Archbishop Gądecki: We pray for peace at the Polish Eastern border

I am asking the faithful and all people of good will for a nationwide collection of funds, on Sunday the 21^st November in all churches and chapels. Proceeds will be passed on to the migrants from the Belarusian-Polish border – said Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, Metropolitan of Poznań, President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, in his homily delivered during the Holy Mass celebrated at the Holy Cross Church in Warsaw on the second day of the National Jesus Christ the King Congress.

Archbishop Gądecki referred in his homily to the current events on the Polish-Belarusian border, “where people suffer and die. After all, a humanitarian catastrophe is taking place before our eyes. ”

Archbishop Gądecki stated that migrants who reach the border are victims of unacceptable games in international politics. „Regardless of the circumstances of their arrival, they certainly need our spiritual and material support,” he admitted. He added that since the beginning of the migration crisis, the Church in Poland, through Caritas Polska, diocesan Caritas and the Delegate of the Polish Bishops for Migration, has provided such assistance as far as possible.

„I turn to the faithful and all people of good will with a request for a nationwide fundraising – on Sunday the 21^st November in all churches and chapels, through Caritas Polska – for migrants from the Belarusian-Polish border,” Archbishop Gądecki said. „The funds collected during the nationwide collection will be used to finance Caritas Polska’s aid activities in the border areas during the migration crisis and the process of long-term integration of refugees who decide to stay in Poland” – emphasized the President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference.

Archbishop Gądecki emphasized that the role of the Church is to shape attitudes consistent with the Gospel in a situation when it is necessary to show the visitors humanitarian and Christian sensitivity. „Without prejudice to the security of the Republic of Poland and its citizens, we must show them our solidarity,” he stressed. And he called for prayers for peace on the eastern border of Poland.

Translation: AZ. Warchoł / Office for Foreign Communication of the Polish Bishops’ Conference