Abstract

The increasing heterogeneity of modern industrial society m.akes it necessary for pastorał work to specialize and diversify. One group of people to be ministered to are socially malad-justed young people.  They are a product of industrial society, in which it is more and more difficult for young people to establish a social bond with their family, school or peer group. The Polish state legalisation of the early l 980s guarantees the Church freedom to conduct catechesis for children and young people in the parishes and to reach the young people staying in correctional institutions. Yet the latter possibility has not been taken full advantage of so far. Only a few parishes and monasteries have openecl their premises to socially maladjusted youth. N or does the Church make sufficient efforts to ensure pastorał presence in correctional institutions. There is a commonly held opinion that work with socially maladjusted youth is extremely difficult because of their antisocial attitudes, distorted hierarchy of values, bad habits, etc. Still, the Church has the means to undertake pastorał work 'Nith these young people: (1) it stresses the valuc of the human person - and personal relations are what the socially disorientated young people are particularly in need of; (2) it now regards dialogue as the principal pastora! method - and dialogue is also considered to be the basie instrument of resocialization; (3) it appreciates the value of community - and the essence of community is socialization. Like correctional institutions, the parish may be an education and resocialization environment. What. is important in the parish is the systematic social prevention effected through pastorał ministry to children and youth, family ministry and sobriety ministry