Association of EFFATHA
im. św. Maksymiliana Marii Kolbego i św. Andrzeja Boboli

Description Association of EFFATHA History Association of EFFATHA Council Association of EFFATHA

ASSOCIATION OF EFFATHA

(Description)

    All long history of Roman Catholic Church found people who drop out of faith preaching different sciences.
At present New Religion Movements called sects became serious pastoral and social problem. Man living in the modern time, searching of own cultural identity, being empty-headed, trying to get answer his trouble existential questions. People turn often pliable on interaction of new religion sects and cults. Leaders (guru) gain new members often using immoral and destructive psychical methods. Also activity of cults and new religions in lot of cases is damaging:
- breaks the unity of society and Church (Roman Catholic Church).
- denies Christian faith of truth and the moral code - sometimes promotes the occult, magic, spiritualism and has bad influence on their members psyche.
    Bewaring of new religion condemnation but treating their members as "brothers and sisters" detached from the communion of church whom Jesus Christ ordered to cherish, cluster of catholic lays and clergy Roman Catholic wishes to respond on the church appeal from expressed in pope's documents: "Apostolicam actuositatem "- VATICANUM II, "Christifidelis laici"- JP II(1987), "Sects or NRM, challenging task priestly" (1986) and document "Declaration Extraordinary Consistory" from 1991, concerning the sects and cults.

European Parliament in "Cottrell's Report" (1984) notices dangers in activity sects and cults on the territory of EU. To strengthen and defend Roman Catholic Faith from danger any type of doctrine deviations, which the source is spreading of sects and new religion movements (NRM) - lays and clergymen group concentrated in Catholic cluster periodical "EFFATHA- Otwórz się!" -decides to converts into the Association of EFFATHA (1989').
The aim of this Organization is apologetic and evangelical activity in relation to individual person and bigger human agglomeration.
This activity is not restricted only for Catholic Church faithful. We turn to the "detached men" from the unity of Catholic Church with Christ Gospel proclamation to bring the to "God's Sheep Shed".
The phenomenon of sects, cults and NRM is reason of numerous family misfortunes and departure from Catholic Church.

    Wish of EFFATHA Association is to bring help everywhere the Catholic faith is endangered referring to Jesus Christ words (Lk 15:1-7).
    The Association has a few people group so-called "Zone's coordinators" who are authorized - in behalf of Board of Association - to take all legislation activities in dioceses, contact press, radio stations, TV, local government and church authorities at the level of dioceses in their zone. Other members of Association meet with different church's groups, they take part in various retreats and lectures performed in sociology and psychology high schools also on the invitation of secondary schools and Catholic Seminaries.
In accordance with statute, the Organization is interested in extending the co-operation with people of goodness, secular and Church authorities.
Apart of initiating of "Apologetic Centre Information of sects and NRM", members of Organization creates the Bible Evangelical Groups. They undergo constantly evangelical and spiritual formation necessary in this activity. At present there are several Apologetic Centre Information of sects and NRM in country.
Thanks to these Centers many people return to Catholic Church, and others were consolidated deeply in religious faith.

    In the 1996 the Association of EFFATHA got into "Rada Ruchów Katolickich" (Catholic Council of Associations) in Warsaw, and May 22' 1998 in the district court in Warsaw, to get legal status.
In the Polish conditions we cooperate with Centers Information sects and NRM, with similar Catholic Association Centers as Civitas Christiana, and R.O.R. i J.
We got into contact, and established relationships with lots of organizations from the western countries and U.S.A. dealing with professional anti cults, pro-family activity.
    Association EFFATHA establishes cooperation with different catholic organizations: "Legion of Mary", "The MILITIA IMMACULATAE of St. Maximilian Kolbe (MI)", "Charismatic Revival of Holly Spirit".
Members of our Association frequently appear on radio-station: Radio Maryja, Radio Józef, Radio Niepokalanów, Radio Podlasie, Radio As (Szczecin), Radia "Wspólnota Serc" (Ząbkowice Śl.), Radio "Dobra Nowina", Catholic Radio "VIA", Radio MAX, Radio Rzeszów, Radio RMF FM, Radio "ZET", Radio Katowice and PR Pr. III.

Every year (from the beginning of our activity) members and sympathizers of our organization meet in May and October on the General (all-Polish) Congress of EFFATHA in Niepokalanów.
All people who offer co-operation in this activity

History Association of EFFATHA

    The date of beginning of the EFFATHA Association is 1989 when people like Tadeusz Kunda, Grzegorz Fels, Bernard Wodecki SVD, Zofia Klimowska AVD and many other clergyman and also secular people set up this organization during the Congress in Elbląg.
Moreover, they set up the first so called "Punkt Poradnictwa Religijnego" (Apologetic Centre Information of sects and NRM) in 3 Mireckiego Street in Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz.
On 20th October 1990' another centre was created in Toruń.
Through the whole time of our existence our aim was to initiate the creation of intervention canters which were to prevent and inform about harmful effects of sects and NRM.
The Association of EFFATHA was a precursor of this kind of anti-cult activity in Poland (since is has become totally independent in 1989').

Till 1995 our activity focused on opposing to proseliytism of the Jehovah's Witnesses. After 1995 the spectrum of activity was widen to other para religious organisations and cult groups. After 1997 when the magazine called "Effatha-Otwórz Się!' stopped appearing the the Association lost the whole data base with fans and subscribers.
    On 9th November 1996' the Association was accepted to Religious Movements Council(Catholic) ("Rada Ruchów Katolickich") in Warsaw.

    In the years 1996-1998' it was approved in the following dioceses: reszowska, zielonogórsko-gorzowska, warszawsko-praska, gliwicka , and the legislation process in carried out in some others.
    In 1998' the status of Association was changed and it gained legal status on 22nd May 1998' and it was registered in Court in Warsaw (poz. R.St. 3414).

    At present many books written by famous experts on sects and NRM are being translated into languages like: English, Spanish, German, French, Russian and Czech.

The first chairman of Association for many years was Tadeusz Kunda- the author of many publications concerning the Jehovah's Witnesses.
As a resultat of election on 22-24.10.1999 r in Niepokalanów Andrzej Wronka become the new chairman of the Association.

On 15th October 2001 appeared the website of Association witch is still being rebuilt.
The Patrons of the Association are: św. Maksymilian Maria Kolbe and św. Andrzej Bobola.

Council Association of EFFATHA