The Church in Poland

The Diocese of Tarnów announced on October 29 that it will appeal the conviction of Bishop Andrzej Jeż. The Tarnów District Court found the bishop guilty of failing to promptly notify law enforcement about sexual offenses committed by two priests under his supervision.

The court ordered the bishop to donate 25% of his monthly salary to the Dajemy Dzieciom Siłę foundation for two years and to pay 20,000 złotys to a Polish government fund for crime victims and their families.

The diocese stated that it does not agree with the decision and noted that the verdict is not final. In a statement, the curia noted that formal reports were made to law enforcement in both cases and that other individuals and state institutions also possessed knowledge of the matters. Defense lawyers will request a written justification of the verdict to prepare the appeal.

Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit Peru, Uruguay, and Argentina.

Dominican missionary Father Max Cappabianca said that people in Peru hope the visit will help heal social tensions and open wounds within the country. He noted that the population feels pride because the Pope is a former bishop and missionary from Peru whom they know and trust.

Cappabianca described the current situation in Peru as being marked by violence, corruption, and deep divisions. He stated that the people expect the visit to contribute to reconciliation rather than just providing emotional encounters.

Irish professor Enoch Burke approached Archbishop John McDowell at Armagh Cathedral on October 29 to demand explanations for the archbishop's silence during Burke's imprisonment. Burke shared a video of the encounter on his X account, in which he reproached the Anglican Primate of All Ireland for not intervening publicly on his behalf.

The conflict began in 2022 at Wilson’s Hospital School, a Church of Ireland educational center where Burke worked. He was expelled from the school after refusing to use the chosen name and pronouns of a transgender student. Burke stated that he remained in prison for more than 700 days to defend the spirit of the Church of Ireland. He accused Archbishop McDowell, who is a patron of the school, of failing to defend Christian teachings and remaining silent regarding gender ideology.

The encounter occurred the same day the Ireland Superior Court modified judicial restrictions against Burke, prohibiting him from approaching within 100 meters of the school.

Pope Leo XIV blessed a rosary belonging to Agata and Maciej Hrycyna during a meeting on October 28. The siblings, who are from Stegny, presented the Pope with a figure of Mary during the encounter.

The Hrycyna siblings had previously met the Pope in Pompeii, where he blessed a figure of the Mother of God they were carrying in a crowd of pilgrims. For Agata Hrycyna, the blessing of the rosary she uses for daily prayer was a significant moment of the meeting.

Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, awarded the Nostra Aetate Prize to philanthropist Michael Sacks during the Rerum Novarum banquet on October 29. Pro-life activists protested the decision, citing Sacks's financial support for organizations that promote abortion access.

Sacks, the chief executive of GCM Grosvenor and president of the Sacks Family Foundation, donated $500,000 to Planned Parenthood of Illinois between 2020 and 2022. He also gave $600,000 to the Prairie State Access Fund in 2026, a fund established by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to support reproductive health services and gender-affirming care.

Illinois Right to Life accused the archbishop of scandalizing the faithful by presenting the award. Cardinal Cupich responded that the award does not constitute an endorsement of every position held by a recipient. In a statement, the archbishop described Sacks as a respected leader in Chicago and the Jewish community.

Bishop Paweł Socha CM, the retired auxiliary bishop of the Zielona Góra-Gorzów diocese, died on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at the age of 91. Funeral services are scheduled for November 4 and 5 in Zielona Góra and Gorzów Wielkopolski.

A member of the Congregation of the Mission, Bishop Socha was ordained a priest on May 22, 1958. On November 16, 1973, Pope Paul VI appointed him auxiliary bishop for the newly formed diocese of Gorzów, assigning him the titular see of Tunigaba. He received episcopal ordination from Cardinal Karol Wojtyła on December 26, 1973.

Bishop Socha served the Zielona Góra-Gorzów diocese throughout his entire episcopal ministry. He was known as a preacher and retreat leader.

The District Court in Tarnow found Bishop Andrzej Jeż guilty of failing to promptly notify law enforcement about the sexual abuse of minors by two priests in his diocese. The court sentenced the Bishop to 2 years of community service, consisting of donating 25% of his salary to the Dajemy Dzieciom Siłę foundation. This verdict is not final.

