Catholic Diocese in Poland Meets Youth Where They Are with New Series “You Are Not Alone” - Answering Questions on Identity

“You Are Not Alone”: Polish Diocese Launches Youth Series on Loneliness, Identity and Faith

ŚWIDNICA, Poland — A Catholic diocese in southwestern Poland is launching a new series of youth gatherings focused on loneliness, identity, friendship, faith and community.

The new season of #wjedności (“In Unity”) begins October 30 in the Diocese of Świdnica under the theme “You Are Not Alone.” Four gatherings are planned for the 2026–2027 pastoral year, exploring how young people relate to themselves, to others, to God and to the Church.

The initiative began in 2025 as a way of bringing together young Catholics from different parishes and communities across the diocese.

“Young people also need to experience the wider community of the Church and meet peers who think in similar ways, ask similar questions and face similar difficulties,” said Father Emil Dudek, the diocesan youth chaplain.

The first gathering will take place at the Parish of Our Lady Queen of Poland in Świdnica. Its theme, “Does anyone really know me? Me and my identity,” will draw on the Gospel story of Zacchaeus.

Organizers want participants to reflect on where they find their sense of worth, how they see themselves and what it means to look at one’s life from God’s perspective.

The emphasis on encounter is also present in the wider youth ministry of the Diocese of Świdnica.

Speaking earlier this year about youth formation, Bishop Marek Mendyk of Świdnica stressed the value of creating opportunities for young people to meet one another and form lasting relationships.

“Young people meet peers who think similarly and seek the same ideals,” Bishop Mendyk told Vatican News in July. He also noted that relationships formed through such meetings can remain important for years.

In September, speaking at a nationwide gathering of students from Catholic schools, the bishop again referred to the questions young people bring with them and encouraged them to build their lives on Christ and the Gospel.

The #wjedności gatherings are designed to combine spiritual formation with time simply spent together. Each meeting will include Mass, a talk on the main theme, a shared meal and time for conversation and socializing.

The invitation is not limited to altar servers or members of parish groups. Organizers say the meetings are open to any young person, including those who are still trying to find their place in the Church.

“You do not have to look for answers to every question alone, face difficulties alone or discover your faith alone,” Father Dudek said. “There are people with whom you can walk this road, and there is God who wants to accompany you.”

After the opening meeting in Świdnica, the series will continue in Wałbrzych on December 4 with a gathering devoted to friendship, relationships and loneliness.

The third meeting, scheduled for March 5, 2027, in Ząbkowice Śląskie, will address prayer and the experience of God’s apparent silence.

The final gathering will take place on June 18 in Szczawno-Zdrój and will focus on belonging, responsibility and finding one’s place within the Church community.

Source: Logos Media Group, a media company of the Diocese of Świdnica, Poland

Photo by: Facebook FARO.tv - Bishop Marek Mendyk