Money and church usually aren’t two things people openly talk about in Poland. But one priest in Poznań just decided to flip that completely.
Father Radek from the Łacina Parish surprised locals after publicly revealing his parish’s finances online — showing how much money comes in from the faithful and how the parish operates financially. And honestly? The numbers are bigger than many people probably expected.
According to the report shared by the parish, total revenue for the first quarter of 2026 reached around 243,000 PLN, while expenses came to roughly 250,000 PLN. Although, costs of around 80,000 PLN per month seem high to us! The parish also maintains an emergency reserve fund of 173,000 PLN in case of unexpected situations or rent increases.
Yes — rent.
Unlike traditional churches, the Łacina Parish operates inside an apartment building, with rent reportedly making up around 30% of all expenses.
Father Radek explained that the reason for publishing the numbers was transparency.
“We believe your offering deserves honesty,” he wrote online.
The parish also revealed how much was collected during Sunday Masses:
January: around 12,000 PLN
February: around 20,000 PLN
March: around 20,000 PLN
Sunday collections reportedly account for around 22% of the parish’s total income, averaging approximately 135 PLN per family.
Of course, churches also receive money through baptisms, weddings, funerals, donations and seasonal events — something many people forget when wondering how churches actually function financially.
Something is Missing
But while many online praised the move as refreshingly honest, others pointed out one thing missing from the “full transparency” approach: the exact breakdown of expenses wasn’t publicly shown in detail. Apart from mentioning rent as the biggest cost, the parish didn’t reveal precisely where the remaining money goes — which, for some people, slightly misses the point of fully opening the books to the public.
Still, in a country where church finances are usually treated like some untouchable mystery, even partial transparency sparked huge discussion online.
And one thing’s certain — next time the collection basket starts moving down your row during Mass, you’ll probably think about it at least a little differently.
