Ad maiorem Dei gloriam... II. dio: Obrazovanje u vjeri naroda Senjsko-modruške biskupije polovicom 18. stoljeća

The mid-eighteenth century canonical visitations of Juraj Vuk Čolić, bishop of Senj, offer valuable historical material about the religious education of priests active in his diocese, as well as of the lay people in the area. This essay analyzes this source and focuses especially on the orders issued by the bishop and the reports written by the (mostly parish) priests, about the education of their parishioners. Bishop Čolić was greatly concerned with the education, whether in religious or formal education. His concerns are confirmed by directions he gave to his parish priests: on how to treat the parishioners; when and how to set up the celebration of the Holy Mass; as well as on the catechesis and what to teach. He also dedicated much attention to the missions conducted to renew the faith, instruct in the religious truths and teach the art of reading and writing. Here the role of the Jesuit order in such actions comes into focus, although others, especially Capuchins, were also diligent in the education of the people. Their activities were conducted according to the principles of the Council of Trent, which viewed lay education as a means towards strengthening their faith and pulling them out of the darkness of heresy and superstitions. The discussion is based on the examples from contemporary documents that, if read carefully, provide a vivid picture of the real life.