Life of the national Church, the Pope’s teachings on the Eucharist, pastoral care in the worlds of work and health-care, membership of the European Union: just some of the issues tackled at the 322nd plenary assembly of the Polish Episcopal Conference recently held in Warsaw (30 April-2 May). Some bishops from other European Churches also participated in the assembly and spoke on the question of enlargement. “It is right to hope that Poland said John Paul II two years ago be accorded the place it deserves in the political and economic framework of the structures of united Europe. However, it needs to be present in them as a state that possesses its own spiritual and cultural identity, its own inalienable historical tradition linked to Christianity ever since its origins”. In the light of these indications, says Father Adam Schulz, spokesman of the Polish episcopate, the Polish bishops tackled the project for the “Central European Katholikentag” whose motto will be “Christ, hope for Europe” (see Sir no.3/2003). The celebrations will begin on 1st June. It aims to involve as wide a participation of lay Catholic associations and movements as possible: “In the space of a few years explains Father Schulz the number of such associations has risen to over 100 and their members grown from 700,000 a decade ago to the current 2.5 million. The Polish laity is very active both in the Church, and in the social field. In particular, the professional and cultural associations, those involved in the mass media, and Catholic Action, are all very lively”. During their plenary assembly, the bishops also discussed Christian commitment in the educational field and in support of the numerous unemployed in Poland. “Today explains the spokesman of the Polish bishops this is one of the country’s most serious problems, involving as much as 19% of the workforce. The reasons for this chronic employment crisis derive both from loss of jobs in agriculture, and redundancies in industries that are either restructuring and shedding their workforce or in many cases going bankrupt. The Church feels itself challenged by these phenomena, responsible for alleviating their effects, and many projects of support and charity are being promoted by the parishes and associations to help the unemployed”. Another field of commitment is pastoral care in hospitals: “In this field points out Father Schulz the Church is placing her main focus on the training of doctors and medical staff so that they may approach their work in a spirit of service and in the light of Christian values”.