The case involved priests Stanisław P. and Tomasz K. Prosecutors stated that Bishop Jeż had credible information regarding the sexual abuse of minors under the age of 15 by both men but did not report the matter to state authorities immediately. Investigators noted that conducting internal Church investigations did not exempt the Bishop from the legal obligation to report the crimes to state law enforcement.

Bishop Jeż did not plead guilty. He argued that the diocese needed to verify information and cited legal uncertainties. His defense raised questions regarding jurisdiction for one case involving acts allegedly committed outside of national borders. Regarding the second case, the Bishop stated he did not know for a long time that the victims were under the age of 15.

The Polish Province of the Salvatorians stated that Father Rafał Główczyński's transfer to Trzebnica is a normal practice within the congregation. The province clarified that the move does not result from any concerns regarding his character or ministry.

Diocesan and religious spokespersons, including clergy and laypeople, met from October 26 to 28 at the ECCC in Warsaw-Falenica. Father Leszek Gęsiak, SJ, led the meeting.

Working sessions addressed current affairs, communication challenges, and cooperation among spokespersons. Special guests included Magdalena Bogdan, president of the Fundacja Świętego Józefa KEP; Father Michał Bortnik, OSPPE, president of the Katolicka Agencja Informacyjna; and Father Marek Blaza, SJ, who presented the formation process for spiritual warfare ministry.

Participants visited the Muzeum Bitwy Warszawskiej 1920 roku in Ossowa and the Sekretariat Generalny Konferencji Episkopatu Polski. During the liturgies, Bishop Romuald Kamiński and Father Zbigniew Leczkowski, SJ, presided and delivered homilies. The group prayed for the health of Pope Leo XIV. The next meeting is scheduled for October 2027 in Sosnowiec.

Pope Leo XIV spoke to Polish pilgrims during a general audience, referencing the Year of Blessed Elizabeth Rose Czacka. The Pope noted that Czacka courageously accepted her disability and became a mother to the blind through her various works.

He expressed hope that the Franciscan Sisters of the Cross, the religious order she founded to serve the blind, would strengthen the Christian witness so that others might see God's salvation.

Blessed Czacka's beatification process began in December 1987. Pope Francis recognized a miracle attributed to her intercession on October 27, 2020, and she was beatified in Warsaw on September 12, 2021. The year 2026 was designated as the Year of Blessed Mother Elizabeth Rose Czacka.

The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church condemned attacks against Orthodox Christian communities in the Arsi zone of the Oromia region. These attacks resulted in at least 60 deaths across two districts.

According to a statement from the Holy Synod, the killings occurred in the Merti district and the Shirka district. Reports indicate that more than 20 people were seriously injured and 20 homes were destroyed.

The Holy Synod described the killings as tragic cruelty that violates constitutional rights to life and religious freedom. The Church requested that the government issue a public condemnation, increase civilian protection, and bring those responsible to justice. The Synod also called for preventive measures from security forces to prevent future violence.

Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, the Catholicos of the East, expressed solidarity with the victims. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church ordered its churches and monasteries worldwide to hold services for the deceased following the Divine Liturgy. The Church also stated it would seek meetings with high-ranking government officials.

The film Camino dla opornych is scheduled to premiere in Polish cinemas on Friday, October 30, 2026. The production follows two characters, Adam and Fred, who meet while walking the Camino de Santiago.

The film depicts people facing life crises and seeking second chances through the physical and personal challenges of the pilgrimage. According to Stacja7, musician Muniek Staszczyk recommended the film, noting its emotional depth and its portrayal of characters from different backgrounds. Staszczyk stated that the film prompted him to reflect on the Camino de Santiago as both a spiritual path and a personal challenge. Other individuals providing recommendations include Marek Kamiński, Jasiek Mela, Mariusz Jędrzejko, Agnieszka Kozak, and Klaudia Cymanow-Sosin.

The brother of Shahbaz Bhatti, a Pakistani Catholic politician murdered by extremists, told Crux Now that Christians and religious minorities in Pakistan live under constant threats from Islamic extremism.

The Polish bishops appointed Professor Piotr Franaszek to lead the Commission to investigate the sexual abuse of minors in the Catholic Church in Poland.

The commission will analyze documentation dating back to 1945, reach out to victims, and examine the responses of Church superiors. Professor Franaszek stated that the work requires access to archives, reliable methodology, and independence to formulate findings. He intends to work with diocesan teams and specialists from various fields. The commission expects to produce its first results in 2029.

