Catholic Evangelization in Poland
Thanks to the generosity of Catholic World Mission donors, the Legionaries of Christ fearlessly lead the way for evangelization efforts in Krakow, Poland. There they work with the poor and disadvantaged to stir the hearts of Catholics who have left the Catholic Church and inspire a new generation of young people to take charge. In Poland, 87% of the population is Catholic, but only 54% of that take any liberty in participating in their Catholic faith. The Legionaries of Christ priests are bringing about a change in society. They are actively participating in bringing food to the homeless.
Explore the tabs below to learn more about how Catholic World Mission helps support this important work in Poland.
Provide Comfort for the Weary and Brokenhearted
The people of Ukraine are pouring into Poland, in a troubling search for safety, and desperately need food, shelter, and other humanitarian support in the coming days, weeks, months, and beyond. We need YOUR help in supporting our brothers and sisters that are seeking refuge, along with those who are voluntarily providing care.
We are coordinating efforts and logistics with Caritas Archdiocese of Krakow, local partners, and members of the Regnum Christi Family in Poland to receive, feed, and shelter our weary broken-hearted Ukrainian brothers and sisters. Provide them with comfort and hope through your prayers and support.
“… for I was hungry you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me.” – Matthew 25:35
July 2022
Ukrainian refugees are still pouring into Poland. Thanks to your generous support, Caritas Archdiocese of Krakow and the Regnum Christi family have continued to welcome weary and displaced families with open arms, warm meals, first-aid care, and shelter.
After being greeted and renewed upon arrival, families were invited to stay at designated refugee homes where meals and care are provided! Through these uncertain times, the community of residents remains united in hope and fellowship.
Comforting and nutritious meals are provided for those staying at the outreach homes.
The Poland train station welcomed refugees with meals and shelter upon arrival.
Volunteers packaged first-aid supplies to be distributed to help centers.
Your generosity provided an industrial generator for the hospital.
We extend our sincerest gratitude for all of your prayers and support. Thanks to you, the weary and brokenhearted are being provided with care, comfort, safety, and faith for the future.
May 2022
Thanks to you, we have supported a combined effort of Caritas Archdiocese of Krakow, the Regnum Christi family, and local partners to receive, feed, shelter, and care for the Ukrainians searching for safety.
Because of your support, members of Regnum Christi youth group were prepared to welcome hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees at a train station in Krakow, Poland. These faithful servants comforted weary families with prepared meals and temporary shelters upon arrival.
After families entered Poland, they were able to find shelter in three refugee homes that are housing a total of 170 people. Your generosity has provided all of the 170 people with 3 meals a day for 45 days, totaling 22,950 meals!
In addition to aiding those seeking refuge in Poland, we have also provided support for those in need of medical assistance in the Ukraine by supplying Ukrainian hospitals with first-aid kits. Lastly, through Caritas Archdiocese of Krakow, we have ensured hospitals in Lviv, Ukraine have reliable energy sources by providing 10 industrial power generators!
March 2022
Catholic World Mission has begun working with Caritas Archdiocese of Krakow to be the hands and feet of Christ for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters. Thanks to your generosity, we have funded the bulk purchase of food and essential items to be distributed to the Ukrainian refugees as they arrive in Poland. Stay tuned to see how these groceries will be turned into warm meals for Ukrainians seeking safety in Poland.
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me…” – Matthew 25:35
The Mission in Poland
This mission in Poland is focused on bringing people back to the Church. The Legionaries of Christ know that no one is too young to embrace Jesus, and it is never too late. That is why they evangelize from the very youngest to the oldest. Through their evangelization programs, they help people meet the Living Jesus right where they are while slowly guiding them to step out of their comfort zone and follow the Lord more closely. They strive to be the hands and feet of Jesus and makes sure the community knows they are welcome in the Church.
Your support in Poland will revitalize the Church today.
Evangelizing young people is the most important work being done in Poland.
