The Catholic church to political conflict versus reform of the judiciary in Poland 2017

Abstract

The Catholic church is an important actor on the political scene in Poland and its influence is visible- directly and indirectly. The article describes the issue and explains how the Catholic Church in Poland as an institution, as well as its clergy leaders,  refers to political conflict which was visible after the introduction the reform of the judiciary system in 2017. The main aim of the article is the reconstruction of the Catholic church’s clergy position on the reform of the judiciary in 2017.

The article consists of four parts. The first on is focused on the theoretical consideration what the conflict is. The  second one suggests different interpretations of this conflict in Poland in 2017. The third part includes the official statements and speeches the clergy leaders of Polish Catholic church which refer to the reform of the judiciary in Poland. Moreover, this part also includes the position of the Apostolic See to this conflict. The last part are shown the voices of the journalists who considered the Catholic church attitude towards the conflict and the reform of the judiciary in Poland.

The author, on the based on the collected materials about the issue, answers the essential questions: 1/ How does the Catholic church’s leaders define the political conflict in Poland? 2/ What was the Catholic church role in this conflict and how it was seen by the clergy? 3/ What was the Polish clergy attitude to the reform and the conflict? Moreover, were it an unambiguous position or appeared the voices of clergy who were against the official statements of the Catholic’s leaders? 4/ How reacted the public opinion, some journalists and politicians to the Catholic clergy official statement? 5/ What kind of consequences are, or can be in the future, of this particular Catholic church’s attitude to the reform of the judiciary in Poland 2017?