Abstract

In this article the author deals only indirectly with the "Catechism of the Catholic Church" of 1992, i.e. he describes the socio-cultural and socio-religious context of the dissemination of this catechism. He tries to outline the chances and limits of his reception in the context of the changing Polish society, also under the conditions of the changing religiosity of the Poles. As for the addressees of the  catechism, he draws attention to the following issues: the creed of the Church and the faith of Poles, Holy Mass and the sacraments, the Ten Commandments and other principles of Christian life, the prayer life of Christians. The socio-pastoral theological analysis shows the socio-religious and socio-moral context in which the reception of this catechism takes place. His directives have a considerable chance of being accepted in certain areas of Christian life in Poland (e.g. liturgy, sacraments, prayer life), while in other areas this chance is significantly less (e.g. marital and family morals). The sociological analysis carried out shows that in the developing pluralistic society in Poland, the proclamation of the gospel, e.g. with the help of the catechism, is becoming more and more difficult. He can fulfill the role of a guide for people who are searching and lost, a source of strength for believers and a real help in defending Christian values. Despite unquestionable changes in the religiosity of Poles after 1989, Christian consciousness is still strong in our country. However, it is full of inconsistencies and selective, sometimes bordering on heterodox.