Young people are the future of the world, and if we take the time to invest in them now and help them grow in knowledge and love for their faith it will count for a lifetime of change in this world. The Legionaries create experiences for young people to encounter the Living Jesus, so that he truly becomes the principle guide of their lives, the only person who is able to truly transform their lives definitively. The young people are taught to take responsibility for the local Church. They are helped to understand that if they do not become salt of the earth the Church will lose its spirit of mission in the world. Formation, education, spiritual growth and leadership are all essential elements of this work of preparing the Church’s next generation of committed apostles. In a nutshell, the Legionaries look to show these young people the beauty of their faith and lead them into a personal, ongoing, and transformative relationship with their Savior, Our Lord Jesus Christ.
“We believe that, because of the society that we live in, to wait till the stage of adolescence to begin working with youth is simply too late. Our work with children starts at the age of 3. These children meet once a month for a catechism program full of real life experiences and tangible, hands on activities that help them understand that our faith is real, beautiful, and to be lived personally and shared universally.” – Father Matthew Devereux, LC
Evangelization starts young because it is so important for children to feel loved no matter what. Evangelizing “the least of these”—the youngest children—is a big part of the mission in Poland because what we learn as children sets the foundation for the rest of our lives. Children who feel loved by our Heavenly Father will know this love throughout life and seek it in times of trouble. The children are catechised in Vacation Bible School, where they learn teamwork, how to pray together, and are taught the importance of the Mass.
“Young men and women, mainly high school and university students, organize a day full of fun, friendship and faith for orphans and poor children. The volunteers organize everything themselves for sponsors, venues, attractions, activities and logistics. It is for them a true schooling experience of how to put their talents at the service of the Church, in particular for these children whose lives are often scarred from traumatic experiences. The young people each have children to look after during the day, so that each child feels very well-cared-for and so they can have time to form a friendship which they try to develop during the year at each new activity.” – Fr. Matthew Devereux, LC
Family is the foundation of the mission for the Legionaries. Everything builds off the idea that the Christian values being taught will be practiced and supported at home. In this way, the whole family keeps one another accountable to live in the truth.
“It is very apparent that if we limit our work only to children or youth, then we can quickly see all our effort lost, when there is little or no support in their homes from their parents. As a response to this important need, we also offer moments where the whole family can come together for a spiritual activity combined with the presence of other families. This way they can also breathe in the air of the presence of others who are striving to raise their families in a spirit of true faith and love.” – Father Matthew Devereux, LC
Evangelization cannot stop once someone is confirmed. It must continue throughout the life to be able to respond to the call of Christ.
“I sense that the moment has come to commit all of the Church’s energies to a new evangelization and to the mission ad gentes. No believer in Christ, no institution of the Church can avoid this supreme duty: to proclaim Christ to all peoples.” – Saint John Paul II
Letter from Agnieszka
Hello! My name is Agnieszka. I’m 25 years old. In 2015 I went on missions to Lithuania. I was on my way but I was still thinking whether it was a good or bad decision. I was still considering myself not good enough to go. Not praying enough, a bit too disappointed with life circumstances. All the other girls in the group were much younger, eager to act and creating the joyful atmosphere. Each of us was asked to do some duty in service for all – I was made responsible for the prayers (didn’t really know why). When I was already on the spot, especially while walking from one house to another, visiting families I noticed, that people there really trusted us. Trusting God. Usually quite poor, but calm and modest, happy with what they’ve got. So looking at them and at the girls from my group I drew the conclusion that we really did some good. Lots of work and prayer created some specific emotions. At first it all seemed a great burden, then there was a breaking point and we started to notice a real joy and realize how small were our own troubles. But this journey will be unforgettable because of something else. Coming there I felt really lonely. And though I was praying a lot I still felt the darkening loneliness even more. One day I was at adoration in the parish at Ejszyszki and was praying hard and asking God to let me see that I was loved. I knew He loved me but still couldn’t see it. Nothing changed. We went back to our rooms and went to sleep. But in the middle of the night I felt a strong light. I thought someone lit the lights. But I was really surprised to see with my own eyes when I opened them, that the room was still completely dark. A bit overwhelmed I sat on my bed with closed eyes and started to feel a great warmth filling my chest and felt this special light inside my heart. It wasn’t just a normal touch. It was as if all the real joy, intensive happiness that I have felt through all my life was changed into pure energy and a river of love. The strongest love ever. I have heard “I love you”. I just couldn’t believe it happened so I begged that feeling didn’t disappear. It lasted a long time, until my soul was full to the brim. Since then all my life has changed. I am now full of peace in my life. I can recommend to everyone these missions with the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi.
