Adrian Galbas is the new Archbishop of Warsaw. “More open to changes than the average Polish bishop”

On Monday, the Apostolic Nunciature in Poland announced that Pope Francis accepted resignation of Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz from the service of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Warsaw and appointed the current Metropolitan Archbishop of Katowice, Archbishop Adrian Józef Galbas, to this position.

– The Holy Father decided for me to move from Katowice to Warsaw, which is very difficult for me as a human being. But I accept the pope's decision in obedience and with the hope that God's will is in it, Archbishop Galbas said in a short recording. He asked for prayer.

According to Tomasz Terlikowski, the election of Archbishop Galbas as Metropolitan of Warsaw is “surprising”. – Archbishop Galbas was metropolitan of Katowice for just over a year and a half, previously he served as coadjutor of this diocese. It's very short – he said.

The publicist recalled that according to Catholic theology, the bishop is “married to the diocese.” – The divorce after a year and a half from the diocese, which was supposed to be his “bride”, is a big surprise – he said. He added that in practice it happens that bishops change diocese, but from the theological point of view – this should not be the case. – It seems that the faithful of the Archdiocese of Katowice may feel disappointed by this change – he noted.

See also: The Pope accepted the resignation of Cardinal Nycz

– This choice shows a serious problem in the Polish Church. It shows how few bishops there are in Poland who are suitable for such high positions and who represent the option of Pope Francis – which is not so obvious in Poland – he said.

According to the publicist, this does not change the fact that it is a very good choice for Warsaw. – Archbishop Galbas is a bishop open to new pastoral and evangelization solutions. He is open to young people and is looking for new ways to reach them, which is very important in the situation of rapidly progressing laicization in the Archdiocese of Warsaw – he said.

He added that another distinguishing feature of Archbishop Galbas is his openness to the laity. – It is worth noting that this is a bishop not associated with political involvement. For Polish Catholics, his political views are a mystery. This is very good, because as the metropolitan of Warsaw he will have to get along with politicians. This may be a signal to the authorities that this is someone they can talk to, he said.

According to Terlikowski, in the near future Archbishop Galbas has a chance to even receive the cardinal's hat, which is usually associated with taking over the metropolis of Warsaw. – Although when it comes to cardinal nominations, Pope Francis likes to change established customs – he said.

He noted that Archbishop Galbas is not afraid of difficult decisions related to cleansing the Church of sexual abuse. The publicist emphasized that people who protect minors in the Church claim that they have support from Archbishop Galbas. – Archbishop Galbas is an absolutely positive figure in this matter. He himself introduced good solutions in this area in the Katowice Archdiocese, some of them the first in Poland, he noted.

Read also: Archbishop Galbas apologizes “to each and every one of you. You have become part of this disgrace through no fault of your own.”

According to the publicist, compared to most Polish bishops, Archbishop Galbas is one of the supporters of changes in the Church and “looking for answers to difficult problems.” He recalled that the hierarch was a delegate of the Polish Episcopal Conference to the recently concluded synod and spoke about the synod with enthusiasm. – Of course, if you compare Archbishop Galbas with the very progressive hierarchs of the Western Church, he will appear more as a middle-of-the-road bishop, but he is certainly more open to changes than the average Polish bishop – said the publicist.

Terlikowski emphasized that he was leaving retirement Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz was an “excellent manager” in the Archdiocese of Warsaw, and he was also able to get along with politicians of various stripes – he had good contacts, among others, with the mayor of Warsaw Rafał Trzaskowski.

– I think that Archbishop Galbas will also cope with this task. However, the Archdiocese of Warsaw needs, above all, an opening to evangelization, especially towards young people who are leaving the Church at a rapid pace – he said.

As we read on the website of the Archdiocese of Katowice, Adrian Józef Galbas was born on January 26, 1968 in Bytom, where he completed primary and secondary school.

“In 1987, he was admitted to the Association of the Catholic Apostolate of Pallottine Priests. In 1987-1988, he completed his novitiate in Ząbkowice Śląski, and then studied at the SAC Major Seminary in Ołtarzew. He made his perpetual vows on September 8, 1993 in Zakopane, and on May 7, 1994 He was ordained a priest in Ołtarzew,” the Archdiocese of Katowice announced.

“In the years 1994-1995 he was a vicar in the parish of St. Michael the Archangel in Łódź. In the years 1995-1998 he studied pastoral theology at the Catholic University of Lublin. He was also a student of the College of Social Communication and Journalism at the Catholic University of Lublin. In the years 1998-2002 he was prefect of students at the Major Seminary in Ołtarzew, and from 2002 to 2005, counselor in the Board of the Annunciation of the Lord SAC. In 2002-2003, he was the Secretary for the Apostolate in Częstochowa. In 2003, he became the parish priest of St. Lawrence in Poznań him until 2011. At the same time, from 2008 to 2011, he once again served as a counselor on the Board of the Province of the Annunciation of the Lord SAC in Poznań,” recalled the Archdiocese of Katowice.

In 2012, Galbas became a doctor of theology at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, and in 2019, Pope Francis appointed him auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Ełk. He was ordained a bishop a year later. In 2021, he became coadjutor archbishop, and in 2023, metropolitan of Katowice.