Polish parishioners trap bishop in Grojec church over dismissal of longtime priest

Parish standoff in Grojec

On the evening of 4 October 2026, residents gathered at the Church of St. Lawrence in Grojec, near Oświęcim, to protest the dismissal of their longtime parish priest, Józef Zborek. The demonstration coincided with a visit by Roman Pindel, the Bishop of the Diocese of Bielsko-Żywiec, who arrived at 19:00 for a meeting with the local parish council. While the diocese stated that the two-and-a-half-hour meeting was conducted calmly, tensions escalated after the bishop entered the church during Eucharistic adoration.

Crowd estimates ranged from several hundred people reported by national outlets to between 2,000 and nearly 3,000 cited by local press. Demonstrators blocked all church and rectory doors, chanting demands for the return of the priest who had led the parish since 1997. Worshippers shouted slogans including "Give back our parish priest" and "Coward" as clergy moved through the building. Parishioners accused church leadership of ignoring the community, with several confronting the bishop directly at the altar microphone after he stated that his formal position would be announced on Monday.

In order to avoid desecration of the church and to protect their safety, the bishop and several priests went to the sacristy and intended to exit outside.

Dismissal and Vatican proceedings

The dispute stems from disciplinary actions against Józef Zborek that began in early 2024. According to statements released by the Bielsko-Żywiec curia, the priest was removed due to proven serious irregularities in the fulfillment of his office. The diocese declined to specify the charges, citing privacy protections, and stated that any detailed explanation should come directly from Zborek.

Zborek appealed the removal through three levels of the Holy See. The Dicastery for the Clergy confirmed the bishop's decision, and proceedings concluded definitively before the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. Zborek vacated the parish on Saturday, 3 October 2026, following morning Mass. Parishioners defended his tenure, citing his long service and his willingness to conduct baptisms and first communions for families turned away by other parishes, alongside unconfirmed local claims regarding his practice of not charging for sacraments.

Police response and midnight evacuation

As demonstrators surrounded the building and blocked the sacristy exits, diocesan officials reported that clergy members were shoved back inside the church. Police units, including specialized negotiators dispatched from Kraków, arrived at the scene around midnight to resolve the standoff. In the presence of negotiators, Bishop Pindel addressed the crowd outside, confirming that the Vatican's ruling was final.

Officers secured an exit route shortly before 01:00 on Monday, 5 October 2026, allowing Bishop Pindel and accompanying priests to leave the parish grounds under police escort. In a formal statement released at 02:30, the diocese stated that the confrontation had endangered the health and life of the clergy. Local residents announced following the evacuation that they plan to continue demonstrations until church authorities provide a complete explanation for the priest's dismissal.