ABSTRACT

Tygodnik Powszechny (General Weekly, TP). Founded in 1945, suspended 1953–56, subsequently published until today, a lay Catholic weekly devoted to social and cultural issues. TP counted under communism as liberal press, as it was allowed to express opinions at variance with official doctrine – up to a point. Its single editor-in-chief until 1999 was Jerzy Turowicz. After 1956 TP officially became the organ of Znak (Signpost), one of the few non-communist organizations in the PRL (People’s Poland) allowed to hold seats in the Sejm (Parliament). Karol Wojtyła contributed to TP both before and after becoming Pope Jan Paweł II. Its aim is the reconciliation of humanistic philosophy with Roman Catholic doctrine. It is accused by church conservatives of being too liberal. The 22 August 2012 issue features an article on Nobel-prize-winning poet Wisława Szymborska. The author of the present article, Tomasz Ponikło, with a degree in sociology, is a practising journalist and one of the editors of TP. He is co-author of a recent practical guide for Catholics facing divorce. Professor Mirosława Grabowska (b. 1949) is a professor of sociology at the University of Warsaw and currently director of CBOS (Centrum Badania Opinii Społecznej, Social Opinion Research Centre). Professor Grabowska specializes in the sociology of politics and of religion. The title of this article references the first line of a well-known poem and church hymn by Franciszek Karpiński (1741–1825): ‘Wszystkie nasze dzienne sprawy’ (All our daily affairs).