Parishioners appalled by the priest’s behavior. In the background over 750 thousand zloty

The inhabitants of Mazovia came to the editorial office of the Gazeta Wyborcza, who belong to the Roman Catholic parish of the Holy Cross in Kozienice.

They feel injured. It is about a former pastor who allegedly “conquer huge sums of money” (they give here amounts of 10, to even PLN 100,000). All this “under the pretext of renovation” of the temple. “We were cheated,” they say in a letter to “GW”.

Scandal in Kozienice. “There is no money, no renovation”

According to parishioners, “the goal was noble”, which is why they decided to get involved in it financially. Now, however, there is neither a priest, “either money nor renovation.” “We are fed up with calling the curia (Radom diocese – editor’s note), although court cases are pending, but the prosecutor is writing an indictment. We are ashamed because we have lost our lives. We ask! We only want to regain our lives saving!” – they assure.

“GW” reports that the building is over 100 years old – it was built in the mid -nineteenth century. Was entered in the register of monuments. Therefore, it requires conservation and renovation works that are not cheap. The priest who had previously managed the parish tried to raise funds from the faithful, as well as from the local government of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship, the Conservation Office or the Ministry of the Interior and Administration. He was also to take two bank loans for the parish.

However, the faithful turned to journalists mainly about their money, which they allocated to renovation, but without written contracts. The priest assured them that he would return them to donations. The editors reached the interview from the beginning of 2021, when the priest – on the air of the Kozienice Chronicle – mentioned that thanks to the accumulated funds he managed to renovate the main altar, and another four of the side naves were dismantled and took the conservation company from Krakow, which is to renovate them. However, you need further funds for this.

Despite the announced effects – the parishioners did not wait for the expected effect. They remained persistent for a long time, but something broke in them in 2022, when they decided to inform the curia and investigators from Mazovia. The case from the District Prosecutor’s Office went to regional and then to the district – in Radom. Investigators examine whether there has been a “abuse of the entitlement granted and failure to comply with the obligations by a person obliged to deal with the parish’s property matters” – this is the period from the end of 2012 to the beginning of 2023.

Scandal in Mazovia. The former priest lived in the house of seniors

According to the prosecutor’s office, the property caused by the parish is almost PLN 2 million. “GW” gives – for investigators – that it was created by “concluding unjustified contracts for the implementation of sacred investments, the receipt of improperly completed works or the acceptance of undue obligations in this respect for an amount of not less than PLN 500,000.” However, this is not all, there is also “unjustified incurring” of loans (for a total amount of nearly PLN 1 million) from one of the banks, as well as those from private individuals – over 750,000. zloty.

The former priest is suspected of misappropriation of money in the amount of nearly PLN 1.4 million and over 50 thousand. PLN for mass intentions. These funds were to be allocated to his “private goals”. Investigators, however, do not reveal what they went out of. The prosecutor’s office interrogates witnesses and victims, collects building documentation and the one regarding subsidies, loans and loans. An expert (in the field of construction) was also established. However, “for the good of the investigation” details are not transferred to public knowledge. We only know that no one has heard about the allegations.

What about the former pastor? He is located in the house of seniors – by the decision of the diocese of Radom.