A Sense of National and Religious Identity Among Polish Emigrants in France Based on the Results of the Pilot Study

Abstract

The article presents the results of a pilot study conducted at the end of 2019 among Poles living in France. The study concerned the issue of communication of religious and national identification among emigrants from Poland and the transmission of Polish culture, national and religious values by Polish parishes. This publication, however, concerns a fragment of this research – a sense of national belonging, pride and shame from its origin, manifestations of patriotism among the Polish emigrants surveyed in France and to what extent Polish parishes in France maintain their sense of national and religious identity, as well as their attitude to of this message carried out by parishes.

The results indicate that the surveyed Polish respondents in France feel Poles, are proud of their Polishness, actively express their patriotism, which, however, is not necessarily connected, e.g., with raising children in the Catholic spirit. They are also recipients of the message of national-patriotic values that is carried out through the parish (e.g. participation in masses for the homeland), but they are of the opinion that this is not the parish's main task in exile. The study was of a pilot nature, so the article also presents a commentary on the correctness of the formulated research tool and research procedure.