On Sunday, September 5, the “Day of Solidarity with Afghans” will be celebrated in the Church in Poland. The chairman of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, made an appeal to the shepherds and the faithful of the Catholic Church in Poland for prayers and material help for the Afghans.
Bishops gathered on August 25 this year. at Jasna Góra, during the Council of Diocesan Bishops, they unanimously supported the idea of a nationwide collection for Afghans suffering from the change of power in their country. Therefore, the President of the Polish Episcopate announced the “Day of Solidarity with the Afghans.”
“Listening to the voice of Pope Francis, who called all people of goodwill to pray to the God of peace, to silence the clash of arms and to find solutions at the table of dialogue, I appeal to the shepherds and the faithful of the Church in Poland for prayer and material help for the suffering people of Afghanistan,” wrote Archbishop Gądecki in a special appeal.
He called on Sunday, September 5, to ask God for peace in Afghanistan and for the Afghan people during the common prayer in every church and chapel in Poland, and to organize a fundraiser after the Holy Masses. The collected funds will be used for long-term support of Caritas activities for migrants and refugees, both in Poland and abroad.
As announced by the President of the Episcopate, in cooperation with Caritas in Pakistan, a three-month humanitarian intervention of immediate aid for approximately 1,500 families will begin. Archbishop Gądecki also emphasized that there are already Migrant and Refugee Centers in Poland run by Caritas Polska and diocesan Caritas. “Caritas Polska will launch a nationwide program of support for refugees in our homeland – from spiritual, psychological and social assistance, through linguistic, legal and medical assistance, to professional counseling, intercultural support, and support for parish volunteering and communication with the media,” we read in the appeal.
APPEAL
OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE POLISH BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE
FOR A DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH AFGHANS
For several weeks now, we have been witnesses of dramatic events in Afghanistan connected with the change of government.
Many thousands of Afghans are saving their lives and health by fleeing the country, seeking help from the international community.
Listening to the voice of Pope Francis, who called on all people of goodwill to “pray to the God of peace, so that the clash of arms may fall silent, and solutions may be found at the table of dialogue,” I appeal to the pastors and the faithful of the Church in Poland for prayer and material assistance for the suffering people of Afghanistan.
In view of the above, I proclaim Sunday, September 5th a “Day of Solidarity with the Afghans.” I thank all the bishops who, during the Diocesan Bishops’ Council held at Jasna Góra on August 25th, unanimously supported the idea of a nationwide collection for this purpose.
I ask that, on Sunday, September 5th, in every church and chapel in Poland, during the prayer of the faithful, we ask God for peace in Afghanistan and pray for the Afghans, and that after the Holy Masses a collection be organized for their benefit.
The funds raised will be used to support Caritas’ long-term work with migrants and refugees, both in Poland and abroad. In partnership with Caritas in Pakistan, the country with the largest group of refugees from Afghanistan, a three-month humanitarian intervention of immediate assistance to some 1,500 families will begin.
Migrant and Refugee Centers run by Caritas Poland and diocesan Caritas are already operating in Poland. Caritas Polska will launch a nationwide program to support refugees in our homeland—reaching from spiritual, psychological, and social assistance, to language, legal, and medical assistance, as well as career counseling, intercultural support, and volunteer support in parishes and media communication.
I thank in advance all the faithful for their positive response to my appeal, trusting that once again Poles will show their noble hearts.
✠ Stanisław Gądecki
Archbishop Metropolitan of Poznan
President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference
Vice-President of the Council of the Conferences of European Bishops (CCEE)
Warsaw, 27 August 2021
