As the "Christian Vision" initiative learned , five Catholic priests and one monk in the Minsk-Mogilev Archdiocese, all holding Polish citizenship, have been denied an extension of their permits for further ministry in Belarus by the authorities.
Not approved for ministry:
- Rector of St. Alexey parish in Ivenets, Father Lech Bachanek;
- Dean of Stolbtsy deanery, rector of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish in Naliboki, Canon Marian Szerszeń;
- Dean of Myadel deanery, rector of St. Nicholas, Bishop parish in Svir, Canon Bogusław Madajewski;
- Rector of St. Andrew the Apostle parish in Naroch, Father Paweł Lelito;
- Rector of St. Francis parish in Soligorsk, Father Sobiesław Tamała;
- Capuchin, who served for the last year in St. Casimir parish in Molodechno, Brother Wojciech Wróblewski.
All of them have been working in Belarus for many years; one of them, Father Lech Bachanek, for more than 25 years. He arrived in Ivenets in 2000 and has since implemented many youth projects, including founding the "Music Workshop".
Father Lech was already not granted an extension of his ministry permit 10 years ago, in 2016. But then, after public outcry, the authorities overturned the decision and issued a new permit.
Earlier, it became known about the refusal of permits for further ministry to three Polish priests in the Vitebsk diocese, and before that — to two priests in the Pinsk diocese.
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