August-September-October

On Palm Sunday, the parish does not distribute or supply palms to people so you need to bring your own ones. The most convenient way to get palms is to buy them but because stores are closed on Sundays, don’t wait until the last minute! You can buy palms in many places in the couple of weeks before Palm Sunday, at least in grocery stores and flower shops for they always have palms for sale before Palm Sunday. The last thing you need to know is that Polish palms may not look like the palms you are used to in your home country. They are wands of brightly-coloured dried flowers, as you can see in the picture below.

Date for 2025: Sunday, August 3

Date for 2026: Monday, August 3

On August 15, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, which is why pilgrimages to Marian shrines are organised in August. In Poland, there are August pilgrimages to the Shrine of Our Lady of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa, Poland’s spiritual capital. The Diocese of Wrocław organises a walking pilgrimage beginning from the diocesan Cathedral of St John the Baptist on Cathedral Island to the Shrine of Our Lady of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa. This year, 2025, was the 45th annual pilgrimage, and the motto was ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. Every year, the pilgrimage includes 2 bishops, 40 priests, and 2,000 pilgrims. A few selected pictures taken in October 2024 on the route of the first day can give you an idea of the atmosphere: photos #204 and #206 of the first article, and photos #40, #46, #133, and #138 of the second article. If, for some reason, you can only attend its first day, you are welcome to join it even for one day and you are reading the right article.

• Address of the cathedral in English: Roman-Catholic Parish Cathedral St. John the Baptist, 18 Cathedral Sq., 50-329 Wroclaw, Poland
• Address of the cathedral in Polish: Rzym.-Kat. Parafia Katedralna pw. św. Jana Chrzciciela, pl. Katedralny 18, 50-329 Wrocław, Polska
• 07:00 – Pilgrims gather in the cathedral for Sunday Mass and are sent out in groups.
• 08:30 – The last group of pilgrims leaves the cathedral and starts walking.
• 08:30-18:00 – Four 7-km segments with 30-minute breaks between two consecutive segments (segment 1, break 1 at around 10:30 in Krzyżanowice, segment 2, break 2 at around 13:00 in Malin, segment 3, break 3 in Wysoki Kościół at 15:30, segment 4)
• 18:00 – The last group of pilgrims arrives in Trzebnica.
• 17:54-18:39 – First train returning to Wrocław Główny (Dworzec Główny)
• 21:22-22:07 – Second train returning to Wrocław Główny (Dworzec Główny)
• 22:41-23:27 – Last train returning to Wrocław Główny (Dworzec Główny)
• You can buy your train ticket directly at the train station (card/cash), on the train (card/cash), or online (card/app Koleo). Cost: 14.70 zł.

To participate, pilgrims need to

• fill in the registration form individually;
• pay the participation fee (to cover the insurance and security) either by bank transfer before August 1 or in person by cash or card on August 1 or August 2 at 51 Bujwid Street (ul. Bujwida 51) in the downstairs building; and
• collect their pilgrim ID (provided they signed up and paid), i.e. visible proof that they are properly registered, on August 1 or August 2 at 51 Bujwid Street (ul. Bujwida 51) in the downstairs building.

Filling in the registration form consists of completing five steps:

• providing the necessary personal & contact data (email address, first name, last name, phone number, date of birth, over/under 18 status) and accepting their processing, the GDPR clause, and the regulations;
• choosing a pilgrimage group: our group is Group 13 (in Polish: Grupa 13);
• indicating for how many days you want to participate in the pilgrimage: less than 8 days;
• answering a few questions: Do you want to come as a volunteer (a good command of Polish language is required)? Which edition of the pilgrimage will it be for you (first time, second time, etc.)? How did you hear of it (from my family/friends, from my community, from my priest/religious sister/catechist, from the parish announcements, from the organisers’ social media/poster/banner, from another source [please name it])? Do you want to buy a T-shirt of this edition of the pilgrimage?
• choosing how you want to pay the participation fee (either by bank transfer before August 1 or in person by cash or card on August 1 or August 2 at 51 Bujwid Street [ul. Bujwida 51] in the downstairs building);
• optionally adding any extra information in a free text field.

Paying the participation fee can be made in two different ways:

• by bank transfer before August 1 with the following details:
  • Odbiorca/Recipient: Fundacja Dobra Droga
  • Numer konta/Account number: 52 1600 1462 1744 7136 2000 0003
  • Tytuł/Title: First name Last name – opłata za uczestnictwo w 45. PPW
• in person by cash or card on August 1 or August 2 at 51 Bujwid Street (ul. Bujwida 51) in the downstairs building.

