Four moral scandals within 20 months in the Sosnowiec diocese. It's a real earthquake. The newly appointed bishop has already established the third commission after taking office. A commission called “Clarification and Repair” will deal with the scandals. At the same time, prosecutors from Sosnowiec are conducting investigations into these shocking cases. They press charges. The first judgments have already been passed in the courts.
Purification among the clergy – at least in this parish – is fast approaching. – This series, you could say, tells us that we are dealing with a certain crisis in a given place – comments Fr. Rafał Kowalski, vice-rector of the Pontifical Faculty of Theology in Wrocław.
First a murder, then a suicide and a homosexual orgy. Now there is to be full transparency – it is a reaction to a series of moral scandals. The newly appointed Bishop of Sosnowiec, Artur Ważny, is appointing a third commission to explain what exactly and – above all – why has been happening in the diocese over the years.
Another scandal in the Sosnowiec diocese. The case concerns pedophilia and financial fraud Renata Kijowska/Fakty TVN
– We started work on Saturday, because that's when we received the decrees, today is Monday. We have already worked for several hours – says Dr. Monika Przybysz from Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University, a member of the committee.
A real earthquake is about to happen in the Sosnowiec bishopric. A diocese that became famous due to four moral scandals in less than two years.
– It is also a matter of, in a sense, regaining the credibility of this particular church – he points out priest Rafał Kowalski. The participation of secular experts in the commissions and the parallel investigation by the prosecutor's office are intended to clarify and, above all, heal the situation.
More than a dozen cases of abuse
– The first stage is, of course, dealing with and mapping all the problems that exist in the Sosnowiec diocese. Those that are in the media, those that outraged, those that we can call scandals, and those that outraged public opinion. We want to start with these, says Monika Przybysz.
The committee members will analyze not only these four cases with the most media coverage, but also other, less known cases. In total, there are several cases of abuse.
– Currently, two proceedings are pending in Sosnowiec prosecutor's offices – says Bartosz Kilian from the District Prosecutor's Office in Sosnowiec.
The first one concerns the death of a young man in the parish in Sosnowiec. The proceedings were initiated in March this year. One of the priests of the diocese has the status of suspect in this case.
– The current charge against him concerns illegal possession of drugs. Moreover, a much broader investigation is underway in the local district prosecutor's office, also focusing on numerous irregularities in the functioning of clergy in the local diocese – says Bartosz Kilian.
A year earlier, a priest killed a 26-year-old deacon, shooting him six times with a revolver and stabbing him multiple times. Then he committed suicide. In September last year, an orgy involving a sex worker took place in the apartment of Father Tomasz Z. from Dąbrowa Górnicza. The priest was sentenced to one and a half years in prison – the charges concerned drug offenses.
As a consequence of these events, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of the then bishop, Grzegorz Kaszak.
Charges against clergy
The last case to come to light was the October detention of three men. Two of them are active clergy of the Sosnowiec diocese. The third one is a former priest, but the charges against him concern the time when he was still a priest. He is suspected of financial fraud. The two remaining active priests were charged with a total of 11 pedophile charges, including those classified as sexual crimes against freedom and decency to the detriment of minors.
– The Church in every diocese, not just this particular one, is more than just a few crisis situations caused by a few people. For the good of all the people who make up this Church, this type of commission work, these types of corrective actions, simply belong to them – says Fr. Rafał Kowalski.
Investigators searched, among others, the building of the Diocesan Curia in SosnowiecTVN24
– We do not know how long the commission's work will last, because it all depends on what has not yet seen the light of day, we are also interested in such situations, if something requires intervention or urgent reporting, we will also deal with it – says Dr. Monika Newcomer.
Experts – following the promises of the current bishop – emphasize full transparency of activities and willingness to cooperate with law enforcement agencies.
– What is extremely important to me is the announcement of the presentation of the report – says Fr. Rafał Kowalski. – We want all our work – we don't know when it will be – to end with a report that will be public – points out Monika Przybysz.
The committee is also expected to report on the progress of its work every quarter.
Main photo source: TVN24