Proceedings began on Wednesday at the district court in Tarnów.
Prosecutors allege Jeż, head of the Tarnów diocese, failed to promptly notify law enforcement about the sexual abuse of persons under 15 by two priests under his authority, identified as Stanisław P. and Tomasz K.
Jeż did not plead guilty and gave lengthy explanations to the court.
The age of consent in Poland is 15, for both boys and girls. Strict rules apply to sexual activity by people under 18 years of age.
It is the first criminal trial in Poland of a Catholic bishop linked to the duty to report suspected child sexual abuse by clergy.
The indictment was first filed with the court by prosecutors in 2024.
Poland tightened its rules in 2017, making it a criminal offense to fail to inform authorities about certain serious crimes, including sexual abuse of minors.
Before that change, reporting was treated as a moral or social duty rather than a legal obligation punishable by the courts.
Under the current rules, the duty applies to everyone, including clergy.
The Polish Bishops’ Conference confirmed this approach in guidelines issued in 2019, saying the legal provision requiring notification to authorities applies to every priest.
Father Wojciech Rzeszowski, of the office of the Episcopate's delegate for the protection of children and youth, said that when a credible report concerns a crime covered by state law, such as abuse of a child under 15, a church superior should report the matter to law enforcement alongside church procedures.
He added that a bishop does not need to file the report personally and may do so through an authorized representative or a diocesan delegate.
Rzeszowski said some reports can initially be vague, making it hard to assess what happened.
In doubtful cases, he said cooperation with law enforcement can help determine whether the information is sufficient to warrant a formal report.
Jeż told the court he had doubts about jurisdiction in the case involving Stanisław P., arguing the alleged acts took place mainly in Ukraine.
He said the diocesan curia ultimately reported the case in 2020.
In the case of Tomasz K., Jeż said he believed until December 2021 that all alleged victims were over 15 at the time of the incidents.
He said he notified authorities promptly only after a new statement indicated one victim had been a minor.
Rejecting the allegations, Jeż said an independent delegate appointed in 2015 was responsible for receiving abuse reports and operated with full autonomy, without an obligation to brief the bishop on details. He said he was often the last to learn about cases.
The Vatican has been informed about the case, and any decision concerning a bishop ultimately rests with the pope.
The Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which handles the most serious canonical crimes such as sexual abuse of minors, has been notified, but it does not open proceedings focused on alleged negligence by diocesan bishops.
Such matters are handled by the Dicastery for Bishops, in a process that is confidential.
In 2019, Pope Francis issued the document Vos estis lux mundi, which set out procedures to prevent and respond to sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.
The rules have been used in recent years in cases involving Polish church leaders.
The norms were updated in 2023, expanding some definitions related to vulnerable persons and clarifying responsibility for reporting in cases that cross borders.
The next hearing in Bishop Jeż’s case is scheduled for March 2.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP