POLAND
Crisis of vocationsA few days ago the meeting of the Permanent Council of Poland’s Bishops’ Conference (KEP) attended also by diocesan bishops, took place in the sanctuary of Jasna Gora on the occasion of the solemnity of the Mother of God Queen of Poland. Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone was the guest of honour. As stated in the final declaration, participants focussed on the theme of priestly service, viewed in the framework of the Priestly Year called by the Pope, and given the drop of vocations in Poland. KEP delegate for vocations, Msgr. Wojciech Polak, reported a 30% decrease in the number of students in diocesan seminaries compared to to 2006. However, according to Msgr. Polank, the situations isn’t alarming yet, since one every four clericals in Europe is Polish. KEP Secretary, Msgr. Stanislaw Budzik, highlighted the need for reflection on the environments where priestly vocations stem from, namely the school and the family. The bishops who convened in the sanctuary of the Black Virgin of Czestochowa expressed their “solidarity with the Holy Father, who was the object of unprecedented and unmotivated attack by the media”, testifying to their unity with the Pontiff with prayers recited during the entire Marian month.Rediscovering ethicsMsgr. Stanislaw Gadecki spoke of the new document of the Polish Episcopate devoted to the fight against poverty and marginalization due to be issued in 2010. Msgr. Gadecki said he hopes the document “won’t only present an analysis of the situation but will address the core of problem, indicating the steps that the Church in Poland could make to help the people in need”. The final statement of KEP Permanent Council points out that June 4th recurs the 20th anniversary of the first elections after Poland was freed from Communist yoke, and that these elections played a crucial role in the social and political changes of the Country. The Bishops expressed their regret since “the gradual establishment of civil society” was more than often accompanied by “economic and legal manipulations”. “The only chance of changing the situation is recovering ethical values and fundamental principles which regulate economic and political life,” the bishops remarked.EU: adhesion and elections Msgr. Damian Zimon, archbishop of Katowice, drew a balance of the past five years since Poland’s EU adhesion (May 1st). “It’s always better for nations to draw close than to wage war against one another”, the bishop pointed out. “We’re not afraid of changes, what we need to understand is how to serve the people of God in the new situation”, he added. As relates to EU adhesion Msgr. Gadecki remarked that EU funds enabled the restoration of a large number of places of worship, which the scarce funds of the dioceses couldn’t cover. Msgr. Marian Golebiewski, arbishop of Breslavia, while stating that Poland’s economic and political situation would have been much worse without EU membership, underlined the importance of promoting Christian values in Europe where “unfortunately, political lobbies fail to promote religion and Christian thought”. The bishops called upon the faithful to “vote for candidates who fully represent the stands of the Catholic Church on ethical and social questions such as the protection of human life, marriage and the family” in the elections of June 7.Jasna Góra”Of the many places of this geography of faith, John Paul II couldn’t miss devoting his thoughts to the Sanctuary of Jasna Góra, which isn’t only a privileged place of national religious feelings, but first and foremost an event of faith, where Christ is present in the hands of Mary, in tangible and concrete ways”, declared Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. The previous day His Eminence consecrated the Church of the Divine Providence in Gdansk-Zaspa, and recalled the years of totalitarian rule: “This church bears special significance since its creation was opposed by the totalitarian regime but a large part of the population unanimously resolved to erect it”. The Catholic University “John Paul II” in Lublin awarded the Cardinal with the Doctorate Honoris Causa in Civil, Canon and Administrative Law. Modern society often “undersells” its values, he told the academic community. “Life is put to risk, institutions like the family are not being protected. The Church fights for their defence, and in this daily battle Catholic universities are on the front line”, the appropriate places “to learn realism and faith in God”.
