Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor is to visit the Polish Bishops' Conference in March, building on the close relationship between the Bishops of the two countries.For some time the Cardinal and Archbishop Jósef Michalik have been planning the visit, following on from Archbishop Michalik's visit to London in 2004 and their regular meetings at the Council of European Bishops' Conferences, which they both attend as presidents of their respective conferences.
The Cardinal has been invited to speak to the Bishops' plenary meeting in Poland, at which he is looking forward to discussing the situation of Polish people in this country and other parts of the world. The meeting will take place on 5 March.
"For many years now the Polish Mission has been the bedrock of the pastoral care of Polish people in England and Wales. With greatly increased numbers, that pastoral care is changing and people come here in different circumstances. Some move here with their families, others come alone for a short period to work. While many are concentrated in London and major urban areas, there are also Polish workers across rural England and Wales," said the Cardinal.
"The Church is a sacrament of unity and we strive to show that it is possible to face differences through dialogue and mutual acceptance, with the aim of promoting what the Second Vatican Council called a 'genuinely Catholic spirit'."
"The Catholic Church in England and Wales has a long history of welcoming migrants. Following the enlargement of the EU it is our joint responsibility to ensure our different gifts are shared. I am discussing with my fellow Bishops how best to welcome migrants among us. In particular, we have to consider pastoral care in changing circumstances so that all the Polish people, who are very welcome in this country, have their spiritual needs met. They make a great contribution to the life and mission of the Catholic Church in England and Wales."
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