Bishop Jan Piotrowski opens Pontifical Mission Societies meeting

Bishop Jan Piotrowski opened an autumn meeting of the Pontifical Mission Societies and missionary communities in Warsaw to discuss the future of missionary work in Poland. The gathering brought together more than 80 participants to prepare for the centenary of World Mission Day, scheduled for October 18, 2026.

Bishop Piotrowski, who serves as the president of the Commission for Missions of the Polish Bishops' Conference, stated that mission is essential to the nature of the Church rather than an addition to it. He noted that the Church must move beyond outdated methods and find new ways to proclaim the Gospel to involve the entire community.

Participants discussed shifting the perspective on churches in mission territories, viewing them as collaborators in spreading the Gospel instead of just recipients of aid. The meeting emphasized that missionary responsibility involves prayer, formation, and animation alongside material support. This requires cooperation between dioceses, religious orders, the Pontifical Mission Societies, missionary organizations, and lay people.