Archbishop Skworc Testifies in Trial of Bishop Andrzej Jeż Accused of Covering Up Pedophilia

The trial of Bishop Andrzej Jeż, senior bishop of the Diocese of Tarnów, accused of covering up pedophilia crimes by a priest under his authority, continues at the Tarnów District Court. On the fourth day of the trial, March 5, Archbishop Wiktor Skworc, Metropolitan of Katowice, testified as a witness. His questioning focused on a key moment from 2018. Archbishop Skworc confirmed that he received information from two individuals – a woman and a man – about sexual molestation by Father Dariusz K. Skworc, who was then chairman of the Clergy Commission of the Polish Bishops' Conference, passed these reports on to Bishop Andrzej Jeż and the superior of the order to which the suspect priest belonged. The central point of the indictment is Bishop Jeż's decision. Despite being aware of these allegations, he did not notify the prosecutor's office or police, did not initiate church criminal proceedings, and sent Father Dariusz K. on a mission to the Central African Republic. The prosecution's indictment emphasizes that such a decision endangered children in the mission country and allowed the priest to continue operating around minors. Bishop Jeż, who was the ordinary of Tarnów from 2012 to 2020, previously admitted in court that he "overlooked" the doubts concerning the priest, and that the mission trip was intended to be a chance to "clear himself" of slander and detach from a difficult situation in Poland. He made the decision after consulting a psychologist who deemed the trip beneficial. Trials of clergy accused of covering up cases of pedophilia in the Catholic Church are a relatively new phenomenon in the Polish judiciary. Until now, most cases have concerned the direct perpetrators of crimes. For several years, influenced by reports and public pressure, law enforcement agencies have increasingly been investigating the responsibility of superiors who had knowledge of crimes and failed to take appropriate action. The case of Bishop Jeż is one of the first of its kind to reach the courts. Source articles differ somewhat in their assessment of Archbishop Skworc's testimony. The oko.press portal reports in detail that Skworc confirmed receiving two reports, including one from a man who was a victim of the priest as an adult, which undermines the argument about "slander." Gazeta Krakowska focuses on the fact that it was to Archbishop Skworc – and not to his direct superior, Bishop Jeż – that the victims first reported, indicating the existence of certain barriers to reporting such matters within the diocesan structure. TVN24 emphasizes the course of the trial itself and the importance of the metropolitan's testimony as a high-ranking witness.

Perspektywy mediów: Portals oko.press and TVN24 focus on systemic negligence and the responsibility of church hierarchs for concealing crimes. Gazeta Krakowska, reporting on the testimony of a local hierarch, maintains a more factual tone, placing less emphasis on institutional criticism. The trial of Bishop Andrzej Jeż is being closely watched, as its outcome could set a precedent for other similar cases pending against clergy. Further hearings are scheduled for the coming weeks.