Participation of English-speakers from the Pastoral Centre

In 2025, around a dozen English-speakers from the Pastoral Centre started out on the first day of the pilgrimage, walking to Trzebnica, as part of the parish Group 13 (Czarna Trzynastka). Many of them carried the flags of their home countries. Three of that group of English-speakers continued the pilgrimage, finishing in Częstochowa eight days later, along with others who had joined along the way. See our 2025 posts on Facebook for the Day 1, Day 5, and Day 8. We welcome you to join us every year! If you come, remember to bring:

• warm clothes for the cold temperatures of the morning and evening
• waterproof clothes in case it rains during the pilgrimage or Mass
• a hat and sunglasses (it may be sunny and warm by mid-day)
• water and food for the day (the paths are far from shops)
• toilet paper and a hand sanitizer (we’ll be hundreds of people walking in open countryside; there are portable toilets at breaks 1 and 2 for women but breaks last 30 minutes and the queuing time is long; there are no portable toilets at break 3; there are real toilets in the Shrine of St Hedwig of Silesia in Trzebnica)
• card/cash to buy your train ticket for the return to Wrocław (14.70zł)
• cash for the collection at Mass (free-will offering)
• a flag of your country (you can print it and fasten it to a wooden stick)

Dates for 2025: Sunday, August 3 – Sunday, August 10

Dates for 2026: Monday, August 3 – Monday, August 10

On August 15, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, which is why pilgrimages to Marian shrines are organised in August. In Poland, there are August pilgrimages to the Shrine of Our Lady of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa, Poland’s spiritual capital. The Diocese of Wrocław organises a walking pilgrimage beginning from the diocesan Cathedral of St John the Baptist on Cathedral Island to the Shrine of Our Lady of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa. This year, 2025, was the 45th annual pilgrimage, and the motto was ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. Every year, the pilgrimage includes 2 bishops, 40 priests, and 2,000 pilgrims. Because the Shrine cannot accommodate all the pilgrims of Poland on August 15, each diocese is allocated a day and a time slot to visit the Shrine. In 2025, pilgrims from the Diocese of Wrocław were to be in the Shrine on the afternoon of Sunday, August 10. Official information can be found (in Polish) on the dedicated website (in particular its ‘Registration‘ and ‘Route‘ sections). A few selected pictures taken in October 2024 on the route of the first day can give you an idea of the atmosphere: photos #204 and #206 of the first article, and photos #40, #46, #133, and #138 of the second article.

To participate, each pilgrim will need to bring:

• a backpack to carry the items they need to have at hand at all times (wallet with cash, keys, pilgrim ID, phone in airtight bag, pen, paper), especially while walking (waterproof poncho, hat, sunglasses, sun cream, water bottles, maybe a pullover, maybe an umbrella) and breaks (toilet paper, hand sanitizer, reusable food container, airtight soup container and/or bowl, cutlery, Compeed pasters, needle, thread, maybe a mirror); they will carry that bag every day.
• a waterproof travel bag (e.g. a suitcase) of max. 35 kg to carry the plastic bags of items they need to have at hand at the place where pilgrims stop for the night (night bag with pyjamas, flashlight, winter hat, maybe inflatable pillow; night bag with sleeping bag and/or sheet+blanket; evening bag with pullover; bag with flip-flops; 7 bags with underwear, sock pair, top; toiletry bag with toothpaste, toothbrush, tissues, serviette, shampoo, shower gel, flannel, moist towelettes, maybe ankle braces, maybe Sudocrem; mattress; bucket); a truck will carry that bag every day.
• a tent; a truck will carry the tent every day.
• optionally a shower tent (look for ‘kabina prysznicowa kempingowa’ in your favourite search engine; you can buy a comfortable one for several pilgrims and share the costs as you will only use it to take your daily shower); a truck will carry the shower tent every day.

Because trucks carry the tents and travel bags of all the pilgrims, and because there are 2,000 pilgrims, pilgrims are required to label their tents and travel bags with their group identifier. Our group is Group 13, and its identifier is simply “Grupa 13“. Be sure to mark that identifier big enough and with a permanent marker or nail polish! Also note that some other pilgrims of your group will have the same tent as yours so mark also your name on it big enough.

Hints from experienced pilgrims on footcare:

• In the morning, they put Sudocrem under their feet and between toes.
• During the day, they wear well-broken-in, comfortable footwear because new footwear can cause blisters.
• In the afternoon-evening, they wear flip-flops for their feet to rest and breathe.
• They use Sudocrem to help prevent blisters, and Compeed plasters to treat blisters.

Hints learnt the hard way by first-time pilgrims

It is natural for people embarking on the pilgrimage to have a holiday mentality, since they are out in the open air, walking in the countryside, enjoying the company of cheerful, enthusiastic companions. But it is important to be prudent about drinking, sleeping, and eating habits on the pilgrimage, since it is a long trek under hot sun every day, and conditions are basic.

