Themes of Education and Religious Education in the Circulars and Letters of Bishop Strossmayer

Začetci školstva u hrvatskim krajevima vezani su uz samostane i biskupije, crkve i župe, gdje su škole nastajale i stoljećima opstajale. Svjetovne strukture počinju o školstvu kao o svojoj brizi razmišljati tek u 18. st., a nizom zakona u 19. st. naprosto Crkvi oduzimaju škole i pretvaraju ih u područje svoje uprave, sa željom da školstvu daju izrazito laički program. Cilj je ovog rada prikazati dio Strossmayerovih razmišljanja, preporuka i odredaba vezanih uz školstvo općenito, a posebno vjeronauk u školama. Strossmayerova razmišljanja jasno se iščitavaju iz analize njegovih pisanih preporuka i odredaba vezanih uz vjeronauk, koje nalazimo u okružnicama i poslanicama što ih je upućivao biskupijskom svećenstvu. Te se odredbe i preporuke najčešće odnose na vjeroučitelje, vjeroučenike, udžbenike i pomagala u katehetskom radu. Rezultati analize tih okružnica i poslanica pokazuju iznimnu Strossmayerovu skrb za školstvo općenito, a napose za vjerski odgoj u školama. Osim što je naglašavao potrebu za kvalitetnim zakonom o školstvu, Strossmayer je inzistirao i na kvalitetnom vjeronaučnom radu u školama, koji po njegovu mišljenju nije moguć bez dobrih vjeroučitelja te dobrih udžbenika i priručnika. Vođen geslom „Prosvjetom k slobodi“ Josip Juraj Strossmayer nastojao je što više podupirati, razvijati i štiti školstvo i vjeronauk unutar školstva, kako u svojoj biskupiji, tako i u širem okruženju.beginnings of education in croatian regions are associated with monasteries and dioceses, parishes and churches, and in those places schools were established and have existed for centuries. It was not until the 18th century that secular structures began to think about education as about their concern, and by a number of laws in the 19th century they were simply taking away schools from the church and turned them into the realm of their administration with a desire to provide education with a markedly secular programme. The aim of this paper is to present a part of Strossmayer\u27s thoughts, recommendations and regulations related to the people and resources that had their place in education in general, and especially to all that was related to religious education in schools. This part refers to his circulars and letters. What strossmayer had to say about it can be clearly seen in the analysis of the written recommendations and regulations related to religious education. These recommendations and regulations can be found in the circulars and letters addressed to diocesan clergy. They mainly relate to religious educators, students, textbooks and aids in catechetical work. The results of the analysis of these circulars and pastoral letters show strossmayer\u27s exceptional care for education in general, and especially for religious education in schools. apart from laying emphasis on the proper law on education, strossmayer insisted on high quality catechetic work in schools, which he believed was not possible without formed catechists, good textbooks and good reference books. j. j. strossmayer, guided by the motto “through education to freedom”, sought to foster, develop and protect education and religious education within the school system, both in his diocese and beyond