Conception of Catholicism and social role of Catholic Church in P. Jakas’ works

Straipsnyje nagrinėjamas žymaus tarpukario Lietuvos modernistinės pakraipos katalikų filosofo, kunigo Povilo Jako (1908-1968) požiūris į katalikybę ir Katalikų Bažnyčios socialinį vaidmenį tarpukario Lietuvoje. Supažindinama su filosofo pateiktu menkstančio Bažnyčios vaidmens ir autoriteto aiškinimu, jos glaudžių ryšių su valdančiaisiais ir jų pasekmių interpretacija, tuometinės Bažnyčios praktikoje vyravusio formalizmo apraiškų įžvalgomis. Analizuojamos P. Jako puoselėtos katalikybės ir tuometinės Bažnyčios socialinių pozicijų visuomenėje stiprinimo galimybės.The article deals with the attitude of Povilas Jakas (1908-1968), the famous priest and Catholic philosopher of modernistic trend of interwar Lithuania, towards Catholicism and the social role of the Catholic Church during the interwar period in Lithuania. P. Jakas understood and evaluated the Catholic Church first of all as a spiritual institution influencing the formation of an individual and society and the humanization of their interpersonal relations. P. Jakas negatively assessed the too close relationships of the Catholic Church with the authorities, envisaging the danger for the church to become an instrument in the hands of authorities at the expense of its essential mission - to serve the whole society. Those provisions were confirmed in the documents of the 2nd Vatican Council and nowadays are being implemented in the practice of Lithuanian church. P. Jakas considered the priest as the main agent of the worldly Catholic Church on whose actions and life the image of the Church in society's eyes depends; consequently, P. Jakas reservedly assessed priests' involvement into political and economic activity full of great dangers. The attention of a priest should be focused on developing the believers' spirituality. To achieve this goal, the priest himself should develop spiritually so as to overcome his human limitations and attachment to material values, upholding spiritual idealism and developing immunity to the challenges of this world. Thereby, looking from the perspective of time, the provisions announced by P. Jakas sound relevant for the Church nowadays as well