Wiesław Przygoda

Biography

Wiesław Przygoda was born on 25.12.1962 in Starachowice. After graduating from Higher Theological Seminary in Sandomierz, he was ordained to the priesthood on 16.05.1987. He graduated from the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, defending his master thesis titled Negacja miłości w filozoficznej myśli Fryderyka Nietzschego (Negation of Love in Friedrich Nietzsche’s Philosophy), written under the supervision of professor Reverend Stanisław Kowalczyk at the Faculty of Theology. In the years 1988-1993 he studied in the Department of Pastoral Theology at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin. He graduated as a Canonical Bachelor in pastoral theology on 12.06.1990. He defended his PhD thesis Funkcja charytatywna Kościoła po Soborze Watykańskim II (Charity Mission of the Church after the Second Vatican Council) (published: Lublin 1998), written under the supervision of professor Reverend Ryszard Kamiński, and got the PhD degree on 17.06.1993. In 1991-1997 he performed the functions of a padre spirituale and of a lecturer in Higher Theological Seminary in Radom. During 1994-2004 he taught didactic classes and an MA seminar in the Theological Department in Radom. In 1993-1994 he studied at the Catholic University of Paris.

In 1994-1997 he taught commissioned classes in the Department of Pastoral Theology at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin. He was appointed as a university assistant on 1.10.1997, and since 1.05.1998 he has been working as a university lecturer in the Department of Specific Pastoral Theology at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin. He got his postdoctoral degree on the basis of the scientific achievements and the thesis Posługa charytatywna Kościoła w Polsce. Studium teologiczno-pastoralne (Charity Mission of the Church in Poland. A theological-pastoral Study, Lublin 2004). The postdoctoral degree was accepted by the Central Committee for Scientific Titles in Warsaw on 28.02.2005. Since 1.10.2005 he has been the chair of the Department of Charity Theology at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, and since 1.02.2006 he has been working as a university associate professor. On 22.11.2013 he got the degree of professor in theology for his academic achievements and the book titled: Apostolski wymiar wolontariatu charytatywnego w Polsce. Studium teologicznopastoralne na podstawie badań wolontariuszy z parafialnych zespołów Caritas (Apostolic Dimension of Voluntary Charity in Poland. A theological Study based on the Research of Volunteers from Parish Caritas Groups, Lublin 2012). Since 1.10.2016 he has been the head of the Department of Social Pastoral Theology.

He has been a member of Post-Netzwerks der mittel- und osteuropäischen Pastoraltheologinnen und Pastoraltheologen in Vienna. He has been a member of the Scientific Society of the John Paul II Catholic University. Since 2002, he has been a consultant of the Charity Commission at Polish Episcopal Conference. Since 2006, he has been a member of the European Society for Catholic Theology in Tübingen. Since 2007, he has been a member of Lublin Scientific Society, and the branch of Polish Theological Association in Radom. He is the founding-father, and in the years 2010-2016 the chairman of the Polish Society of Pastoralists in Warsaw. By the decision of the rector of the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, he was granted the first-degree collective prize for publishing Leksykon teologii pastoralnej (Lexicon of Pastoral Theology, Lublin 2006). In the years 2009-2013 he was the chief editor of “Roczniki Pastoralno-Katechetyczne” (“Pastoral-Catechetical Annals”). Since 2014 he has been the chief editor of Volume no 6 (Pastoral Theology) of “Roczniki Teologiczne” (“Theological Annals”). Since 2016, he has been a consultant of the Pastoral Commission at Polish Episcopal Conference.

His scientific interests focus on: charity mission of the Church, Christian charity, functions of the Church realization, selected forms of specific ministry (ministry of families, of sanctuaries, of callings, of presbyters, of the sick, and of the disabled, Marian ministry), theology of laity, and forms of secular mission. He published tree monographs (his PhD, postdoctoral theses and one other book), chief-edited eight monographs and two issues of “Ateneum Kapłańskie” (“Priestly Athenaeum”) (2005/578, 2006/583), wrote over 200 scientific articles, 20 of which appeared in a foreign language, wrote 12 chapters in academic coursebooks, and over 90 popular scientific articles, reports, and reviews. He is the co-editor of Leksykon teologii pastoralnej (Lexicon of Pastoral Theology) and the author or co-author of 34 entries therein. He is the supervisor of 16 PhD and 57 MA dissertations, reviewer of 35 PhD dissertations, 7 postdoctoral dissertations. He is the laudator of an honorary degree (honoris causa) for Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin.