Audience of the President of the Polish Episcopate with Holy Father Francis
The current issues related to the functioning of the Church in Poland during the ongoing war in Ukraine were at the center of the meeting of the President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference with Holy Father Francis, who received Archbishop Stanislaw Gądecki in a private audience on March 28th. The meeting lasted 45 minutes.
Archbishop Gądecki familiarized Pope Francis with the assessment of the current situation made at the Episcopate’s most recent Plenary Meeting. In the communiqué following it, as well as in a special statement, the Polish bishops condemned the Russian Federation’s attack on independent and democratic Ukraine. the Episcopate’s President thanked the Holy Father for the Consecration of the entire world, especially Russia and Ukraine, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The Episcopate’s President also presented a panorama of the actions that the Church in Poland took immediately after the outbreak of war. “They concern both the aid activities for the multitude of refugees from Ukraine, who found themselves on Polish ground, as well as support for those who, despite the war, remained in their country. The Church’s assistance is provided through Caritas Polska and diocesan Caritas, the PBC Team for Assistance to the Church in the East, male and female religious communities, many priests, and seminarians,” we read in the communique. In particular, the PBC President highlighted the enormous grassroots mobilization and the commitment of Polish parishes.
Archbishop Gądecki also presented his efforts to intensify joint actions of Christians of various denominations for a just peace, including a personal letter to the Moscow Patriarch Kirill. He also informed the Pope of his planned meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew I in Warsaw on Tuesday.
The Holy Father was also briefed on the difficulties caused for the universal Church by the issues raised—in the words of the Pope—by the so-called German “synodal wayˮ. Francis distances himself from this initiative.
The Holy Father thanked for all the actions taken by the Church in Poland and assured of his spiritual support. He asked the clergy and seminarians to remain close to the faith of the people of God. He also bestowed his apostolic blessing.
Press Office of the Polish Bishops’ Conference
We are publishing the full text of the communiqué:
Communique
of the Press Office of the Polish Bishops’ Conference
after the audience of Pope Francis with Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki,
President of the polish Bishops' Conference
On 28 March 2022, the Holy Father received the president of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Stanislaw Gądecki, in a special audience. The meeting lasted 45 minutes. The Episcopate’s President spoke to the Pope about some current matters related to the functioning of the Church in Poland during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Archbishop Gądecki familiarized Pope Francis with the assessment of the current situation made at the Episcopate’s most recent Plenary Meeting. In the communiqué following it, as well as in a special statement, the Polish bishops condemned the Russian Federation’s attack on independent and democratic Ukraine. They emphasized that war can never be a way to resolve conflicts because it always causes the death of innocent people and the destruction of their property. The Bishops also expressed full solidarity with the Ukrainian people who are suffering as a result of this aggression. In this regard, the Episcopate’s President thanked the Holy Father for the Consecration of the entire world, especially Russia and Ukraine, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the Feast of the Annunciations.
The President of the Episcopate also presented a very broad panorama of the activities that the Church in Poland undertook immediately after the outbreak of war. They concern both the aid activities for the multitude of refugees from Ukraine, who found themselves on Polish ground, as well as support for those who, despite the war, remained in their country. The Church’s assistance is provided through Caritas Polska and diocesan Caritas, the PBC Team for Assistance to the Church in the East, male and female religious communities, many priests, and seminarians. In particular, The President highlighted the enormous grassroots mobilization and the commitment of Polish parishes, which, at the local level, organize food, lodging, transportation, medical and psychological assistance, legal support, education for children, and a variety of other aid activities, depending on current needs.
Archbishop Gądecki also presented his efforts to intensify joint actions of Christians of different denominations for a just peace. He recalled, among other things, the letters he addressed in this regard to the Catholic bishops of Poland and Ukraine, the letter to the Orthodox and Catholic hierarchs of Russia and Ukraine, as well as the personal letter to the Patriarch of Moscow, Kirill. He also informed the Pope of his planned meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew I in Warsaw on Tuesday. These efforts come in conjunction with a constantly renewed call to believers for prayer, fasting, and penance.
The Holy Father was also briefed on the difficulties caused for the universal Church by the issues raised—in the words of the Pope—by the so-called German “synodal wayˮ. Francis distances himself from this initiative.
The Holy Father thanked for all the actions taken by the Church in Poland and assured of his spiritual support. He asked the clergy and seminarians to remain close to the faith of the people of God. He also bestowed his apostolic blessing.
Press Office of the Polish Bishops’ Conference
Warsaw, 28 March 2022
