Our address in English: Roman-Catholic Parish St. Charles Borromeo, 58 Raven St., 53-411 Wroclaw, Poland
Our address in Polish: Rzym.-Kat. Parafia pw.św. Karola Boromeusza, ul. Krucza 58, 53-411 Wrocław, Polska
General information:
What is the Men of Saint Joseph?
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.
What is the ‘Social hour’?
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, and meet people you only see at Mass. 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!
What is the ‘Board games’?
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!
Taking home the image of Our Lady of Grace
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.).
Course of adult instruction in the faith for baptized Catholics
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.
Course for Non-Catholics interested in exploring the Catholic Faith
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.
Sunday, October 6
- 15:30 – Confession available
- 16:00 – Holy Mass and Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament
- 17:00 – Meeting of the Men of Saint Joseph
Monday, October 7
- 18:00 – Holy Mass in Polish
- 19:15 – Annual International Multilingual Rosary for Peace in the World
Saturday, October 12
Every year, the Diocese of Wrocław organises a walking pilgrimage from St John the Baptist cathedral (in Wrocław) to the tomb of St Hedwig of Silesia (in Trzebnica). This year will be the 45th annual pilgrimage, and the motto will be ‘We are the Church’. In 2023, the pilgrimage included 3 bishops, 120 priests, and 8,000 pilgrims. This year, the Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda, president of the Polish Catholic Bishops’ Conference. Official information can be found (in Polish) on Facebook and the dedicated website.
- 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 – Pilgrims arrive in Trzebnica
- 16:30-18:30 – Solemn Mass in the field of the Shrine of St Hedwig of Silesia
- 19:02-19:45 – 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. We welcome to join us this year under the leadership of Fr Szymon! 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)
Sunday, October 13
- 15:30 – Confession available
- 16:00 – Holy Mass
- 17:00 – Nothing
Sunday, October 20
- 15:30 – Confession available
- 16:00 – Holy Mass
- 17:00 – Social hour
Sunday, October 27
- 15:30 – Confession available
- 16:00 – Holy Mass
- 17:00 – Board games