• Water: Your water bottle should hold at least one liter of water and you should top it up at every opportunity. Sip your water to keep consistently hydrated; don’t guzzle it. Toilet breaks can be few and far between, and taking in a large amount of water all at once passes quickly through your system, rather than keeping you hydrated enough to eliminate toxins, maintain muscle hydration (to avoid tendonitis and muscle cramps), and help with digestion. The aim is to keep your body hydrated and its systems working, not to fill the stomach with liquid.
• Sleep: A pilgrimage is a workout, no matter how fit a pilgrim is. Most people are engaging in far more steady exercise for long hours in the sun than they do in a gym or ordinary life. This means you are likely to need more sleep on the pilgrimage than after everyday activities. Sleep is the key to being able to carry your pack and maintain the pace of the next day’s walk. Bones and muscles regenerate during sleep. If you stay up too late, and don’t get enough sleep, you will wake up with sore muscles or very quickly you will find that your legs, shoulders, and knees are in pain as you start the next day’s walk. Getting all the sleep you can will allow you to carry a heavy backpack without the least pain. It’s best to limit extra activities to breaks during the day and make your focus at the end of the day setting up for and getting a good, long night’s sleep.
• Digestion: The truck parked at almost all breaks and at all overnight camps sells delicious, cheap, varied breads (pizzerka, bułka z serem białym, bułka z budyniem) and dairy products (cottage cheese, twaróg, yogurt) as well as water. It’s common sense that if you limit your diet to such foods with little or no fiber, you will suffer in your digestion and elimination. Add to that the potential for being slightly dehydrated, with your body diverting fluids from your digestive tract to your skin to help keep you cool, and you are at risk of your digestive system simply shutting down. Being constipated for an 8-day pilgrimage is no fun, but it has happened to people who relied entirely on these quick, easy ways to satisfy their hunger. The solution is to make sure you get fruits and vegetables every day. These can be found in żabka shops along the way – tomatoes or cucumbers to add to a sandwich; juicy fruits like an apple to finish off every meal and for snacks that both aid digestion and provide hydration. Avoid any foods you know are likely to have a strong laxative effect, since toilet breaks are infrequent. Plums (and dried prunes), almonds with the skin on and hazelnuts with the skin are risky for many people. Do some research and consult your personal experience and then make wise food choices so your digestion does not become an issue on the pilgrimage. (Discreet hint to male pilgrims: use the portable toilets with your toilet paper roll once per day.)

Each day of the pilgrimage follows the same pattern.

• In the morning, there are two requirements to meet: taking one’s travel bag and tent to the truck during the specified time slot, and leaving with one’s group at the specified time. Anything else is left to the pilgrims’ own responsibility: having a meal (except if the day starts with Holy Mass), washing, maybe putting Sudocrem under their feet and between the toes. The truck carrying travel bags and tents is located maximum 500 meters from the place where tents were set up for the night.
• During the day, the walk is divided into segments of 7-9 km and there is a 30-minute break between two consecutive segments. Those breaks are the only stops for toilet breaks and for eating.
• Holy Mass takes place daily. It is either between loading baggage on the truck and the first segment of the day or between a segment and the 30-minute break. Remember to fast one hour before Holy Communion. It is licit to drink water and to take needed medicine in the fast before Communion.
• In the afternoon, pilgrims pick up their travel bag and tent from the truck, and walk to the place dedicated to setting up tents for the night. That place is divided into zones, one for each group. Pilgrims set up their tents.
• In the afternoon and evening, pilgrims organise themselves to have a meal and wash.
• At 21:00, pilgrims gather to pray the night Jasna Góra prayer and go to bed.

What about getting food and taking showers?

• At almost all breaks and at all places for the night, a truck sells water, varied breads (pizzerka, bułka z serem białym, bułka z budyniem) and dairy products (cottage cheese, twaróg, yogurt) but no fruits or vegetables. At breaks at a parish or even in a village, pilgrims can often witness locals doing two corporal works of mercy: hydrating the thirsty and feeding the hungry. They set up tables with bottles of water and fruits to take away, jars of kompot or lemonade, pots of soup, and trays of cakes. And the place where pilgrims stay for the night usually has a shop accessible on foot, but it is not at the campground itself.
• At your favourite sports/hiking/camping supply shop, you can buy a shower tent for outdoor use (look for ‘kabina prysznicowa kempingowa’ in your favourite search engine). This is basically a structure that allows you to stand up and pour water over yourself with a bucket while being hidden from view of people around you. You can get water for your shower-bucket at the overnight camping places. Some pilgrims use moist towelettes to give themselves an ersatz sponge bath every night. Occasionally, hospitable people along the route will give pilgrims the opportunity to use their home shower for a brief rinse-off.

