Colloquia Theologica Ottoniana

The author discusses the relationship between patriotic education and catechesis of the Catholic Church in Poland. He begins with the initial definition arrangements, then formulates what the patriotic identity is in accordance with the Gospel, from which he draws conclusions regarding the principles of patriotic education. The rules formulated in this way allow us to point out the specificity: the presence of patriotic education in documents and materials animating pastoral and catechetical activities in the contemporary Polish Church. With regard to teaching religion at school, it is important to refer to the correlation of religion teaching with the entire school program. The task of patriotic education is proposed as one of the educational goals of teaching the humanities and school education as a whole. Usually it is proposed to define mature patriotism as attachment to national tradition, critical judgment of one’s own historical past and attitude of responsibility for the future of the homeland. Deepening and developing patriotism is rightly associated with shaping civic rights and obligations, as well as shaping respect for national traditions and state institutions. The author’s conclusions are of an instructive nature, they demand correction in religion textbooks, although there are many issues in programs concerning the principles of social life, including national life. Particularly needed is to make the Church’s pastoral program in Poland real, because the author concludes that the pastoral opportunity related to the jubilee of Poland regaining independence has not been used. Meanwhile, there is a need for education for wise patriotism, deepening it and linking it to the primacy of worship given to God, rethinking the principles of pluralism of patriotic attitudes, applying the criterion of inclusion, not exclusion.