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PAX Association (Polish: Stowarzyszenie PAX) mainly pro-communist secular catholic organization, created in 1947 in Poland. Currently, after constant (since 1956) reforms works under the name: Catholic Association "Civitas Christiana".

[edit] Pro-communism era

At the beginning it worked to undermine grass-roots support for the Roman Catholic Church. Created by Bolesław Piasecki, it attempted to compete over public issues with the right-wing clergy during the Stalinist era (1945–1956). It took over the Polish branch of Caritas, supported the trial and imprisonment of many Polish clergymen, among them bishop Czesław Kaczmarek and cardinal Stefan Wyszyński.

[edit] Reforms

After 1956, together with many other similar government initiatives, it was toned down and took a more compromising position, in some regards even supporting the anti-communist resistance in Poland, although officially it supported the communist government of the People's Republic of Poland until the fall of communism. After 1982 it was a member of the Patriotic Movement for National Rebirth. Throughout the decades after its creation and the death of Stalin, it continued to steadily lose power and influence, although it still exists in modern Poland.

At all times it was financed by the government as a fake opposition. There were number of collaborators from within the clergy, who were lured by free state benefits, including lavish state pensions (unavailable to clergy otherwise).

[edit] Notable members

• Bolesław Piasecki
• Tadeusz Mazowiecki
• Janusz Zabłocki

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