Signs from the East to the West

At the beginning of March, following the invitation of Polish bishops, representatives of a number of European episcopacies will be discussing the different forms of pastoral care for Polish immigrants in EU Countries. The initiative was recently announced by Msgr. Jozef Kloch, spokesperson of Poland’s Bishops Conference (Kep). The Permanent Kep Council has been examining the possibility of strengthening contacts with the rectors of Catholic Polish Missions in Europe and vouched the need for closer relations with bishops of those dioceses marked by a high number of Polish immigrants. Polish Churches abroad are often attended by many, but data enabling an overall evaluation is missing. The only definitive number is the percentage of Polish immigrants who participate in the religious life of the recipient Country, ranging between 10 and 20% . In the past years, especially since May 1st 2004, date of EU adhesion, between 1.5 to 2 million people emigrated from Poland, young people in particular. The majority are men (55%) aged 18-34, mostly motivated by economic reasons (and for a short amount of time). The Countries of destination include Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, Scandinavian Countries, Benelux and the Mediterranean basin. Father Kloch pointed out that in a few Western Europe dioceses, the arrival of Polish immigrants led to a surge in the number of Catholics. Catholics in Norway have doubled compared to a few years ago. A similar situation has been registered in England and Wales and even in a Catholic Country like Ireland. According to Msgr. Tadeusz Kukla, rector of the Polish mission in England and Wales, thanks to Polish immigrants, parishes undergoing a drop in the number of faithful have now been opening new centres for Biblical study, organizing choruses and musical gatherings along with reading circles and prayer groups. As Father Roman Dzwonkowski remarked, a Polish parish or Polish priest who is also present in the Polish immigrants’ town of residence offering religious, moral and cultural support, represents an important point of reference, and is greatly appreciated. In his analysis of pastoral care for Polish immigrants, Father Dzwonkowski stressed its twofold function. On the one hand it enables immigrants to preserve their Polish religious traits marked by strong popular and patriotic elements, which are crucial in the adaptation to a different culture, on the other it promotes integration, since immigrants participate in the life of the Church of the recipient Country. The Polish Church missions abroad often also implement vital activities: helping the needy and marginalized people, acting as a real and true public service dealing with assignments such as passport issuance for the children of immigrants. Furthermore, among the different new emigration problems, ever-greater pastoral attentions is being devoted to mixed marriages, while the number of ‘de facto’ unions is on the increase. As relates to younger generations, the Kep delegate for the Pastoral Care of the Migrants, Msgr. Ryszard Karpinski declared that 75% of Polish children, whose parents are immigrants, attend the Polish language and literature courses organized by Pastoral centres. Finally, for the past ten years, the John Paul II Philosophical, Ethical and Social institute has been operative in Paris issuing university degrees to its students. Also in Paris, the European Institute was set up this year. It provides training to Union Institutions’ managerial staff.