Poland: Day of prayer and penance for sexual abuse of minors

@ChurchInPoland/Twitter

“Victims of abuse can count on the fact that in the long and difficult path of recovery they will also be supported by the entire ecclesial community” – said Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference on the occasion of the Day of Prayer and Penance for Abuses sexual on minors.

Archbishop Artur Miziński, Secretary General of the Polish Bishops’ Conference celebrated the Holy Mass for the victims of abuse in the chapel of the Conference Secretariat. During the celebration he emphasized that “The Church wants wounded people to feel part of her community where, in the spiritual dimension, prayer and penance are gifts that we can offer each other”.

The faithful have the right to know that we sincerely deal with neglect and we are doing everything possible so that the light of the Gospel is not obscured - said Mgr. Wojciech Polak, Delegate of the Polish Bishops' Conference for the protection of minors.

This year’s Day has as its motto “Community with the wounded”. During the day, Holy Masses, Via Crucis, and Chaplets of divine mercy were celebrated. The pastoral and liturgical material and the texts of reflections were prepared by the Office of the Delegate of the Polish Bishops’ Conference for the protection of minors.

The initiative was born following the “Letter to the People of God” of Pope Francis of 20 August 2018. The Polish Church has decided to celebrate the annual Day of Prayer and Penance for child abuse on the first Friday of Lent.