The Scandal

Scandals like this are exactly why people are turning away from the Church. The system protects its own, turning a blind eye to the very behavior that’s driving people out the door. When a priest abuses his power, manipulates a parishioner, and faces zero real consequences, what kind of message does that send?

This isn’t just one rogue priest. This is a pattern, and it’s widespread because the Church refuses to hold its own accountable.

The Case of Fr. Paweł F.

In 2017, during a pilgrimage to Częstochowa, a Poznan woman named Iwona met Fr. Paweł F. A year later, he became her confessor—her spiritual guide. But instead of offering guidance, he manipulated her, took advantage of her trust, and led her into a sexual relationship.

When the case went to court, Fr. Paweł played the victim, claiming Iwona was the one who pursued him. He even tried to romanticize the situation, saying they had simply “moved from priest and penitent to man and woman.” But the court saw through the act.

His Punishment?

In 2024, after a second trial, he was found guilty. The court ruled that he abused his power as a priest, took advantage of the woman’s vulnerability, and acted in a calculated and deliberate way. His punishment?

8 months in prison—suspended for two years.

No jail time. No real consequences.

The Church’s Response? A Slap on the Wrist.

You’d think that after being convicted in court, the Church would act swiftly and remove him from the priesthood. But no. Instead, they simply imposed a few temporary restrictions:

✅ He can’t hold church offices until 2026
✅ He can’t hear confessions for one year
✅ He can’t lead spiritual direction for two years

And then? Back to business as usual.

This Is Why People Are Leaving the Church

This isn’t an isolated case. It’s part of a much bigger problem—the Church’s unwillingness to hold priests accountable when they abuse their position. A teacher caught in a similar situation would never be allowed back into the classroom. A therapist would lose their license immediately. But a priest? He gets to sit on the sidelines for a bit and then go right back to work.

This kind of cover-up culture is exactly why church attendance is plummeting. People are sick of the hypocrisy. They see a system that protects its own instead of protecting its followers, and they’re walking away in droves.

Until the Church starts treating cases like this with real consequences, these scandals will keep happening. And with every case that comes to light, more and more people will decide they’ve had enough.