The idea of the common good and the reason of state in the teaching of Primate Wyszyński

The notions of common good and the reason of state were always present, usually in a joint way, in the teachings of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński. They came to the foreground, especially in the periods of post-war crises in Poland, moments of growing social tension. Despite the fact that the primate did not want to be a politician, because the main sphere of his activity was concern for the souls of Poles, he became a statesman, for whom the welfare of Poland and Poles was the primary task. This was largely due to the primate’s concern for the broadly understood common good – Poland as a subject of common concern for all members of society, regardless of their views. Most importantly, Cardinal Wyszyński was able to look at the political situation without ideological bias or obstinancy. If he believed that communists somehow work for the common good and care about the fate of society, he supported their activity (an example of this could be the fight against social pathologies – especially alcoholism).