BREAKING News Mass Shooting in Poland Leaves 6 Dead - Bishops Call for Prayer, Penance, and Fasting to End the Constitutional Crisis
- The Suspect: A 24-to-25-year-old Polish citizen who acted alone, wearing military-style fatigues, a balaclava, and a bulletproof vest. He opened fire with a long military-style rifle from a moving car before continuing on foot. [1, 2, 3, 4]
- Apprehension: The gunman was shot and wounded during a gunfight with responding police officers a short distance from the square and is currently hospitalized in critical condition. Police found additional weapons and ammunition in his vehicle and searched his home. [1, 2] Poland's interior minister, Marcin Kierwiński, stated that preliminary indications suggest the suspect may have been inspired by far-right and ultra-nationalist ideologies.
Full text of the statement:
I am deeply shocked by what has just happened in Krakow. We still don't know the reasons or the rationale behind such a cruel act. However, we already know its tragic consequences. It's difficult to fathom that such dramatic scenes could have unfolded in the very heart of Krakow, right next to St. Mary's Basilica – a place that so many people enjoy as a place to stroll and relax.
I join you in spirit and offer my prayers to all who suffered in this exceptionally brutal act. May God grant eternal rest to the deceased and the grace of recovery to those who remain in hospitals. I also offer my prayers to the families of the injured, the doctors caring for the injured, and the services currently trying to restore order in the area. I am with you in spirit and remain in prayer.
Poland's Bishops' Appeal for Prayer and Fasting:
The bishops appealed to all the faithful in Poland "to engage in fervent prayer for social peace, national understanding, and reconciliation." "Let us pray for light and wisdom for those in power and all those responsible for public life, so that caring for the common good of our society may be their most important duty. Let us do this in these days with the words of Supplication, the hymn " God Save Poland," and the prayer for the Homeland by Father Piotr Skarga. Let us also undertake fasting and penance on Tuesday, November 10th," the bishops appealed.
The position of the Permanent Council of Bishops
in the context of the current situation in the country
1. Independence Day is approaching, reminding us of the great good of a free and independent homeland. With gratitude and a sense of responsibility, we remember all those who fought for and built it. Unfortunately, we are witnessing deep social and political divisions that have been growing for years, transforming into hatred and aggression. These attitudes are the complete opposite of what St. John Paul II called us to, following St. Paul (cf. Gal 6:2), when he said in Gdańsk: "Solidarity means: one and the other, and if there is a burden, then a burden borne together, in community. Therefore, never: one against the other (...). There can be no fight stronger than solidarity."
2. "The Republic of Poland," our Constitution states, "is the common good of all citizens" (Article 1). Responsibility for this good rests primarily with politicians who were elected for this task and will be held accountable for it by God, the Nation, and history.
3. Pope Leo XIV, during his last general audience, said to Poles: "I call upon you to recognize that peace is built on justice, respect for law, and dialogue, not on violence." Together with the Holy Father, we believe in dialogue and reject violence and hatred; we believe in the disarmament of language and reject aggression. We also remember the words of St. John Paul II that "democracy without values easily turns into open or thinly disguised totalitarianism" ( Centesimus Annus , 46).
4. For the good of our country and social peace, we renew our call for non-escalation of the conflict, for constructive dialogue, for peaceful resolution of all difficulties, and for abandoning prejudice and the use of force! All parties to the conflict need the gifts of prudence, humility, and responsibility. As bishops, we declare our readiness to provide all assistance to initiate and support the process of mediation and dialogue in seeking solutions to the current crisis, as well as to build trust and social reconciliation.
5. In this spirit, we appeal to all the faithful in Poland to engage in fervent prayer for social peace, national understanding, and reconciliation. Let us pray for light and wisdom for those in power and all those responsible for public life, so that caring for the common good of our society may be their most important duty. Let us do this in these days with the words of Supplication, the hymn " God Save Poland," and the prayer for the Homeland by Father Piotr Skarga. Let us also undertake fasting and penance on Tuesday, November 10th.
We invoke the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland, and the Patron Saints of our Homeland, and we grant a pastoral blessing to all our compatriots at home and abroad.
Permanent Council of Bishops
Warsaw, November 4, 2026
Prayer for the Homeland by Father Piotr Skarga
God, Ruler and Lord of nations,
deign not to let us escape from Your hand and discipline,
and through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Queen,
bless our homeland, that it may always be faithful to You,
bring glory to Your Name
, and lead its children to happiness.
Almighty and eternal God,
grant us a broad and deep love for our brothers
and dearest Mother, our homeland, so that, forgetting our own benefits, we may serve
it and Your people with integrity. Send the Holy Spirit upon Your servants, those who govern our land, that they may be able to govern the people entrusted to them wisely and justly according to Your will. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen
Sources - https://episkopat.pl/doc/255332.Przewodniczacy-KEP-po-tragedii-w-Krakowie-Wspieram-modlitwa
https://episkopat.pl/doc/255190.Stanowisko-Rady-Stalej-Biskupow-w-kontekscie-obecnej-sytuacji-w
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