For 2025, the detailed schedule is on this page and the short schedule is as follows:

• Sunday, August 3 at 06:30 – Pilgrims drop off their tent and travel bag at a truck parked on St Martin Street (ul. św. Marcina) in front of the church of St Martin (kościół pw. św. Marcina).
• Sunday, August 3 at 07:00 – Pilgrims gather in the cathedral for Sunday Mass and are sent out in groups.
• Sunday, August 3 at 08:30 – The last group of pilgrims leaves the cathedral and starts walking.
• Sunday, August 3 – route from Wrocław to Trzebnica (train station, real toilets) (28.4 km)
• Monday, August 4 – route from Trzebnica to Oleśnica (train station) (28.5 km)
• Tuesday, August 5 – route from Oleśnica to Namysłów (train station) (33.8 km)
• Wednesday, August 6 – route from Namysłów to Wierzbica Górna (train station, real toilets, shower) (26 km)
• Thursday, August 7 – route from Wierzbica Górna to Kluczbork (train station) (21.7 km)
• Friday, August 8 – route from Kluczbork to Borki Wielkie (real toilets, shower) (33.3 km)
• Saturday, August 9 – route from Borki Wielkie to Jezioro (25 km)
• Sunday, August 10 – route from Jezioro to Jasna Góra (train station, real toilets) (26.6 km)
• Sunday, August 10 from 13:00 to 14:00 – All the groups of pilgrims form a line on the Avenue of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary (Aleja Najświętej Maryji Panny), leading to the Shrine of Our Lady of Jasna Góra. Their beloved ones are waiting for them on the sides of the avenue and join their groups.
• Sunday, August 10 at 14:30 – The first group of pilgrims venerates the icon of the Black Madonna.
• Sunday, August 10 at 15:45 – The last group of pilgrims venerates the icon of the Black Madonna.
• Sunday, August 10 at 16:00 – Solemn Mass in the field outside the sanctuary walls of Jasna Góra
• Sunday, August 10, half an hour after the end of Mass – Pilgrims return to Wrocław Główny (Dworzec Główny) by a coach/bus located in the sector D of the car park of the Shrine of Jasna Góra.

If you want to return from Jasna Góra to Wrocław by coach/bus, you need to buy a ticket at the information point (in Polish: Punkt informacji). You need to pay by cash and be quick because the number of tickets is limited. In 2025, it cost 80 zł. Information points (in Polish: Punkt informacji) can be found at:

• at 51 Bujwid Street (ul. Bujwida 51) in the downstairs building on August 1 and August 2;
• at the place where pilgrims stop for the night;
• at the place where Holy Mass is celebrated;
• at a few places where a 30-minute break takes place.

To participate, pilgrims need to

• fill in the registration form individually;
• pay the participation fee (to cover the insurance, transport of items, and security) either by bank transfer before August 1 or in person by cash or card on August 1 or August 2 at 51 Bujwid Street (ul. Bujwida 51) in the downstairs building; and
• collect their pilgrim ID (provided they signed up and paid), i.e. visible proof that they are properly registered, on August 1 or August 2 at 51 Bujwid Street (ul. Bujwida 51) in the downstairs building.

Filling in the registration form consists of completing five steps:

• providing the necessary personal & contact data (email address, first name, last name, phone number, date of birth, over/under 18 status) and accepting their processing, the GDPR clause, and the regulations;
• choosing a pilgrimage group: our group is Group 13 (in Polish: Grupa 13);
• indicating for how many days you want to participate in the pilgrimage: 8 or less, and declaring if you want to extend the pilgrimage by five additional days to walk to the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Cracow-Łagiewniki as part of the Jubilee Year 2025;
• answering a few questions: Do you want to come as a volunteer (a good command of Polish language is required)? Which edition of the pilgrimage will it be for you (first time, second time, etc.)? How did you hear of it (from my family/friends, from my community, from my priest/religious sister/catechist, from the parish announcements, from the organisers’ social media/poster/banner, from another source [please name it])? Do you want to buy a T-shirt of this edition of the pilgrimage?
• choosing how you want to pay the participation fee (either by bank transfer before August 1 or in person by cash or card on August 1 or August 2 at 51 Bujwid Street [ul. Bujwida 51] in the downstairs building);
• optionally adding any extra information in a free text field.

