The Church as Our Loving Mother

• Authors: Władysław Madziar

Abstracts

PL

Autor podejmuje próbę rozwinięcia obrazu Kościoła jako matki. Jest to obraz bardzo pierwotny, który był już obecny w nauczaniu wczesnych Ojców Kościoła. We współczesnej teologii został on ponownie odkryty i jest wyraźnie obecny w nauczaniu papieża Franciszka. Autor nie twierdzi, że obraz ten wyczerpuje złożoną rzeczywistość Kościoła w całej jej pełni. Może być jednak bardzo ubogacający i może pomóc zrozumieć Kościół nie jako skostniałą czy tylko instytucjonalną strukturę, ale raczej jako żywą rzeczywistość o rysach matki. Autor wymienia więc elementy, w których Kościół jest matką; rodząc nowych wiernych przez sakrament chrztu, karmiąc ich i troszcząc się o nich przez inne sakramenty, zwłaszcza Eucharystię, ale także szukając i okazując opiekę tym, którzy znajdują się na peryferiach społeczeństwa i w trudnych sytuacjach życiowych. Powinno to również zainspirować nas do traktowania Kościoła z wielkim szacunkiem i głęboką miłością, tak jak dobre dziecko odnosi się do swojej matki. Na końcu artykułu znajduje się kilka akapitów poświęconych rozumieniu macierzyństwa w kontekście Melanezji. Celem niniejszego tekstu jest próba podkreślenia, że macierzyństwo Kościoła może być jasno zrozumiane i może inspirować również mieszkańców Papui-Nowej Gwinei, gdzie obecnie autor mieszka. Jednak temat ten potrzebuje dalszego badania i głębszego opracowania.

EN

The author attempts to elaborate on the image of the Church as a mother. It is a very ancient image that was already present in the teaching of the early Fathers of the Church. In recent theology it has been rediscovered and is significantly present in the teaching of Pope Francis. The author does not claim that the image exhausts the complex reality of the Church in its fullness. However, it can be very enriching and can help to understand the Church not as a stagnant or only institutional structure, but rather as a living reality with the characteristics of a mother. The author presents the principal elements in which the Church appears to be a mother; giving birth through the sacrament of Baptism, nourishing and caring for the faithful through the other sacraments, especially the Eucharist, and also seeking and showing care for those who are in marginalized and difficult life situations. This should also inspire us to treat the Church with great respect and deep love, as a good child relates to her or his mother. At the end of the article, there are some paragraphs dedicated to understanding of a motherhood in the context of Melanesia. The purpose of this inclusion is an attempt to emphasize that the motherhood of the Church can be clearly understood and inspire also the people in Papua New Guinea, where the author currently lives. However, that would need further and more detailed research. Church, Fathers of the Church, images of the Church, Melanesia, motherhood, Pope Francis

Keywords

EN

Church; Fathers of the Church; images of the Church; Melanesia; motherhood; Pope Francis

PL

Kościół; Ojcowie Kościoła; obrazy Kościoła; Melanezja; macierzyństwo; papież Franciszek

• Publisher: Wydawnictwo Księży Werbistów Verbinum
• Journal: Nurt SVD
• Year: 2024
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 72-93

Dates

published

2024

Contributors

author

Władysław Madziar

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Identifiers

Biblioteka Nauki

63513563