"The meeting stirred deep emotions." Bishops met with victims of abuse in the Church

The meeting concluded with a joint press conference attended by both the representatives and clergy, including Archbishop Wojciech Polak, Primate of Poland and delegate of the Polish Bishops' Conference (KEP) for the protection of children and youth.

"For me personally, this is an important stage where we continually experience the truth that harm caused in the Church by some clergy is not merely an issue of applying the law properly or dealing with procedural aspects related to the protection of children and youth," Archbishop Polak stated. He highlighted the personal impact of listening to the testimonies of victims:

"I focus primarily on the harm experienced by our brothers and sisters, and therefore, this meeting was, for me, above all, a very concrete encounter with individuals who have suffered this harm. Of course, beyond what is connected to the personal testimonies - which undoubtedly touched my heart once again - as I listened to the testimony of someone who had been harmed, I experienced the truth that through what is dark and sinful, light still breaks through," he continued.

Speaking after the meeting, Robert Fidura, one of the representatives of the abused, reflected on the emotional intensity of the gathering.

"You don’t know me; I’m not one to beat around the bush. I can assure you that everything we planned, everything that is important to us, we were able to present to the bishops. They heard us, and we, in turn, received very sincere and deeply personal responses from them," he said.

While refraining from disclosing specific details, Fidura stressed the importance of sharing the outcomes first with the people they represent.

"We want our constituents - if I can put it that way - to hear it first. They deserve that. Besides, we need time to process our own emotions. Let’s not kid ourselves; this is how it works."

He acknowledged the meeting’s transformative impact, calling it "very emotional" and adding that it "stirred deep emotions."

"Everything we planned, everything that mattered to us, was brought to the table," Fidura reiterated. He concluded by reiterating the importance of working together.

"I'm incredibly grateful that we were able to take the bishops somewhat by the hand, and we are somewhat beginning to move in one direction, looking at certain issues in a very similar way," Fidura said.

He emphasized the importance of collaboration, adding: "We have experienced this; the bishops have not, so if we do not join forces, little will come of it."

Jakub Pankowiak, one of the protagonists of the Sekielski brothers' documentary Playing Hide and Seek, which delves into cases of sexual abuse within the Polish Church, and a signatory of the letter to the Polish Bishops' Conference sent in May, also spoke during Tuesday's meeting. This letter to the Permanent Council of the Episcopate led to the gathering at Jasna Góra.

"I feel that today’s meeting was a historic one, and that is not an overstatement," Pankowiak said. He explained that it was the first meeting of its kind, held with such a broad representation and involving most of the bishops.

He emphasized that the meeting wasn’t solely about recounting the harm experienced by survivors. "That was one of the points - to remind the bishops of the gravity of the harm and the struggles that victims face. But for me, this meeting was primarily about finally being able to act as equals in a conversation and to present the expectations we have of our Church," Pankowiak stated, adding that these expectations were "very specific."

Pankowiak also acknowledged that there are many others with their own expectations who had not signed the letter because they view the situation differently. "I hope we remember them too. They are just as much a part of society, and even though they may no longer be part of the Church, they still have the right to articulate their expectations," he said.

"I feel that from today, it will be much easier for us to understand each other, much easier for us to move forward together - although I know this path will not be entirely smooth," Pankowiak concluded.

Commentators agree that although the meeting itself should be evaluated positively, it lacked concrete outcomes.

Reporter Marcin Gutowski from Czarno na białym noted that both sides confirmed that "there were emotions" during the meeting. "Both sides also confirm that no specific actions were taken," he added.

"The representatives of the victims came to Częstochowa for the meeting of the Polish Bishops' Conference not only to talk about their suffering with the Polish bishops but also to discuss specific demands they had previously submitted in writing," Gutowski stressed.

The reporter pointed out that the meeting took place "in an unclear format." "It took place after the conclusion of the Polish Bishops' Conference deliberations. It was more or less optional for the bishops," he said, noting that the overwhelming majority of church hierarchs attended the meeting.

Gutowski also pointed out that it is still unclear when the commission to investigate cases of sexual abuse by priests since 1945 will be established, as promised by the primate of Poland, Archbishop Wojciech Polak.

"Another issue that remains unresolved and for which no answers were provided during the post-meeting press conference is the first demand, which is the suspension of Archbishop of Gdańsk Tadeusz Wojda, who is accused of negligence and covering up sexual crimes," he explained.

Gutowski concluded that although this first meeting is seen as "a light in the tunnel," more questions remain unanswered than clarified issues.

Professor Błażej Kmieciak, former head of the State Commission for the Investigation of Pedophilia, told TVN24 that, after the press conference involving bishops and survivors of sexual abuse by the Church, "we are dealing with the resocialization of bishops."

He acknowledged that while concrete actions were lacking, he believed that many bishops who attended the meeting had the opportunity to hear from specific individuals like Robert Fidura for the first time.

Prof. Kmieciak pointed out that Jakub Pankowiak, "one of the protagonists of the second film by the Sekielski brothers," also participated in the meeting. "There is a poignant scene in the film where Pankowiak at one point hides his face in his hands, showing the immense suffering he experienced in the Kalisz diocese," he added.

Filip Flisowski from the Congress of Catholic Women and Men said that there are numerous issues, apart from the most painful ones, where bishops have an opportunity to open up. "We, as laypeople, but also clergy, often knock on doors and deal with a variety of topics, including issues related to church finances, raising the role of laypeople, and the role of women in the Church," he added.