Paying the participation fee can be made in two different ways:

• by bank transfer before August 1 with the following details:
  • Odbiorca/Recipient: Fundacja Dobra Droga
  • Numer konta/Account number: 52 1600 1462 1744 7136 2000 0003
  • Tytuł/Title: First name Last name – opłata za uczestnictwo w 45. PPW
• in person by cash or card on August 1 or August 2 at 51 Bujwid Street (ul. Bujwida 51) in the downstairs building.

Participation of English-speakers from the Pastoral Centre

In 2025, around a dozen English-speakers from the Pastoral Centre started out on the first day of the pilgrimage, walking to Trzebnica, as part of the parish Group 13 (Czarna Trzynastka). Many of them carried the flags of their home countries. Three of that group of English-speakers continued the pilgrimage, finishing in Częstochowa eight days later, along with others who had joined along the way. See our 2025 posts on Facebook for the Day 1, Day 5, and Day 8. We welcome you to join us every year!

Date for 2025: Sunday, August 10

Date for 2026: Monday, August 10

On August 15, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, which is why pilgrimages to Marian shrines are organised in August. In Poland, there are August pilgrimages to the Shrine of Our Lady of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa, Poland’s spiritual capital. The Diocese of Wrocław organises a walking pilgrimage beginning from the diocesan Cathedral of St John the Baptist on Cathedral Island to the Shrine of Our Lady of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa. This year, 2025, was the 45th annual pilgrimage, and the motto was ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. Every year, the pilgrimage includes 2 bishops, 40 priests, and 2,000 pilgrims. If, for some reason, you can only attend its last day, you are welcome to join it even for half a day and you are reading the right article.

Our group is Group 13.

• Sunday, August 10 from 13:00 to 14:00 – All the groups of pilgrims form a line on the Avenue of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary (Aleja Najświętej Maryji Panny), leading to the Shrine of Our Lady of Jasna Góra. Their beloved ones are waiting for them on the sides of the avenue and join their groups.
• Sunday, August 10 at 14:30 – The first group of pilgrims venerates the icon of the Black Madonna.
• Sunday, August 10 at 15:45 – The last group of pilgrims venerates the icon of the Black Madonna.
• Sunday, August 10 at 16:00 – Solemn Mass in the field outside the sanctuary walls of Jasna Góra

On October 7, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary. That day, the Pastoral Centre organises and hosts in St. Charles Borromeo church a rosary for peace in the world whose decades are led by five different language groups of Catholics living in Wrocław.

Date for 2025: Saturday, October 18

On October 16, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Saint Hedwig of Silesia, whose patronage includes the diocese of Wrocław. Some Saturday in mid-October, the Diocese of Wrocław organises a walking pilgrimage beginning from the diocesan Cathedral of St John the Baptist on Cathedral Island to the tomb of St Hedwig of Silesia (in Trzebnica). Last year, 2024, was the 45th annual pilgrimage, and the motto was ‘We are the Church’. Every year, the pilgrimage includes 2-4 bishops, 120 priests, and 8,000 pilgrims. Official information can be found (in Polish) on Facebook and the dedicated website. A few selected pictures can give you an idea of the atmosphere: the photos #204 and #206 of a first article, and the photos #40, #46, #133, and #138 of a second article.

• Address of the cathedral in English: Roman-Catholic Parish Cathedral St. John the Baptist, 18 Cathedral Sq., 50-329 Wroclaw, Poland
• Address of the cathedral in Polish: Rzym.-Kat. Parafia Katedralna pw. św. Jana Chrzciciela, pl. Katedralny 18, 50-329 Wrocław, Polska
• 06:00 – Pilgrims gather in the cathedral for a brief prayer and are sent out in groups
• 07:00 – The last group of pilgrims leaves the cathedral and starts walking
• 07:00-16:00 – Four 7-km segments with 30-minute breaks between two consecutive segments (segment 1, break 1 at around 8:30 in Krzyżanowice, segment 2, break 2 at around 11:00 in Malina (buy your train ticket for the return there; pay in cash), segment 3, break 3 in Wysoki Kościół or Brochocin, segment 4)
• 16:00 – The last group of pilgrims arrives in the Shrine of St Hedwig of Silesia
• 16:30-18:30 – Solemn Mass in the field of the Shrine of St Hedwig of Silesia
• 19:02-19:48 – Pilgrims return to Wrocław Główny (Dworzec Główny) by train

Every year, a contingent of English speakers walk the pilgrimage along with the parish Group 13 (Czarna Trzynastka) carrying the flag of their country (see our 2021 post, 2023 post, and 2024 post on Facebook). We welcome you to join us every year! If you come, remember to bring:

