Secretary General of Polish Episcopate: Persecuted Christians Need Our Support
Persecuted Christians need our support. They need our spiritual presence and material assistance," said Bishop Artur G. Miziński, Secretary General of the Polish Bishops' Conference, announcing the 15th Day of Solidarity with the Persecuted Church. It will be celebrated in the Church in Poland on Sunday, November 12, under the motto "This is always our home." This year, Aid to the Church in Need is paying particular attention to persecuted Christians in the Middle East.
"Let us share responsibility in the Church and stand with those persecuted," encouraged Bishop Artur G. Miziński during a meeting announcing the 15th Day of Solidarity with the Persecuted Church, organized on the initiative of the Polish section of the Aid to the Church in Need organization. "Let it be a day of intense prayer — especially the faithful who are in Gaza and need our support. Our spiritual presence and material assistance are needed," he said.
The General Secretary of the Polish Bishops' Conference appealed to the faithful of the Church in Poland to support persecuted Christians not only on this day but all year round. "I ask that we not limit our remembrance of persecuted sisters and brothers to just one day a year," he said.
As Fr. Prof. Waldemar Cisło, Director of the Polish section of the ACN, stressed, more and more Christians are experiencing persecution. Out of 196 countries, the situation has worsened in 47 and has improved in only nine. "In the Holy Land, the number of Christians continues to decline," he added.
In the pastoral materials that the ACN provided to parishes before the 15th Day of Solidarity with the Persecuted Church, Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda wrote that the teachings and attitude of Jesus urge us to reach out to our Sisters and Brothers with Christian sensitivity.
"We do not want these people to leave their land, family homes, cultural environments, local religious communities and wander around the world in search of more dignified living conditions. And to them, and us, we want them not to leave their homes and their land," stressed the Metropolitan of Gdańsk and President of the Polish section of Aid to the Church in Need.
As part of the 15th Day of Solidarity with the Persecuted Church, prayer for suffering Christians is planned during the Jasna Góra Appeal and Mass at the Divine Mercy Shrine in Kraków-Łagiewniki.
Aid for those in need can be donated by filling out the form at https://pkwp.org/wspomoz-nas?campaign=86 or by transferring funds to account 87 1020 1068 0000 1402 0096 8990.
Press Office ACN / Press Office of the Polish Bishops' Conference
Translated by Sr. Amata Nowaszewska / Office for Foreign Communication of the Polish Bishops' Conference
