Rev. Kazimierz Rolewski (1887–1936) — parish priest in the Archdiocese of Poznań, rector of the theological seminary, and radio preacher — remains an inspiring figure to this day, as evidenced by the ongoing beatification process. Many people remember him as a priest who refused to accept the episcopal nobleness. This article refers to this common opinion in light of the Vatican archives. It is an attempt to highlight the important character traits of the discussed figure, especially his humility and sincerity. Based on the source analysis method, the article presents facts about Rev. Rolewski before and after the proposal to take over the bishopric of Katowice. This article presents the genesis of the interest in the parish priest from Ostrów Wielkopolski as a candidate for the diocesan bishop in 1925–1926. It describes the circumstances of the negative decision made at the apostolic nunciature in Warsaw. The above piece, which attempts to highlight the character traits important for the discussed character — his humility and honesty — fills the current biographical gap of Rev. Rolewski.

The problem of dealing justly and efficiently with the most serious crimes in the Church after the promulgation of the Code of Canon Law in 1983 became the concern of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, later Benedict XVI, and John Paul II. Their cooperation and the decisions of Benedict XVI, as a continuation of the path started, laid the foundations for the creation of a system of canonical criminal law capable of responding properly and effectively to the most serious crimes committed by the faithful in the Church. The introduction of a clear scope of competence for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the definition of a longer limitation period, the possibility of revoking it, the centralization of procedural steps, entrusting them to qualified personnel, enabling the control of the action of individual superiors are very concrete legal solutions that confirm the teaching of the Church and the definite statements of the two Popes on the protection of the most vulnerable in the Church from the immense harm of sexual abuse that some clerics could commit against them. The article presents and discusses concrete legal solutions and relates them with the teachings and attitudes of the two popes towards protecting minors in the Church. It is an attempt to argue for the defense of their good names and to oppose the unfounded accusations made against these two authorities.

Launched in the Catholic Church by Pope Francis on October 10, 2021, the Synod on Synodality is entering the next stages. Continental syntheses have already been published, preceded by diocesan and national syntheses. The nationwide synodal synthesis and individual diocesan surveys are valuable sources containing numerous opinions on the state of preaching the Word of God in Poland. Despite the noticeable lack of theological references, Polish syntheses are important for the theory and practice of preaching the Word of God. The syntheses were prepared based on the opinions of 65,000 people participating in parish and diocesan meetings and 42 thousand people who responded to surveys and written correspondence. This study aimed to extract from the syntheses mentioned above issues concerning the nature of the homily and its position in the liturgy, the preacher of the Word of God, the general assessment of preaching in Poland, as well as the assessment of the content and form of homily preaching. However, the opinions and proposals contained in the syntheses should be the subject of further, in-depth research in the theology of preaching the Word of God.

The homily, which the Second Vatican Council assigned a special role among various forms of preaching the Word of God, is an important task for those, who are entrusted with pastoral care. The faithful eagerly listen to homilies, but at the same time, they often complain that their level is too low and expect homilies on the good level. Yet, the solution to the problem lies in good preparation of the homily. Also, preachers must be convinced that the time allocated for this is one of their most important pastoral duties. We have evidence of how the last popes, Benedict XVI and Francis, prepared their homilies. Working on a sermon is a creative process that goes through the following phases: research and collection of materials, incubation, illumination, and verification. The fruit of reflection and prayer is a homily characterized by Christocentrism, a positive message from which a moral call arises; it contains the teaching of the Church, actualizes the word of God, introduces the celebrated liturgy, and is single-thematic. Hence, in the pastors’ belief in the important role of the sermon and its reliable preparation, there is an opportunity to improve the quality of the homily.

This study is presented in the form of a research-review article and consists of reflections informed by a reading of Lech Wołowski’s monograph “The Problematics of Paradox in the Thought of Henri de Lubac and Hans Urs von Balthasar”, while simultaneously drawing from other works by the same researcher. The aim of this article is to present the paradox method as a means to deepen theological research. This method is portrayed as a proposition that can be applied in theological research, much like in other scientific domains. This approach may contribute to addressing the contemporary crisis in dogmatics and serve in formulating responses to current “profound” questions posed by individuals and society.