• warm clothes for the cold temperatures of the morning and evening
• waterproof clothes in case it rains during the pilgrimage or Mass
• a hat and sunglasses (it may be sunny and warm by mid-day)
• water and food for the day (the paths are far from shops)
• toilet paper and a hand sanitizer (we’ll be thousands of people walking in open countryside; there are portable toilets at breaks 1 and 2 for women but breaks last 30 minutes and the queuing time is long; there are no portable toilets at break 3; there are real toilets in the Shrine)
• cash to buy your train ticket for the return to Wrocław (maximum 20zł)
• cash for the collection at Mass (free-will offering)
• cash to contribute to the organisation fees (free-will offering)
• a flag of your country (you can print it and fasten it to a wooden stick)

In October, the parish already has the book for reserving Mass intentions in the next civil year. This means that starting in October, you can sign up to have a Mass offered for your intentions next year. St Charles is a very busy parish, with many people requesting Mass intentions, so the reservation book fills up quickly. It is normally not possible to reserve a Mass a week or a few days ahead of your preferred date, because parishioners are already requesting dates NOW for next year. (On the other hand, English-language Masses are usually among the last to be reserved.) If you definitely would like to have a Mass offered for the repose of the soul of a departed loved one on the anniversary of their death, or you would like a Mass offered on the anniversary of a birthday or wedding next year – especially if it’s going to be a Polish-language Mass – the smartest thing to do is write down your dates now, collect the donation you’d like to give as a Mass stipend (cash only), and go to the sacristy and reserve your Mass intentions for next year before the book fills up.

November 1: All Saints’ Day, a Holy Day of Obligation (see what it means in the ‘Other‘ section below) to pray for our departed family, friends and benefactors. Mass is at 16:00 as usual. That day, the relics held in our parish are displayed before the altar.

It is the custom in Poland to write down the names of your departed family, friends and benefactors during the month of October, and turn in the special forms at Church. During November, the souls are prayed for at daily Masses. In the Pastoral Centre, we use yellow forms (the white ones are for Polish Masses). You find the yellow forms near the bulletins in the second half of October when you enter the church. Write down the FIRST names of your departed on the yellow papers. Write very clearly, as the names are read aloud at the start of Mass on November 1.

Ideally, you should turn in these forms at Mass on the last Sunday of October. You can just drop them in the collection basket at Mass, or take them to the sacristy and hand them over to the sacristan, Fr Szymon, or someone else who serves at the English Mass.

If you wish to make a donation (Mass stipend) when you turn in your form, get an envelope and put your form and donation into the envelope. Seal the envelope and on the outside, write: “Msza angielska, 1 listopada – Wypominki.” Put it in the collection basket at Mass or give it to someone in the sacristy.

Since the names will be read right at the beginning of Mass on November 1, the last possible moment to turn in your yellow form is several minutes before the start of Mass on November 1, especially if we may have to ask you how to pronounce the names on your list.

Did we say, P R I N T N E A T L Y so we can read the names?

On Saturday, November 2, 2024 at 19:30 in a southern district of Wrocław called Oporów, Fr Szymon will lead us in the Rosary in English at the Monument to the Polish Army Soldiers in Wrocław. We will pray for all the departed, especially soldiers and victims of war.

We will meet at 19:30 at the base of the main, wide, straight ascent (not the curved side path) to the monument, and go to the top of the hill to pray. Bring candles if you’d like to leave them on the graves of the soldiers at the top of the hill.

It’s easy to get to the monument by public transport from all over the city using trams 4, 11 and 20 or buses 107, 119, 125, 127, 132, 134, 143 and get off at the Oporów stop. You’ll be virtually at the foot of the monument hill. You can also take tram 5 or bus A to the Grabiszyńska (Cmentarz) stop and walk to the monument. There’s a parking lot right next to where all the buses stop at the Oporów stop, so it’s easy to come by car or public transport. There are also special buses to Grabiszyńska cemetery already in operation now to take people to the cemetery to pray for the dead and decorate the graves through next weekend.

Please note that the meeting point – the base of the main ascent to the monument – is strictly between the Grabiszyńska (Cmentarz II) and Oporów tram stops. It is closer to Oporów than Grabiszyńska (Cmentarz II).

Praying for the dead is an indulgenced act. If you meet the conditions for receiving an indulgence, praying in the cemetery with us on November 2 will release one soul from Purgatory. You can read more about indulgences on our website and in a special announcement below about the indulgence that’s possible between November 1-8 every year.

For English-language information about the monument, you can read this article.

If you visit a cemetery and devoutly pray (even only mentally) for the souls of the departed on any (or every) day from November 1-8, you can receive a plenary indulgence for a soul in Purgatory, releasing that soul from Purgatory. You can do this for particular souls (relatives, friends, benefactors who have died, for example) or you can just leave it to God to choose a soul to be released from Purgatory.

