Church
“Go and announce” is the title of the pastoral programme of the Polish Church for 2016-2017 started on the first Sunday of Advent. The new pastoral year is proposed as part of a broader initiative, which, through the experience of faith, conversion and baptism, ends by placing more emphasis on the announcement of the Gospel. “We want to get close to the problems that concern the results and the fruit of our unity with Christ, started with Holy Baptism”, states the president of the Polish Bishops Conference, monsignor Stanislaw Gadecki, who points out that “every baptised person is called by the Lord to get involved in proclaiming the Gospel to the world”. Pointing out that “young people’s enthusiasm and efforts are needed” in the Church, the prelate encourages so that the pastoral programme be addressed not only to adults. In addition, he recalls that, as a continuation of the Holy Year of Mercy, Poland celebrates the Year of St Albert (born Adam Chmielowski) of the Third Order of St Francis, the founder of the congregations of the Brothers of the Third Order of St Francis Servants of the Poor and of the Albertine Sisters. The Year of St Albert (proclaimed saint by Pope John Paul II in 1989), as mgr. Gadecki claims, “is an opportunity, with works of mercy, to give credibility to what will be proclaimed”.