This article presents a characterization of several women identified explicitly in the New Testament as prophetesses: (1) Philip’s daughters in Acts 21:9; and (2) the prophetesses in the community in Corinth mentioned in 1 Corinthians 11:5 and 14:34-35. The article highlights the historical and theological context of their activity and defines the content and object of Christian prophecy. The presentation of these two groups of prophetesses points out the major exegetical problems presented by the text, and contemporary attempts to resolve them.

Twenty-five years ago, John Paul II’s encyclical Fides et ratio was published, where the question of truth occupies a central place. The task of the Church is to transmit to people the truth revealed by Jesus Christ, which discloses the mystery of God and man, is accessible in faith, and appeals to the intellect to accept it. In these times, dominated by a pragmatic approach to reality, a question arises about the practical, existential meaning of the truth proclaimed by the Church. The content analysis of the papal teaching in “Fides et ratio” leads to the conclusion that the truth cannot be reduced to a set of ideas that enrich human cognition. Therefore, the ecclesial ‘diakonia’ of truth serves human life because it helps man use his freedom properly and leads him to the fullness of humanity. The truth allows man to protect himself from relativism and religious egalitarianism threats. The communication of truth should consider people’s needs to perceive it as a precious gift from God, not as a yoke.

Tekst dotyczy chrześcijańskiego rozumienia pojęcia “apokalipsy”. Autor prezentuje oryginalny sposób odnowy eschatologicznego myślenia w świecie współczesnym. Aktualne wydarzenia, ruchy społeczne i ideologie postrzegane są często jako fenomeny o charakterze apokaliptycznym, ponieważ powodują lęk, beznadzieję i fałszywe rozumienie Boga. W artykule jest podejmowana kwestia myślienia apokaliptycznego w pierwotnym Kościele, którego istotą jest wiara w zmartwychwstanie i powtórne przyjście Jezusa Chrystusa. Na podstawie teologicznej analizy apokaliptycznej doktryny pierwotnego Kościoła i Apokalipsy św. Jana, autor proponuje metodę przeciwdziałania lękom ludzi XXI wieku. Lekiem na wszystkie lęki jest nadzieja, która stanowi element konstytutywny chrześcijańskiego myślenia apokaliptycznego.

The article presents selected examples of the synthesis of the Gospel and life, which is the goal of contemporary evangelization. In implementing the prophetic purpose, it was emphasized that the proclamation of the Word of God is to illuminate and transform human existence. In implementing the priestly function, the focus was on celebrating the Eucharist, revealing it as a source of human strength and energy, a school of sacramental perception of life and appreciation of matter, as well as a space for forming a new man. In the implementation of the priestly function, however, attention was paid to the presence of the Church in the world and the Christian lifestyle, which is closely related to the promotion of man and the quality of his life. The study emphasizes that the existential orientation of evangelization establishes the proper relationship of the Church with the world. It involves accepting the world, dialogue with it, and transforming it in the spirit of the Gospel.

The article shows that monograph “Sources of Renewal. The Implementation of Vatican II” by Karol Wojtyła is an innovative interpretation of the conciliar doctrine, aimed at deepening the awareness of faith and forming a Christian attitude of responsibility for the revealed truth and for the community of the Church. In presenting this issue, reference is made to reviews of the book published in Poland and abroad, noting also the genesis of the monograph and the history of its editions and translations into foreign languages. Such a perspective, without entering into a substantive analysis of the book’s content, nevertheless entitles one to conclude that Wojtyła’s monograph is an undervalued position in the contemporary discussion about Vatican II, as well as for understanding John Paul II’s pontificate as an intellectual and pastoral process of conciliar reception. Therefore, in-depth studies on the monograph are needed, as well as further editions of the monograph with an appropriate introduction and indexes to facilitate its reading.