The Council for the Family of the Polish Episcopal Conference has expressed concern over recent decisions by administrative courts regarding the transcription of «marriage» certificates between same-sex persons contracted abroad. In a statement signed by Archbishop Wiesław Śmigiel, president of this episcopal body, the bishops warn that certain legal interpretations could affect the constitutional definition of marriage currently in force in Poland.
The declaration, published on 22 May in Warsaw, responds to a series of judicial rulings that have revived the debate on the legal recognition of same-sex unions in the country. According to the bishops, these interpretations affect “one of the essential foundations of social and family life in Poland”.
The reference to the Polish Constitution
The bishops recall that Article 18 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland establishes that marriage is the union between a man and a woman and that, as such, it must be under the protection and care of the State.
According to the statement, this provision is not merely a legal formula but reflects the conception of the person, the family and responsibility towards future generations. The prelates maintain that marriage between a man and a woman, open to the transmission of life and to the creation of a stable environment for the development of children, occupies a fundamental place in social organisation.
They also recall that the Constitution is the supreme norm of the Polish legal system and affirm that no law or legal interpretation may contradict its fundamental provisions.
Concern over certain legal interpretations
In their declaration, the Council for the Family points out that some recent interpretations seek to attribute a new meaning to Article 18 of the Constitution, which, in the bishops’ view, raises questions about the limits of legal interpretation and respect for the constitutional order in force.
The prelates consider that issues of this importance should not be resolved through expansive interpretations of the law, especially when they affect institutions deeply rooted in the country’s legal system and cultural tradition.
“We observe with growing concern a process in which broad interpretations of the law may lead to the weakening of the constitutional understanding of marriage,” they state in the text.
References to the Church’s magisterium
The declaration also recalls the Catholic Church’s teaching on marriage. The bishops note that, for Christians, marriage is not merely a legal institution but a reality rooted in natural law and in God’s plan for the human person.
In this context, they cite the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which defines marriage as “the covenant by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life,” oriented by its very nature to the good of the spouses and to the generation and education of children.
They also recall the teachings of Saint John Paul II in the apostolic exhortation Familiaris consortio, where he stated that the future of humanity passes through the family, and they likewise cite a passage from Pope Francis’s exhortation Amoris laetitia, which notes that there are no grounds for considering homosexual unions equivalent to marriage.
Respect for every person and defence of marriage
The bishops emphasise that the defence of marriage between a man and a woman is not intended to act against anyone or to question the dignity of persons. On the contrary, they recall that every person deserves respect and protection of their dignity, regardless of their personal situation or life experiences.
At the same time, they maintain that the respect due to each individual does not imply abandoning the understanding of marriage that the Church has consistently upheld throughout its history.
“Every person, regardless of their history, sensitivity or experiences, deserves respect, protection of their dignity and language free from contempt,” they affirm in the statement.
A call to public responsibility
The declaration concludes with an appeal to political leaders, jurists and citizens to act responsibly in the debate on the future of the institution of marriage in Poland.
The bishops consider that marriage between a man and a woman possesses a singular social, anthropological and spiritual relevance, and therefore any discussion of its place in the legal and social order should be conducted “in a responsible, serene manner and with genuine concern for the common good.”
The text is signed by Archbishop Wiesław Śmigiel, president of the Council for the Family of the Polish Episcopal Conference, and was published in Warsaw on 22 May 2026.