“Towards hope” was the motto of the gathering of lay people of the Province of Poland, known as the Piarist Laity Festival, held from 3 to 5 October 2025. More than 60 people from the schools, from non-formal education initiatives in parishes, and from the Pious Schools Fraternity came to the retreat house of the Archdiocese of Łódź in Porszewice (Bolesławiec, Elbląg, Katowice, Kraków, Łowicz, Poznań and Warszawa). The meeting was organised by the Secretariat for the Formation of Piarist Laity, together with Fr Sławomir Dziadkiewicz, Delegate of the Provincial for the formation and charismatic integration of lay collaborators.
The main theme was explored throughout the gathering by means of a series of talks: “Biblical witnesses of hope in hopelessness”, given by Fr Jacek Wolan; “Hope in the life of Saint Joseph Calasanz”, given by Father General Carles Gil i Saguer; and “Christian hope in the context of the current situation of the world and the Church”, prepared by Fr Dominik Bochenek.
In the opening talk, the history of these provincial gatherings was recalled, since this was their ninth edition. Since 2007, almost every year (sometimes every two or three), an autumn weekend meeting has been organised. From the outset they have had a twofold format—fellowship and formation—so that they have been and continue to be an opportunity to strengthen bonds, share experiences, address important issues and pray together for pupils and educators.
By way of historical overview, the following gatherings stand out:
- 27 October 2007, in Warszawa, with 147 participants.
- 6 November 2010, in Warszawa, with the motto “Piarist laity: a sleeping giant”, 177 participants.
- 11–13 October 2013, in Warszawa, under the motto “Religious and laity: witnesses of faith in education”, with 144 participants, not only from Poland but also from Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.
- 16–18 October 2015, in Częstochowa (Poland’s Marian shrine), with the theme “Mother of God of the Pious Schools”, about 137 participants.
- 27–29 October 2017, in Licheń, more than 160 people celebrated the Calasanctian Jubilee Year with the key words “Educate, proclaim, transform”.
- 4–6 October 2019, in Licheń, 120 participants; the theme related to the motto of the Church in Poland: “In the power of the Holy Spirit”.
- 21–23 October 2022, in Licheń, with the motto “Love the Church”, 130 participants.
- 20–22 October 2023, also in Licheń, and for the last time there, 108 participants with the theme “My place: the Piarist community”.
On the last day of the gathering, in Porszewice, the Provincial, Fr Mateusz Pindelski, thanked the laity for their dedication to the Piarist educational mission and presented the provincial awards. The Sapere auso pro Professoribus prize was awarded to Ewa Komuńska, from the Łowicz school, while the “Calasanz and the Child” prize went to: Agnieszka Nawrocka (Łowicz school); Elżbieta Ogrodzka (Kraków-Akacjowa school); Małgorzata Dziedzic (Kraków-Akacjowa school); Tomasz Tisończyk (Kraków-Akacjowa school); Beata Kubik (Kraków-Wieczysta parish); Ewa Ostafin (Kraków-Wieczysta parish); Agata Kozicka (Bolesławiec school); and Agnieszka Orawiec (Bolesławiec school).