You can gain the same indulgence particularly on November 1 or 2 by visiting a church and praying one Our Father and the Creed, with the intention of offering this prayer for a soul in Purgatory.

To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary also to fulfill the following three conditions:

1. sacramental Confession,
2. Eucharistic Communion, and
3. prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father.

At the same time, we have to be detached from (reject the desire for) sin.

It is good if confession and especially receiving Holy Communion and prayer for the Pope’s intentions are done on the same day that you visit the cemetery, but it’s enough if you do everything within a few days of the indulgenced act (so, for example, having confession and communion and praying for the Holy Father on Sunday, then going to the cemetery a day or two later and praying for the dead.)

As long as you remain in a state of grace (no serious sin), one confession will suffice for several plenary indulgences, but a separate Holy Communion and separate prayers for the Holy Father are required each time you do the indulgenced act. (For example, going to Mass each day from November 1-8, receiving communion and praying for the Holy Father and visiting a cemetery and praying for the dead the same day.) To pray for the Holy Father, it is enough to pray an Our Father and a Hail Mary, devotedly.

A plenary indulgence can be acquired only once in the course of the day.

November 1-8 is a very special opportunity to release suffering souls from Purgatory! They need our help, and they will definitely pray for us in return, when they are finally face-to-face with God.

For more about indulgences – what they are, and why we have them – read the article on our website.

The Men of Saint Joseph is a group of men who gather to support one another in practicing their Christian faith from a specifically masculine perspective. All men are invited to join the Men of Saint Joseph, even if you have not attended a meeting before.

We go from the church to one of our parish rooms, usually the parish café. It’s a great time to meet old friends, catch up with people, meet people you only see at Mass, and put names to the faces you see at Church. Tea, coffee, and cookies are provided (free-will donation to cover costs if you want, but not necessary). We hope to see lots of new faces! Children are welcome!

We go from the church to one of our parish rooms, usually the parish café. Volunteers bring a large variety of board games and decks of cards. The games range from very simple, requiring little use of English, to sophisticated strategy games or just fun party-type games. There’s truly something for everyone. Organizers are happy to teach others the rules of play, and it’s lots of fun for everyone. Feel free to invite your English-speaking friends to come and play!

The Women of Saint Gianna is a group of women who gather to support one another in practicing their Christian faith from a specifically woman’s perspective. All women are invited to join the Women of Saint Gianna, even if you have not attended a meeting before.

When a day is a Holy Day of Obligation in a given country, every Catholic living in that country needs to attend Mass that day, even if they are travelling abroad that day. So if they are travelling on such a day, they have to make sure to find a Catholic church and attend Mass that day. Failure to attend Mass on a Holy Day of Obligation needs to be confessed in the Sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion again.

In Poland, the Holy Days of Obligation are Christmas (attend Mass on December 24 evening or on December 25 or both), January 1 (The Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God), January 6 (The Epiphany of the Lord), Corpus Christi, August 15 (The Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary), and November 1 (All Saints).

There are dates open still for people to sign up to take home the image of Our Lady of Grace, now in the thirtieth year since the crowning of the image. Go to the sacristy to sign up. You can take the image any week that’s free, or choose a week that’s special to you (anniversary, birthday, Marian feast, etc.). If you’ve already done it and appreciated the experience, feel free to sign up again.

Here are two charity initiatives you can support in various ways:

