The thesis deals with the Czechoslovakia - Vatican relationships in the 1960's with an emphasis on the 1968 Prague Spring time. It summarises the importance of the 2nd Ecumenical Council of the Vatican and demonstrates the transformation of the papacy starting with early 1960's. The core of the thesis is an analysis of the political relations between Czechoslovakia and Vatican in 1968, and the attitude of Pope Saint Paul VI. (1963-1978) to the events in Czechoslovakia, with added emphasis on the personalities of Czech and Slovak bishops, negotiations between the Church and the state, as well as the metamorphoses of the Czechoslovakia-Vatican diplomatic contacts. The diplomatic negotiations present an interesting bonus primarily from the Radio Vaticana archive, which is available, in a digital version, at the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes website. Keywords Communism; Vatican II - Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican; Pope St. Paul VI.; Catholic Church; Vatican.

The aim of the thesis is to present the portait of forming, development and forms of the Czech catholic liturgics from the standpoint of original works written in the Czech language by Czech authors in the territory of the Czech lands prior to the Second Vatican Council. On the basis of the bibliography of Czech liturgics (licentiate thesis), the project of the developmental tendency of this theological discipline is demonstrated, specifically in two independent courses - clerical liturgics and lay liturgics. The thesis further focuses on educational institutions and the position of liturgics within the study curriculum. It presents the history of the Czech catholic liturgics as a component of the history of the Czech catholic theology and in the context of general and Czech ecclesiastical history. Key words History of Theology, Czech Catholic Theology, Liturgics, History of Czech Catholic Liturgics

Title: Untergrundkirche und geheime Weihen. Eine kirchenrechtliche Untersuchung der Situation in der Tschechoslowakei 1948-1989 Name: Eva Vybíralová Department: Katedra pastorálních oborů a právních věd KTF UK Supervisor: prof. JUDr. Antonín Ignác Hrdina, DrSc. Abstract The aim of this project was the study of the ordination law, the history of the hidden church, and the subsequent research and comparison of all "types" of secret ordinations in all levels (ordination and consecration) granted during the Communist regime of 1948-1989 in Czechoslovakia or to Czechoslovak citizens abroad, especially from the perspective of the canon law. The presented dissertation consists of an introduction, seven chapters and a conclusion. The first chapter gives the basics of the ordination law, the second chapter describes the relations between the Church and the state during the relevant historical period in Czechoslovakia and the first secret Episcopal ordinations. The third chapter introduces the Mexican faculties. The fourth chapter introduces the other secret faculties granted to the Church in Czechoslovakia, from which, among other things, the ordination activities of the Jesuit bishops and Felix Davídek was unfolded. The fifth chapter provides an digression to the subject of secret ordinations given to Czechoslovak...

The topic of angels in the spirituality of practicing Catholics Abstract The aim of the thesis is to investigate what is the impact of new religious movements' concepts on practicing Catholics in Ostrava region, especially focused on angel's topic. The first part of the thesis introduces the Catholic doctrine on angles. In the second chapter new religious movements' view on the angelic beings is introduced. Into consideration mostly written texts by new movements' authors are taken, especially of these with the biggest influence on Czech spiritual sphere. The third part analyses how deeply active Catholics are influenced by new movements' ideas and their angels' concepts. Method used is quantitative research amongst Ostrava region Catholic parishioners. Keywords angelology, angels, christianity, new religious movements, Catholics spirituality, Ostrava region

Cardinal Josef Beran S.M.Bernadetta Pavla Pěstová, OSU This thesis deals with reference and work of Josef Cardinal Beran, especially from the perspective of his pastoral work as an educationalist, the diocesan bishop and cardinal living in forcible exile. The thesis consists of five chapters. The first charter describes Beran's life hierarchically and emphasizes his clarical activity. The second charter deals with his teaching activities. Furthermore, this charter focuses on the selected publications that Cardinal Beran wrote during his life. A fundamental part of this thesis is the third chapter, dealing with the activities of the Archbishop from 1945 to 1949. The final chapters are devoted to activities in the intervent of Josef Beran in Roman exile. Cardinal Josef Beran ranks among the leading personalities of the 20th century. His legacy remains alive even today. Keywords pastoral care, teacher, the Catholic Church, totalitarianism, exile, Archbishop, Cardinal

