Father Rydzyk calls Polish MPs 'drunks in elegant ties' at 35th Radio Maryja pilgrimage

The 35th Pilgrimage of the Radio Maryja Family began on Saturday in Częstochowa, with founder Father Tadeusz Rydzyk delivering a combative opening address after the inaugural evening mass at the Jasna Góra monastery. His remarks, directed at the gathered pilgrims on the monastery grounds, quickly turned to sharp criticism of Poland's political class, secular universities, and other conservative media outlets.

Attack on parliamentarians

Rydzyk reserved his harshest language for members of the Polish Sejm. He told the crowd that looking at some faces in parliament was like seeing 'drunks' in elegant clothing.

Sometimes I look at some faces in the Sejm and it's as if I'm seeing little drunks, really. I'm not saying this against the person, just: man, do good.

He returned to the theme moments later, linking today's politicians to the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century. He argued that both 'Hitler's German and the communist Soviet' totalitarianisms began with lies, a pattern he said was repeating in Poland now.

Defence of the Church and clergy

Rydzyk condemned what he described as a campaign of slander against the Catholic Church and priests in Poland. He accused critics of painting all clergy as criminals and paedophiles, insisting that sin can occur anywhere while urging the faithful not to be deceived.

They attack. How they attacked the Church, the priests. How they made paedophiles out of them and God knows what criminals. And what are they doing now in Poland? Sin can happen anywhere, only Mary was immaculate. But making criminals out of priests? What would Poland be without priests? Don't let yourselves be fooled by these lies. Lie upon lie, and lie fuels lie.

He described the politicians he sees speaking as 'little drunks not of this Earth, in elegant ties, in shirts.'

Criticism of other right-wing media

In a notable broadening of his critique, the founder of Radio Maryja and Telewizja Trwam also took aim at other right-wing media outlets. He acknowledged that he was glad they existed but said he disagreed with part of their operations, specifically pointing to what he called 'anti-family advertising' that they accept money to run. He contrasted this with his own media enterprises, telling pilgrims that 'our works are maintained by you.'

Education and journalism

Rydzyk urged parents not to send young people to study journalism at public universities, which he labelled 'Marxist.' He warned that graduates of those programmes would become 'more liars' and instead promoted the Academy of Social and Media Culture in Toruń, run by the Lux Veritas foundation. He said the country needs 'conscious and courageous Catholics, those with great character, not those who will deceive people.'

Pilgrimage schedule

The two-day pilgrimage continues on Sunday. Morning gatherings for the Radio Maryja Family are planned, followed by a solemn mass at 11:00 a.m. at the foot of Jasna Góra, to be led by the Metropolitan of Poznań, Archbishop Zbigniew Zieliński. During Saturday's opening mass, Bishop Wiesław Szlachetka also criticised government actions on matters including in vitro fertilisation, civil partnerships, and religious education in schools.