Need for faith

The 343ª Plenary Assembly of the Polish Bishops Conference held in Warsaw in the past few days was attended by the representatives of 11 European Episcopates. The meeting was enriched by the celebrations for the 25th cardinalship of the Primate of Poland Jozef Glemp, who within the next two years will transfer his post to the archbishop of Gniezno (the first capital of Catholic Poland). During the meeting, problems related to bioethics emerged as the most urgent issue for Europe’s Church. “It’s crucial for the living voice of the entire Church to be heard, to display a coherent attitude among the various episcopates”, affirmed Msgr. Riccardo Fontana, archbishop of Spoleto-Norcia and delegate of Italy’s Bishops Conference, who underlined the importance of “the joint position of European bishops especially as relates to the defense of life”. The topic of bioethics was also tackled by the representative of the French episcopate Msgr. Dominique Rey, who anticipated the document (which is being drawn up by French bishops) on the major stances of the Church regarding ethics in the scientific realm, expressed by internationally renown scientists. The representatives of Poland’s episcopate pointed out that one of the most urgent problems to be solved at national level is the need for the State to adopt norms regulating bioethics, still not subjected to any kind of regulation. Pastoral care of the migrants. Also the pastoral care of Polish immigrants in European Countries was addressed in Warsaw. The President of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor proposed that Polish bishops create a joint working group to study new prospects for immigrants in great Britain, where some 1.5 million of Polish citizens moved to in recent years. The prelate pointed to the need of increasing the number of Polish priests in Great Britain where 200 Polish pastoral care centers are presently active. “We, Catholic Bishops of Europe, must be united in our pastoral commitment and in promoting the spiritual welfare of those who left their homes in search of a new life, a new family and a new language. Kep appointed Msgr. Zygmunt Zimowski with the view of issuing an apposite pastoral care plan for immigrants. “I would like to have more frequent contacts with the persons in charge of the Polish Catholic centres in different Countries. We must cooperate with local bishops to explore how to render the best service to immigrants”, said Msgr. Zimoski.The relationship between the State and the Church. Poland’s episcopate equally approved the report filed by Msgr. Slawoj Leszek Glodz on the recent works of the joint Commission of the State and the Polish episcopate. The prelates expressed the hope that the principles regulating cooperation between civil authorities and the Church will be respected also in the future, especially for a rapid solution to the recent problems concerning the teaching of religion in schools. “In the name of the common good and the future of Poland – states the final statement – it is necessary to introduce health, welfare and school reforms”. The family and the youth. Msgr. Kazimierz Nycz defined the present demographic situation in Poland “catastrophic” and voiced the need to adopt policies for the family, recalling the example of France. The archbishop of Warsaw underlined the importance of the role of the Church to awaken and strengthen the hopes of the population. “Sowing pessimism, increasing divisions, linking the Church to single political parties, adhering to a sectarian way of practicing politics has never been and never will be the task of the Church. This is true especially today, since Poland needs mutual trust and unity more than ever”, he affirmed. The bishops also adopted the programmatic document on youth pastoral care drawn up by Msgr. Henryk Tomasik, called “The youth with Christ”. The proposal of the new Statute, which among other things envisages extending the power of diocesan bishops, was also approved by the bishops. Msgr. Slawoj Leszek Glodz submitted the conclusions of the Ecclesial History Commission and of the working group assessing the legal and ethical value of the documents kept in the archives of the National Memory Institute (Ipn) concerning Catholic priests and religious men and women registered by Communist Poland’s security services as collaborators or people to be contacted. The documentation will now be filed to the Bishops Congregation.