Catholic Reformation in the Prague Towns after the Battle of White Mountain. Prague's New Town in a context of the process of the catholic confessionalisation Abstract Olga Fejtová This thesis' methodological ground is a conception of both clerical and secular politics of recatholisation in a relation to Prague's New Town within the Post-White-Mountain period as part of a process of confessionalisation, i. e catholic confessialisation, within the paradigm that was introduced into European historiography in 1980s . The recatholisation within Bohemian lands in relationship to the paradigm of confessionalisation invokes a strategy of state and clerical power. Its enforcement and exercise in political practice were illustrated by normative materials that represented attendant signs of a development of the catholic confessionalisation. The target of this thesis is firstly to describe the progress of politics concerning recatholisation in a relationship to one of Prague's towns by using contemporary decrees of both secular and clerical origin. Furthermore, it shall investigate issues echoing within and from life of the New-Prague-Town's society of the 17th century. This within both public and private spheres of burgess' life. In order to reveal a correct reflection of the whole structure of the progression...

This masters degree work named Painted renaissance epitaphs in Bohemia (1560- 1620) elaborates and develops the preceding bachelors work. The opening chapters present reflections and view of the perception of the death in Bohemia before the battle of Bílá hora. Yet these general aspects are focusing on the person or persons directly connected with the named painted epitaphs. Attention is paid for instance to the czech example of the Ars Moriendi, the Book about death, written by Mikuláš Krupěhorský for Petr Kokořovec from Kokořov. In the chapter dedicated to the testaments, the work handles the original last wills of Jarosav Smiřický from Smiřice and Václav Hlava from Kyršfeld, whose epitaphs form part of the catalogue. The painted renaissance epitaphs are firstly generally characterized with use of the presentation of the early works of this kind (epitaphs of the Master I.W. and the wall painting in the convent of the Fourteen Holy Helpers), then the attention is paid to the questionable issues related to the confessional (non)distinctiveness of the painted renaissance epitaphs. The question of definition and specifics of the catholic and non-catholic epitaph monuments is being solved here on the base of the rightful characteristics. Main chapter which crowns the work is formed by the catalogue of...

The diploma thesis "Comparison of the pastoral and charitable care for the elderly in the Archdiocese of Prague" enquires into the relation between the pastoral and charitable care for the elderly in the Archdiocese of Prague and the quality of accessible local services. It seeks to define the meaning of being old in the 21st century, deals with the questions of ageing and old age and the perception of these phenomenons in the broad social context. The thesis underlines the dignity of old men as well as their specific psychological and spiritual needs. The second part of the paper inquires into the principles of the charitable and pastoral care and it tries to sort out the accessible services. The last, empirical part contains the methodology and interpretation of the research among the charitable and pastoral institutions and parishes. The Conclusion summarizes informations from the previous chapters. Keywords elderly, pastoral care, charity care, the Catholic Church, Archdiocese of Prague

The thesis Religious Life In South Bohemia In The Period of 1948-1989 deals with the issue of limitations of Catholic religious life from the Czechoslovak state. Due to the fact that after the February 1948 the Communist goverment begun to publish "new canon laws" and started targeted restrictions in the church life, it influenced countless life stories of believers. By using the method of oral history, studying achival sources of South Bohemian Regional National Committee and history literature, in my thesis I was trying to approach at least some aspects of that time in the lives of seven witnesses comprising four catholic priest and three laymen. Keywords: catholic church, policy, religion, oral history, canon laws, communism

This work examines the prosecution of the Roman Catholic Church in the Communist-ruled Czechoslovak Republic. The first part analyzes the mutual relationship of the communist ideology and the Roman Catholic Church. The basic tenets of communism are presented via the works of Karl Marx, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin and consecutive texts labeled Marxist- Leninist. The thoughts of the church are presented through the statements of several popes that took a stand against the ideals of communism and the atrocities committed in their name. The second chapter analyzes the individual steps the Communist-controlled state took against the church. Particular attention is devoted to the period from the February 1948 Communist takeover up to the end of the 1950s. This period can be further divided into three phases, distinguished by the differing tactics employed by the Communist Party. In the first phase, the Communists were attempting to subdue the church, the second phase was characteristic by very ruthless prosecution of the church officials, while the hallmark of the third phase was mainly a systematic policy of atheization. The aim of this work is a comparison of the ideological underpinnings of the Communist ideology with the real-world practice of the attempted elimination of religion from society. Focus is...