The values forming social behavior taught during Catechesis

Abstract

Social teaching of the Church indicates the values. The central value exposed in the teaching is the human person, its rights and relationship with the community and the value of the common good. The Popes of the turn of XX and XXI century devoted a lot of space in their teaching to this subject. At the same time rapid changes in human society require continuous reference to new social phenomena in terms of faith. In 2005 at the command of Pope John Paul II the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, which shows the Church’s teaching in a systematic way, was developed and published by the Pontifical council. It makes catechesis (religious instruction lessons) responsible for the formation of believers attitude to these phenomena. Catechesis, as the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church emphasizes, is meant to serve a formation role. This teaching of the Church is present in the classroom teaching of religion in Poland and shapes sensitivity of young people to these values. This study also reveals the sensitivity of adolescents who refer to social values. The results of these studies also show the pastors and religious educators the need to take action in the field of teaching and formation which may extend the social formation of believers and their involvement in social issues important to the people of the present time.