Michał Wyrostkiewicz

Dr hab. Michał Wyrostkiewicz, professor at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (KUL), chairs the Department of the History of Liturgy and is a leading voice in moral theology, liturgical studies, ecological ethics, and media ethics. His interdisciplinary research bridges theology, communication, and environmental studies, supported by numerous national and international grants.

Education and Affiliations:

• Doctor habilitatus (dr hab.) in theology, awarded the academic title of professor by the President of Poland (prof. KUL)
• Faculty member, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (permanent post)
• Member of the Polish Society for Social Communication and Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church

Research Interests:

Michał Wyrostkiewicz’s scholarly work focuses on moral and liturgical theology, with a particular emphasis on ecological responsibility rooted in Catholic social teaching. He explores infoethics—ethical use of information and media—examining how digital technologies shape human identity and community. His recent projects investigate artificial intelligence in pastoral care and the theological implications of the Anthropocene, seeking to integrate environmental stewardship, truthful communication, and liturgical spirituality.

Publications Trends:

Across the last decade his publications cluster in four dominant areas: (1) ecological theology and ethics (ecology of the Mass, circular economy, eco-virtues); (2) media and infoethics (disinformation, Catholic influencers, digital morality); (3) pastoral-liturgical studies (renewal of liturgy, catechesis, sacramental practice); and (4) moral anthropology (corruption, lying, forgiveness, human dignity). This body of work combines rigorous theological argument with empirical studies and educational tool development.

Scientific Awards & Distinctions:

• Medal of the National Education Commission – Polish state decoration for outstanding contributions to education
• Long-Service Medal – awarded by the Polish state for dedicated academic service
• Rector of KUL Individual Award – annual recognition for exceptional research performance
• Rector of KUL Team Award – shared prize for collaborative research excellence
• Pro-Rector Award for the Best Scored Publication 2023 – university distinction for highest-impact scholarly output

Research Leadership & Doctoral Supervision:

Professor Wyrostkiewicz has been principal investigator on over a dozen funded projects financed by the Polish National Science Centre, Ministry of Science and Higher Education, KUL internal budget, and EU programmes such as Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+. Representative grants include “Human Ecology 2.0”, “Theology in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”, and “Town & Gown 2.0” (strategic university-city cooperation in V4+Ukraine). He currently supervises multiple PhD dissertations in moral theology, liturgical studies, and media ethics, and has served as reviewer or opponent in numerous habilitation and professorial nomination procedures.

Laboratories & Collaborative Networks:

He coordinates an informal Research Group on Eco-Theology and Infoethics within KUL, bringing together theologians, environmental scientists, and communication scholars. The group maintains active partnerships with the Pontifical Universities in Rome (Santa Croce, Angelicum, Lateranense), University of Oxford (Bodleian Libraries), University of Prešov (Slovakia), and a network of Catholic universities across Central and Eastern Europe. These collaborations facilitate joint conferences, visiting scholar exchanges, and comparative empirical studies on ecological awareness and media practice among theology students.