Finding God at Summer Camp
Summer 2022
The Legionaries of Christ in Poland have been giving the youth remarkable spiritual experiences that display God’s selfless love to them and the world thanks to YOU!
The Regnum Christi youth group ventured to Albania and volunteered at two summer camps to serve 100 handicapped individuals. The youth also participated in summer camps for their spiritual enrichment. The camp’s itinerary included Holy Mass, the rosary, Gospel reflection, and morning and evening prayers. Along with these moments, the teenagers experienced fellowship and became closer with one another through various fun activities. The focus of the camps is to help the young people grow in personal relationships with Christ that will last a lifetime. Your generosity has helped them be able to serve and be served this past summer and they are grateful for your bountiful giving!
Mission Retreat to Invest in the Future of the Church
May 2022
Thank you for supporting the young people in Poland on their journey of formation, education, spiritual growth, and leadership in the Church. Because of your generosity, groups of teenagers and young adults were able to gather for a mission retreat led by the faithful Legionaries of Christ. The retreat was filled with fellowship, prayer, music and worship, educational presentations, and the celebration of Mass.
Thank you for investing in the future of the Church and the world. We are amazed to see the young people explore the beautiful faith and journey deeper in their relationships with Christ. We are excited and hopeful for future generations of believers!
May 2021
Thanks to a generous contribution the Legionaries of Christ in Malopolska, Poland have been able to cultivate their formation center and help the lives of parishioners within the community! They have bought and renovated their Apostles’ House, gotten a Volkswagen 9-seat vehicle, been able to have a Holy Week retreat, and have paid the living costs for members of the community. Fr. Mariusz Kielbasa tells us that they plan to use the remaining funds for a youth missions trip to Albania, a co-worker fund, and continuing relief for their community.
December 2017
In 2017, Legion Priests and Regnum Christi missionaries took 50 Polish teens on mission trips throughout Poland. The teen missionaries worked to evangelize and meet the material needs of the poor in their local region. Trips included one for boys and one for girls. These trips bear a lot of fruit, not only in the lives of the communities the missionaries serve in, but also in the hearts and lives of the missionaries themselves. Many of them share an increase in their own faith, and in the belief of God’s love for them as individuals. We owe a great debt of gratitude to you, our donors, for making it possible for young people around the world to know Jesus better!
The Homeless
Feeding the hungry answers the call of John 21:17:
“He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ [Jesus] said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’
The Legionaries are inspiring young people through a program called “Spotkanie Chrystusa w Ubogim” which means “the Encounter of Christ in the Poor.” Many people in Krakow are homeless and live without food on a daily basis. The young people who participate in Spotkanie Chrystusa w Ubogim personally responded to the needs of hundreds of people on the streets of Krakow.
“It [Spotkanie Chrystusa] is an activity that empowers a young person to see that he or she is capable of making a difference in the lives of their brothers and sisters who have simply been less fortunate. At the end of each of these encounters the young stay with the desire to do more in the future for these people of the street – these Poor Christs.” – Father Matthew Devereux, LC
Operation Kilo
The Legionaries also have a mission called “Operation Kilo.” With permission from local supermarkets, they spend the entire day in these stores inviting customers to buy an extra kilo of sugar, rice, flour, etc., for families in need within Poland and abroad.
“Yet another example of teaching the youth to see what they are capable of when they work together, give their time up for others and are united together in Christ.” – Father Matthew Devereux, LC
Young People are Changing the World!
November 2018
This past March, 25 young people ages 8 to 25 came together to be beggars for Christ. They stood outside grocery stores and begged for donations to feed the hungry and homeless people of Poland. All together with Caritas International they collected 880 pounds of food!
The Legionaries also have a mission called “Operation Kilo.” With permission from local supermarkets, they spend the entire day in these stores inviting customers to buy an extra kilo of sugar, rice, flour, etc., for families in need within Poland and abroad. At times, they have had over 100 volunteers on a single day who have collected over 5 tons of food.