Polish Catholic leaders stress faith over programs in push for church renewal

Bishop Piotr Greger told worshippers at a July 13 Eucharist in Bielsko‑Biała that the Church’s renewal will not come through new strategies or administrative decisions, but through faithful trust in Jesus. He warned that “the renewal will not come through further programmes … it will happen only when full trust in God awakens in us,” and used pastoral metaphors of shepherds and flocks to illustrate the Church’s role.

In the village of Biórków Wielki, Fr Włodzimierz Kurek, the parish priest, emphasized rebuilding the community through trust and prayer rather than authority. Parishioners responded with prayers for his health and supported the renovation of the sanctuary, including the coronation of an 18th‑century image of the Virgin Mary. Kurek’s approach, encouraging open dialogue and personal involvement, mirrors Greger’s call for a faith‑centered renewal.

Both leaders highlighted that authentic church renewal in Poland depends on personal faith and communal trust rather than institutional programs.