Polonia Semper Fidelis – this is the slogan of the faithful’s campaign addressed to Catholic Church shepherds in Poland. This is a son’s request to confirm the traditional teachings of the Church on the indissolubility of marriage. The Polish Episcopal Conference is still working on the interpretation of the Amoris Laetitia apostolic exhortation and the faithful’s strong voice can reassure the bishops. Poland has to lead defenders of the faith again!
Liberal interpretations of the Pope’s document caused quite a stir in the Church. For example, German bishops stated that divorcees living in new, nonsacramental relationships can receive Holy Communion. However, such a position is in breach of the existing teachings of the Church and violates the sixth commandment!
Wesprzyj nas już teraz!
It turned out that in the biggest country in Europe the Catholic hierarchy renounces the teachings of the Church and does it against the words of St. John Paul II who clearly preached: “The Church confirms its practice, based on the Holy Bible, of not allowing divorcees who remarried to receive the Eucharist”.
As the secular faithful we can express our concern about maintaining the traditional teachings of the Church and support our Shepherds in their actions. Therefore, we have created the initiative called Polonia Semper Fidelis. We don’t want the interpretational confusion to spread across Poland. We want the Polish Shepherds of the Church to confirm the traditional teachings of the Church with regard to the indissolubility of marriage in an official document.
There is a great opportunity to do so as the Polish Episcopal Conference is working on the interpretation of the Amoris Laetitia apostolic exhortation. The works are delayed – the document was to be presented last year. However, this is a circumstance inducing us to present bishops with a letter expressing our concern about the Church and maintaining the unchangeability of its teachings.
On the poloniasemperfidelis.pl website one can sign a petition with a request to His Excellency Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, President of the Polish Episcopal Conference, to confirm the traditional teachings of the Church with regard to the indissolubility of marriage. The faithful’s strong voice can become a great support for the Polish bishops and the position presented by our hierarchies can become a “spark” which will make bishops in other countries confirm the traditional teachings of the Church. The petition with all the signatures will be presented to the President of the Polish Episcopal Conference.
Every signature counts because it is an invaluable contribution to helping marriages threatened by disintegration that go through a crisis but still respect the Church’s opinion. What will happen to them if they lose this support?
Unfortunately, the opinions spread in the media, which say that the teachings of the Church with regard to the indissolubility of marriage have changed, receive acclaim among the groups unfavourable to the Church. Such opinions cause confusion also among the faithful who, despite the pressure of sexual revolution and relativisation of moral principles, try to stay true to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Chaos always brings rotten fruit – a number of people who have doubts and depart from the teachings and practice with regard to the sacrament of marriage and the Eucharist is noticeably growing.
Polish bishops took a firm position during synods devoted to a family and bravely stood up for the teachings of the Church and the spiritual heritage of the Polish Pope. We expect that the Polish Episcopal Conference will rise to the occasion also this time. Let’s show that we support our Shepherds!
The petition can be signed here: poloniasemperfidelis.pl
His Excellency Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki
President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference
Your Excellency,
As a faithful layman concerned about the fate of Catholic marriages and families in our Homeland I respectfully request the Polish Conference of Bishops to confirm the teaching of the Church about both the indissolubility of marriage and non-admission of divorced and civilly remarried persons to Holy Communion.
After Pope Francis proclaimed his apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia worrying interpretations have appeared – in particular by the German Episcopate – publicized by the media and readily followed by some groups of Catholics as if the teaching of the Church on the above-mentioned issues changed.
Unfortunately the circulation of such opinions has been causing more and more confusion in the hearts of many faithful believers who are still striving to remain faithful to Christ’s teaching on marriage despite the pressure of the sexual revolution and relativization of moral principles.
In this unusually difficult situation, in which Christian marriages and families have found themselves, the lack of an official document clearly confirming the existing position of the Church on the above-mentioned issues, expressed among others by Holy Father John Paul II in his exhortation Familiaris Consortio, has been causing an increasing number of doubts and dissents from the centuries-old teaching and practice concerning the sacrament of Matrimony and the Eucharist.
Remembering the unequivocal stand of the Polish Bishops during the Synods on the Family who courageously stood up for the teaching of the Church and the spiritual heritage of the Pope from Poland, with love and confidence I expect the confirmation of this teaching by the Polish Conference of Bishops.
Respectfully Yours in Christ.