• Serve the Poor of Wrocław: Donate or Volunteer to Feed the Hungry
  The ‘Soup on Freedom Square’ charity serves a soup on Freedom Square (Plac Wolności) every Sunday of the year from 5 pm to 6 pm and invites willing people to join their group on Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/403117650134969/.
  • Every Monday, registration opens to make a team for the coming Sunday afternoon-evening for those who want to lend a hand with a task:
    • cooking (Sunday, 13:30-15:00, Park Magnolia),
    • serving (Sunday, 17:00-18:00, Freedom Square),
    • washing up (Sunday, 18:15-19:15, Park Magnolia)
    • or two tasks or all three tasks.
  • Every Wednesday, the list of ingredients for the week’s soup is published for those who want to contribute to the ingredients (bring them on Sunday at 13:30 to Park Magnolia).
  • Organizers are friendly and speak English!
    A member of our Pastoral Centre community is active in this work. If you need more information, reach to us by message or during a monthly event.
• Support the Poor of the Parish: Donate to BONUM
  You have the perfect chance to help the poor of our parish by donating to the Franciscan parish charity BONUM, which distributes bags of food and hygiene items to the poor throughout the year, and invites the poor and isolated members of the parish to a traditional Polish Christmas/Easter meal. The charity is run by a small crew of Polish volunteers who organize donated items and distribute them as needed. They need help with donations of food for the poor and paying for the food they will cook and serve at the Christmas/Easter meal in the parish hall. There are THREE ways you can help.
  • During Advent and Lent, a basket is placed inside the church from the first Sunday of Advent/Lent (near the gates at the chapel entrance). You can bring donations of shelf-stable food (nothing that needs refrigeration) and put them in the basket. Items like flour, sugar, pasta, dried grains (kasza), tinned meat, cooking oil, coffee, UHT soups, milk, or juice are all shelf-stable and can be distributed over weeks or months. To be really helpful to the volunteers, follow these guidelines for donations to the collection basket:
    • Put your donations into a carrier bag (they will need to be carried from the sacristy to the pantry in the parish buildings)
    • Donate multiples of all the same item (multiple bags of flour, several bottles of oil, identical boxes of dried grains or tins of meat, boxes of the same tea), since it makes sorting the food onto the shelves easier
    • Don’t bring single donations of unusual items (volunteers try to make all the bags of food for the poor more or less “equal” in what each bag contains)
    • Consider non-food items (like small sponges, dishwashing liquid, shampoo, bars of soap) that everyone needs around the house. Remember – multiples of one item are more helpful than a mixed bag of different items.
  • If shopping and carrying donations to the church is difficult for you, an easy way to donate is by bank transfer. Here are the details:
    • Odbiorca: Parafia Św. Karola Boromeusza
    • Numer konta: 50 1020 5242 0000 2502 0504 9624
      PKO BP
    • Adres: 53-411 Wrocław, ul. Krucza 58
    • Tytuł:
      • Pomoc charytatywna Wigilia (if, during Advent, you want to financially contribute to the Christmas meal organized for the poor)
      • Pomoc charytatywna Wielkanoc (if, during Lent, you want to financially contribute to the Easter meal organized for the poor)
      • Pomoc charytatywna Paczki (if, any time during the year, you want to support the purchase of missing food and non-food items in the pantry)
      • Pomoc charytatywna Wigilia i paczki (if, during Advent, you want to support both the Christmas meal and the purchase of missing items in the pantry)
      • Pomoc charytatywna Wielkanoc i paczki (if, during Lent, you want to support both the Easter meal and the purchase of missing items in the pantry)
  • If donating in these ways is inconvenient, just put your donation in an envelope and write on the envelope the words:
    • BONUM – WIGILIA (if, during Advent, you want to financially contribute to the Christmas meal organized for the poor)
    • BONUM – WIELKANOC (if, during Lent, you want to financially contribute to the Easter meal organized for the poor)
    • BONUM – PACZKI (if, any time during the year, you want to support the purchase of missing food and non-food items in the pantry)
    • BONUM – WIGILIA – PACZKI (if, during Advent, you want to support both the Christmas meal and the purchase of missing items in the pantry)
    • BONUM – WIELKANOC – PACZKI (if, during Lent, you want to support both the Easter meal and the purchase of missing items in the pantry)
  • and put the donation in the collection at the English Mass. You can be sure that your donation will be passed on directly to BONUM and all money will support their work.
  • All donations are greatly appreciated – by the organizers and by those they help!

The Pastoral Centre is organizing a course of adult instruction in the faith. Instruction is possible for baptized Catholics who have not finished their sacraments of initiation (so baptized in the Catholic Church, but you have not had First Communion and/or Confirmation yet). It is necessary for Catholics to finish their Sacraments of Initiation before they can take up an adult vocation within the Church (being a godparent, marriage, religious orders, priesthood). English-speaking Catholics (foreign or Poles connected to the Pastoral Centre) who have not finished the sacraments of initiation should definitely take this opportunity to have an adult formation in the faith in preparation for their life as an adult in the Church. Enrollment for the year 2024-2025 is now closed. If we have a course in 2025-2026, it will be advertised in September 2025 on our Facebook page and here.

Non-Catholics who are interested in exploring the Catholic Faith or who have already decided that they would like to become Catholic have a separate course. It is necessary to speak English well enough to follow the classes (all will be taught by a native-speaker of English), be able and willing to do the reading necessary, and commit to as much as 18 months of instruction (depending on a person’s background). There will also be regular meetings with Fr Szymon, who supervises instruction in the sacraments for English-speakers in this diocese. Anyone who was baptized in another Christian communion (non-Catholic Christians), people from other religions, or people of no religion are welcome to attend, and there is no obligation to convert. You will not be pressurized in any way – simply welcome. Enrollment for the year 2024-2025 is now closed. If we have a course in 2025-2026, it will be advertised in September 2025 on our Facebook page and here.