Belarusian Parishes Left Without Pastors After Clergy Denied Renewal
Six parishes in western Belarus are now without pastors after two longtime clergy members were denied permission to continue their work. Father Paweł Kruczak and Father Adam Strączynski, who together served for over two decades, must leave their communities. The decision has left local believers facing an uncertain future for regular pastoral care.
Father Paweł Kruczak spent 13 years ministering in Ivanava, Drahichyn, and Byazdzezh. Father Adam Strączynski served for 11 years in Ivacevičy, Kosava, and Voltsa. Both pastors built long-standing relationships in their parishes, making their departure particularly difficult.
Bishop Antoni Dziemianko acknowledged the pain caused by these changes, stressing that the pastors did not choose to leave. He also highlighted a broader crisis: the diocese struggles to provide consistent pastoral support due to a severe shortage of local clergy.
Over the past five years, ordinations in the Belarusian Roman Catholic Church have remained low. Between 2021 and 2025, only 25 new pastors were ordained—6 in 2021, 5 in 2022, 7 in 2023, 4 in 2024, and 3 in 2025. Most ordinations took place in the Minsk and Grodno dioceses.
The loss of these two experienced pastors now leaves six parishes across Drahichyn, Ivanava, and Ivacevičy without clergy to lead them.
The departure of Father Kruczak and Father Strączynski leaves their former parishes without regular religious services. Bishop Dziemianko's remarks underscore the growing difficulty of maintaining pastoral care in regions with dwindling numbers of pastors. Without new clergy, more communities may soon face similar challenges.
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