theoretical and formal assumptions for the integration of immigrants within the Catholic Church in Sweden, taking into account the point of view of the Scandinavian Bishops Conference in this matter. The process of constituting this body has been analyzed in parallel to the growing problem of immigration into Scandinavia, while presenting the evolution of the Conference's views and standpoints with regard to this phenomenon. Subsequently, the paper analyzes the social teachings made by the apostolic administrators and Ordinaries of the Stockholm Diocese regarding the approach to foreigners and immigrants, cultural and religious integration, as well as the ecumenical and interreligious dialogue. As a complement to the above, there is also included an analysis of the formal principles governing the pastoral and social work at the missions of the Eastern Catholic Churches as well as at the national culture and language missions. Such formal regulations have been established in order to standardize and coordinate the conducted activities, and consequently should be implemented in practice. Therefore, to develop this subject, the dissertation deals with the pragmatics of actions aiming at the integration of immigrants into Catholic communities, which can be accomplished through the diocesan structures. Taking the above matter into consideration, the paper examines the methods and initiatives for cultural and religious integration undertaken at the central level; attempts to find an answer to how the integration progress is achieved through parish practices and by following the models of accepting and involving immigrants; provides a reflection on the role of Eastern rites in the process of integrating immigrants from Oriental and Western cultures; and ultimately analyzes the function of the organization of Swedish Young Catholics (Sveriges Unga Katoliker) in the intercultural socialization of children and youth.
By moving the study and reflections on the integration initiatives into the religious, cultural and social environment, it has been verified how the integration progresses through the ecumenical and interreligious dialogue that opens up a good opportunity and acts as a laboratory for developing “the culture of immigrant acceptance”, which was often spoken about and encouraged by Pope John Paul II. A search has been made to identify the symptoms and outcomes of numerous activities undertaken for the benefit of migrants as well as charitable and social care provided to them by the Caritas organization. The paper also contemplates on the significance of selected Catholic movements and associations, such as the Apostleship of Prayer, Concordia Catholica, Focolare Movement, Catholic Charismatic Renewal, in the integration of immigrants by providing a natural meeting place for cultures and traditions, not forgetting to mention other local associations and organizations, especially those operating within religious orders which are held in high regard in Sweden.
Since the nature of this dissertation is sociological, it has been decided to contain the results of several years of empirical studies of the state of immigrant integration within Catholic communities in Sweden, which were carried out between the years 2004 and 2010. Although these studies concern some culturally diversified parish communities and associations, they make it possible to draw general statements and conclusions. To this end, firstly the purpose, methods and environments covered by the quantitative and qualitative studies have been presented, and the study results have been discussed. Subsequently, the paper provides the interpretation of significant correlations which occurred between the studied environments, especially with regards to the attitude demonstrated by immigrants from European countries towards the proposed forms of their involvement in the parish and mission activities, and furthermore presents opinions on the integration and social role of parishes and missions in small and large urban environments. The final conclusions derived from the empirical tests reveal a preliminary image of the reality, which is hard to capture, highly unstable and vulnerable to changes, but after all they depict the Catholic community in Sweden that undergoes a difficult process of increasing cultural and social integration. Apparently, the success of this process depends largely on undertaking arduous work and efforts in creating a climate of openness and acceptance, as well as on offering real and measurable assistance for immigrants. In the long run, this will translate into the growing presence and enrooting of the Catholic culture in Swedish social life thanks to the active participation of Catholic immigrants.