– We're talking. We want to make a common agreement that will be signed by the MEN and the Catholic Church and another Churches and spiritual unions curious in organizing spiritual lessons. I don't comment on media statements. – said Wojciech Osial, president of the Commission for Catholic Education, in an interview with the Catholic Information Agency. Hierarch was asked to comment on information in the media that the church site had agreed to reduce spiritual lessons at school from 2 to 1 hr a week.
In the Wednesday edition of “Gazeta Wyborcza”, she informed, citing an interview with an anonymous associate of the government, that the Polish Episcopate agreed to reduce the number of spiritual hours at school from 2 to 1, although not from September 2025, as the government wants, and from 2026. specified a compromise was to be concluded during a fresh gathering (7 November) of the Subcommittee on religion at School, appointed by the Joint Representatives of the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Polish Episcopal Conference.
According to GW, the church website proposed 2026 to "have time to change the programming base and prepare fresh textbooks".
KAI asked for confirmation or denial of this information to Bishop Wojciech Osial, president of the Commission for the Education of the Catholic Conference of the Polish Episcopal.
– I don't comment on ongoing conversations, much little media statements. The talks proceed and erstwhile they are completed, the Church will inform you of everything – said Bishop Osial.
– Please note that there is no authoritative communication, either on the part of the MEN or the Church, which would talk of specified things – added the hierarch.
When asked how he evaluates the fresh church-government talks on the lesson of religion, Bishop Osial stressed: “As the Church we always emphasize that we are open to dialog and want to talk, we want to scope a common knowing that will be signed by MEN and the Catholic Church and another Churches and spiritual unions curious in organizing spiritual lessons.”
– Talks continue, we present our positions, rations and arguments, I trust we will find an agreement – concluded the president of the Commission for Catholic Education.
Religion – why 2 hours a week?
Teaching religion takes place in 2 lessons or pre-school classes per week. At the same time, school lessons take 45 minutes, and in kindergarten classes for 3-4-year-olds – 15 minutes, while for 5-6-year-olds – half an hour. The simplification in the number of hours is possible only with the written agreement of the diocesan bishop, and in practice is due only to staff shortages among spiritual teachers, and they are expanding all year.
Couples talk about the hourly dimension of spiritual lessons. 8 pt. 1 of the Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 14 April 1992 on the conditions and manner of organizing the learning of religion in public kindergartens and schools: "The teaching of religion in kindergartens and public schools of all types takes place in 2 pre-school classes or 2 lessons per week. The dimension of spiritual lessons can only be reduced with the consent of the diocesan bishop of the Catholic Church or the superior authorities of another churches and another spiritual unions.”
Source: KAI
TG
