REACH FOR A BOOK

An interview with prelate priest Ireneusz Skubiś

– Priest Editor has already participated in many fairs of the Catholic book. What is the comparison?

– It is difficult to compare previous fairs with the present ones. The space in the Arcades of Kubicki presented this year were really various, there were many books for academic intelligence, but there were also a lot of more popular books for people who are looking for Christian contents. This amount and variety show that the religious, Christian thought is present in Poland and is still developing. At the times of the Polish People’s Republic, communists restricted us in publishing books, explaining that there was no paper. We had to write applications for every book, for every kilo of paper. Since those times everything has been changed and in the recent years a new phenomenon – Internet has appeared. A book and Internet are competitors now but acceptable by us. We are trying to use Internet, we have a significant number of entrances into our website. However, there are millions of people who omit Internet and reach for a book. This is a book which is still a space developing the Polish thought, culture, a way of thinking and even lifestyle.

– Did anything draw priest’s attention during this fair?

– There are a lot of books, titles, etc. but there is lack of books for the youth. Somebody who is doing a diagnosis on market, should think whether not to encourage people, writers, institutions and even the Church, to write more and publish books for the youth.

– It is said that Poles read very little, but, thinking from this fair, it might seem that it is different…

– And despite the lack of information in public media about fairs! Polish decision-makers probably do not care about the development of the Polish culture, which is Christian. Decision-makers, especially those elected by Polish Catholics, should be aware that Polish Catholics may not vote for them anymore. Anyway, they should not vote.

– What did readers say, when coming to Priest?

– Many of them talked about the ‘Sunday’ magazine, that it is good that the magazine maintains the patriotic tone. Many people appreciate what we write. Nobody came to tell me something negative, I did not meet anyone who would be unfriendly or unfavourable to the ‘Sunday’, although there are also such people.

Interview conducted by Wojciech Dudziński

(AA)

"Niedziela" 17/2013

Editor: Tygodnik Katolicki "Niedziela", ul. 3 Maja 12, 42-200 Czestochowa, Polska
Editor-in-chief: Fr Jaroslaw Grabowski • E-mail: redakcja@niedziela.pl