Poland’s State Commission for Pedophilia has registered a priest convicted of abusing a minor between 1984 and 1987, following a years-long legal battle.
Priest Found Guilty of Abuse
The State Commission for Pedophilia entered the priest’s name on the public registry of sex offenders on Friday, April 17th. Commission members had previously found the cleric guilty of pedophilic crimes in February.
The registration follows the finalization of the commission’s decision.
Details of the Abuse
The Commission determined that Jan Maria Wodniak repeatedly subjected a boy under the age of 15 to anal and oral sex, and other sexual acts including embracing, hugging, kissing, and touching, between March 1984 and February 19, 1987, in Międzybrodzie Bialskie, Zielonka, and other unspecified locations.
Victim’s Account of Initial Assault
Janusz Szymik, the victim, recounted to Wyborcza.pl that the first assault occurred after the priest asked him to come to the rectory in the evening after Mass. They shared dinner, and the priest was initially friendly. Szymik alleges he was then forced into sexual activity.
Janusz Szymik’s Legal Battles
In 2021, Janusz Szymik filed a lawsuit against the Diocese of Bielsko-Żywiec, seeking 3 million złoty in compensation for years of sexual abuse.
Exploitation of Religious Authority
The lawsuit emphasized that Father Wodniak “built his authority in the religious sphere” and that his position within the parish provided him access to children.
Victim Describes Priest’s Influence
Janusz Szymik described how the priest gained the trust of his family by bringing gifts of coffee, fruit, and sweets – items that were scarce at the time – when returning from visits to his brother in Vienna. The priest also became chairman of the village gasification committee, further solidifying his standing in the community.
Szymik stated that frequent visits to the priest’s home were considered normal, and he explained away late visits by saying they were playing chess.
In January of last year, the court awarded Szymik 400,000 złoty in damages. He later sued the Archdiocese of Krakow, where Father Wodniak also served, seeking 20 million złoty in compensation.