The Vocation to Parenthood in the Context of a Demographic Crisis in Poland

Authors

  • Antoni Świerczek The Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15633/pch.2186

Keywords:

Pro­‑Family Policy, marriage, family, parenting, motherhood, paternity, demography, aging

Abstract

The vocation to parenthood is a constitutive element of married and family life. However, recent decades show that the number of births in Poland is declining steadily. This, in turn, is leading to a decrease in population and population aging in our homeland. The current situation is called a demographic catastrophe, the consequences of which will be felt in the next decades. It is therefore necessary to take concrete steps to change this situation. The aims of this article are to try to describe the present demographic situation in Poland, to recall the main ideas of the teaching of the Catholic Church on the parental tasks of the family and society, and to identify the most important pastoral task, which the Church in Poland faces in this regard.

References

Adamski F., Człowiek istota religijna i rodzinna (Man – religious and family being,) Wydawnictwo PETRUS, Kraków 2013.

Franciszek, Potomstwo (Offspring), in: Papież Franciszek, Rodzina uratuje świat (Pope Francis, The Family Will Save the World), Gliwice 2016.

Franciszek, Adhortacja apostolska o miłości w rodzinie Amoris laetitia, (Apostolic Exhortation The Joy of Love Amoris laetitia), Wydawnictwo św. Stanisława BM, Kraków 2016.

Frątczak E., Jeleń­‑Osiecka M., Przemiany płodności – intencje rodzicielskie – relacje międzygeneracyjne w Polsce (Fertility changes – parental intentions – intergenerational relations in Poland), in: Rodzina: dobro zagrożone (Family: The Good Endangered), ed. W. Majkowski, Wydawnictwo Księży Sercanów, Kraków 2015.

GUS Statistics for 2016: przyrost naturalny wciąż ujemny, ale są symptomy poprawy (Natural growth is still negative, but there are symptoms of improvement), http://www.pch24.pl/statystyki­‑gus­‑za­‑rok-2016-przyrost­‑naturalny (30.05.2017).

John Paul II, Apostolic exhortation on the role of the Christian family in the modern world Familiaris consortio, Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1981.

John Paul II, Mężczyzną i niewiastą stworzył ich (Man and Woman He Created Them), Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1986.

John Paul II, List do rodzin Gratissimam sane (Letter to Families from Pope John Paul II), Vatican 1994.

Karta Praw Rodziny (Charter of the Rights of the Family), Libreria Editrice Vaticana1983.

Opozda K., Grozi nam demograficzna katastrofa (We are in danger of a demographic catastrophe), http://fakty.interia.pl/autor/krystyna­‑opozda/news­‑grozi­‑nam­‑demograficzna­‑katastrofa,nld,2294458 (30.05.2017).

Paul VI, Encyclical letter on the regulation of brith Humanaea vitae, Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1968.

Roguska B., Sytuacja polskich rodzin – oceny i postulaty (The situation of Polish families – assessments and postulates), www.cbos.com.pl/SPISKOM.POL/2000/KOM053/KOM053.HTM (30.05.2017).

Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution the Church in the Modern World Gaudium et spes, in: Sobór Watykański II, Konstytucje, Dekrety, Deklaracjem Pallottinum, Poznań 1967.

Slany K., Alternatywne formy życia małżeńsko­‑rodzinnego w ponowoczesnym świecie (Alternative forms of marriage and family life in the postmodern world), Wydawnictwo NOMOS, Kraków 2002.

http://kodeks­‑pracy.org/VIII­‑uprawnienia­‑pracownikow­‑zwiazane­‑z­‑rodzicielstwem/uprawnienia­‑pracownikow­‑zwiazane­‑z­‑rodzicielstwem (30.05.2017).

Downloads

Published

2017-11-01

Issue

Section

Articles