Summary
A Polish Catholic diocese is defending its bishop, Andrzej Jeż, who will stand trial in February for allegedly failing to report allegations of abuse against two priests. Bishop Jeż has led the southeastern Diocese of Tarnów since 2012. The bishop is accused by prosecutors of violating Article 240 of the Polish Penal Code, which mandates reporting sexual offenses against minors under age 15, and Church law prohibits sexual abuse involving anyone under 18. The trial will be significant as it involves a diocesan bishop in Poland for the first time. Jeż is accused of concealing cases of sexual abuse by priests Fr. Stanisław P., who allegedly abused at least 95 boys between 1987 and 2008, including one victim reporting the crime to prosecutors in 2010; and Fr. Tomasz K., accused of abusing three minors from 2008 to 2010. The Tarnów diocese states Jeż only learned about the abuse cases when documents from priests’ time in Ukraine were sent to the curia, raising questions over jurisdiction and reliability of information. The diocese claims it acted promptly once aware of potential crimes against minors by Fr. Stanisław P., informing Vatican authorities who launched investigations resulting in the priest’s dismissal from clergy. For Fr. Tomasz K., Jeż instructed a report be made to law enforcement immediately upon learning of possible criminal acts, despite contradictory witness testimony asserting victims were not under 15 at the time of alleged offenses. The prosecutor’s office discontinued a case against Fr. Stanisław P. in 2022 due to statute of limitations, while the diocese reports that Jeż reported potential crimes by Fr. Tomasz K. to law enforcement on December 16, 2021.
Key Topics
Bishop Jeż, Tarnów Diocese, Sexual abuse