President Karol Nawrocki has taken honorary patronage of the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Gietrzwałd. Paweł Szefernaker, the president's chief of staff, announced the decision on social media.

The jubilee will take place in 2027, a year the Sejm has designated as the Year of the Apparitions of Our Lady of Gietrzwałd. The apparitions occurred between June 27 and September 16, 1877, to visionaries Justyna Szafryńska and Barbara Samulowska. According to their accounts, Mary spoke to them in Polish. Gietrzwałd is the only site of apparitions officially recognized by the Catholic Church, an acknowledgment issued in 1977.

The Benedictine abbey in Staniątki is hosting the filming of the movie Między ciszą a szeptem. Directed by Michał Kondrat, the production depicts the life of Saint Faustina Kowalska and stars Maria Kowalska and Neal McDonough.

Bishops of the Polish Episcopal Conference elected Professor Piotr Franaszek to chair the Commission of Independent Experts to investigate the sexual exploitation of minors in the Catholic Church in Poland. The election took place during the 406th Plenary Assembly of the conference in Zakopane between October 22 and 24, 2026.

Professor Franaszek is a historian and professor of humanities at Jagiellonian University. His appointment allows for the assembly of a team of specialists to investigate the phenomenon of minor exploitation. The commission's work will include analyzing documents dating back to 1945, interviewing victims, and examining how Church superiors responded to reports. The first results of this work are expected in 2029.

During the assembly, the bishops adopted a revised statute for the commission. The St. Joseph Foundation of the Polish Episcopal Conference will fully fund the commission's operations, stating that its priorities are assisting victims and maintaining the stability of prevention and protection systems.

Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein vetoed a bill to legalize abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. The Princely House announced the decision on October 20, stating that the reform is not compatible with protecting unborn life as a fundamental legal value.

The Liechtenstein parliament, known as the Landtag, approved the measure on September 2 by a 13-12 vote. The parliament also declined to hold a popular referendum on the law. Under the constitution of the principality, no law takes effect without the approval of the reigning prince.

Abortion remains a crime in Liechtenstein except in cases of rape or when there is a grave danger to the woman's life or health. The Princely House stated that Prince Alois supports increased counseling and assistance for women before, during, and after pregnancy.

Pope Leo XIV warned during a meeting with the Sisters of Mercy of St. Joanna Thouret that modern society tends to fragment people. He stated that these divisions affect not only human relationships but also occur within the individual.

The Pope said that care for those in need must address both spiritual and material requirements. He emphasized the importance of respecting the dignity of the poor.

Pope Leo XIV told the faithful at St. Peter's Square that loving God is not a forced obligation but a desire arising from communion with Christ. Speaking before the Angelus prayer on Sunday, Oct. 25, the Pope addressed pilgrims from the window of the Apostolic Palace.

Reflecting on the Gospel of Matthew, the Pope discussed the scribe's question regarding the greatest commandment. He noted that Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy, instructing people to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and mind. Leo XIV stated that God seeks a personal relationship rather than mere recognition of His existence or power. He said that true love for God cannot be performed by command, but is a necessity of the human soul.

The Pope emphasized that love for God and love for neighbor are inseparable. He said people cannot truly love God if that love does not overflow to their brothers and sisters. He also noted that neighborly love is only possible when people recognize others as children of the same Father.

Vatican sources denied reports on October 25 that Pope Leo XIV will undergo immunotherapy following his lung surgery. The denial addresses previous claims that the Pope would receive preventive treatment to reduce the risk of recurrence.

According to the Adnkronos news agency, histological and molecular tests confirmed that the lung adenocarcinoma was localized. An oncological assessment determined that additional therapy is not necessary. This follows a surgery in October to remove the lower lobe of the Pope's right lung.

The previous reports regarding immunotherapy followed claims by GloboNews that the Pope would receive pembrolizumab for at least three years.

Pope Pius XI established the Feast of Christ the King through the encyclical Quas Primas, which was announced on December 11, 1925.

The Pope instituted the feast to address rising anti-clerical sentiments and atheist propaganda against the Catholic Church and God. The liturgical celebration focuses on the person of Jesus Christ as the King of glory, who holds authority over the universe by his divinity and as a descendant of a royal dynasty by his human nature.

According to the encyclical, Christ holds kingship because he is the Lord of the entire universe, because he redeemed humanity through his life, and because he possesses legislative, judicial, and executive power. The feast is a relatively new addition to the liturgical calendars of various rites.