The process of suburbanisation and the formation of new parishes. The example of Poznań agglomeration

The process of suburbanization has been recently one of the main topics discussed by geographers as well as other scholars from disciplines interested in urban issues. As people and companies relocate to the suburbs, it becomes necessary to supply new roads, schools, shops and many other facilities. Sometimes suburbanisation also leads  to the construction of new churches, especially in Poland, where a large part of the society still actively participates in the religious practices of the Roman Catholic Church. The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the process of suburbanisation and the formation of new catholic parishes using the case of Poznań  agglomeration in which suburbanisation processes have been particularly intensive in the last years. Results show that a significant number of new parishes were grounded in the city of Poznań and its suburbs in the period between 1990 and 2013, and that the formation of some of these parishes can be attributed to the process of  suburbanisation. The paper also contains a discussion of arguments for and against the formation of new parishes in the suburbs. It has been argued by some that large urban parishes can better respond to spiritual needs of people than small suburban parishes, and that the construction of new churches in the times of crisis should be avoided in favour of charity. On the other hand, spatial proximity of the church is very likely an important factor for many persons, so every case should be considered separately. Since the process of suburbanisation in Poznań agglomeration will definitely continue in the coming years, the formation of new catholic parishes in the suburbs is also likely to take place.

The process of suburbanization has been recently one of the main topics discussed by geographers as well as other scholars from disciplines interested in urban issues. As people and companies relocate to the suburbs, it becomes necessary to supply new roads, schools, shops and many other facilities. Sometimes suburbanisation also leads  to the construction of new churches, especially in Poland, where a large part of the society still actively participates in the religious practices of the Roman Catholic Church. The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the process of suburbanisation and the formation of new catholic parishes using the case of Poznań  agglomeration in which suburbanisation processes have been particularly intensive in the last years. Results show that a significant number of new parishes were grounded in the city of Poznań and its suburbs in the period between 1990 and 2013, and that the formation of some of these parishes can be attributed to the process of  suburbanisation. The paper also contains a discussion of arguments for and against the formation of new parishes in the suburbs. It has been argued by some that large urban parishes can better respond to spiritual needs of people than small suburban parishes, and that the construction of new churches in the times of crisis should be avoided in favour of charity. On the other hand, spatial proximity of the church is very likely an important factor for many persons, so every case should be considered separately. Since the process of suburbanisation in Poznań agglomeration will definitely continue in the coming years, the formation of new catholic parishes in the suburbs is also likely to take place.