Polish Bishop on Trial in Landmark Case Over Alleged Cover-Up of Clerical Child Abuse

A Polish bishop, Andrzej Jez, has gone on trial accused of concealing sexual abuse by priests in his Tarnow diocese — a landmark legal moment in a country with deep Catholic roots.

Prosecutors say Bishop Jez, the first senior member of the Polish church hierarchy to face criminal charges over an alleged failure to notify authorities, was aware of two priests who abused underage altar boys. One of those priests is alleged to have harmed as many as 95 children and is accused of committing sexual offences against 77 victims. The bishop denies the charges and has argued the diocese reported cases to law enforcement.

"If we had not reported these two cases at all, this trial would not be taking place," Bishop Jez told the court. "Paradoxically, I am being charged for my zeal."

Details Of The Cases

Authorities describe one of the proceedings as among the largest sexual abuse scandals in the Polish Catholic Church, with allegations stretching back to the 1980s and affecting multiple parishes where the accused served. Neither priest has been formally named publicly under Polish privacy rules, and no criminal charges were ultimately brought against them: in one instance complaints could not be pursued because of the passage of time and gaps in victims' memory, and in the other the investigation was discontinued after the accused cited poor health. One priest, Stanislaw P., was later removed from the priesthood by the Church.

Legal And Institutional Context

Until recently, prosecutors in Poland sometimes declined to investigate alleged cover-ups by church officials on the basis that the criminal code did not always require mandatory reporting. A 2017 amendment to the criminal code, however, made it obligatory to report sexual offences against children under 15 — a change that has sharpened legal scrutiny of how bishops and dioceses handle abuse allegations.

The Tarnow diocese has said it has submitted multiple reports to law enforcement in recent years and maintains it follows a "zero tolerance" policy. The bishop’s defence lawyer has called the prosecution a scapegoat situation, arguing victims do not always immediately inform senior clergy.

Reactions And Broader Impact

Survivors and campaigners welcomed the trial as an unprecedented step toward accountability in Poland. "I'm beyond happy that this is finally becoming public," said Lilianna Kupaj, a survivor who alleged she was abused as a child, speaking tearfully outside the courthouse.

The case comes as Poland faces mounting scandals involving clerical abuse, public criticism over the Church's political role, and a rapid decline in regular Mass attendance. A recent study published in Nature Communications identified Poland as one of the fastest-secularising countries, particularly among younger generations. Last year the national Centre for Public Opinion Research reported weekly Mass attendance had fallen to around 34% from nearly 70% in the early 1990s.

The Vatican has also intervened in recent years: in 2021 it barred three Polish bishops from publicly celebrating Mass and ordered contributions to a victims' fund amid negligence allegations. Domestically, a commission investigating the Sosnowiec diocese identified dozens of harmed children and multiple suspected abusers, and Polish bishops are due to vote soon on creating a nationwide church commission to address paedophilia.

What Comes Next

The trial of Bishop Jez will test how Poland's amended laws and public pressure reshape accountability for senior church officials. Sentencing, if a conviction occurs, could carry a prison term of up to three years under the charges brought.

Reporting credits: ks/gv/jfx/fg