SACRAL CONSTRUCTION IN THE ŁÓDŹ DIOCESE IN THE YEARS 1945-1989

The book "Consent Not Granted" is a fascinating journey through the history of sacral construction in the Łódź diocese during the communist era. The author describes with extraordinary precision the struggles of the Bishop's Curia with state authorities for the development of church infrastructure. It is a story of determination, faith and difficult compromises in times when every consent to build a church was a hard-won victory. This publication is not only a valuable source of knowledge, but also a testimony of those times, which still evoke many emotions and controversies.

• Innovative character The work fills a gap in studies on the history of the Łódź diocese.
• Valuable information He obtained many valuable pieces of information from archives.
• Behind the scenes of surveillance Behind the scenes of surveillance of Catholic circles.
• Maps and photos Maps and numerous photos complete the whole.
• Wide queries The study was based on extensive and laborious source queries.

The conflict between the Roman Catholic Church and state authorities in the years 1945-1989 is an important and intriguing issue that continues to provoke controversy and raise many questions. This book is all the more important because it shows how the problem of sacral construction in the Łódź diocese developed during the communist era. The author insightfully described the struggles of the Bishop's Curia in Łódź with state authorities for the development of church infrastructure. Over 45 years, the hierarchs indicated the need to erect 100 sacral buildings. By the end of September 1989, the state authorities had agreed to the construction of 67 new churches and chapels.

This work is undoubtedly innovative and fills a gap in studies on the history of the Łódź diocese. Its author obtained many valuable pieces of information. He conducted research in the Archive of New Acts in Warsaw, in the State Archives in Łódź, Piotrków Trybunalski, Sieradz, Płock and Grodzisk Mazowiecki, in the Archive of the Institute of National Remembrance and in the Archive of the Łódź Archdiocese. The book also included a behind-the-scenes look at the surveillance of Catholic circles involved in sacral construction.

The study was based on extensive and laborious source queries, taking into account central and local archival materials of party-state provenance and, as far as possible, church provenance. The project corresponds to the need to fill research gaps related to sacral investments in individual dioceses in Poland. The results confirm nationwide trends and show the specifics of Łódź and the region. Maps and numerous photos complete the whole.