„I do not outline a specific program because it is created by history, time and people” – said Abp. Michalik after the elections. He invited believers and unbelievers to cooperation. „I will try to see God, the Gospel, man and maintain distance to myself” – promised Michalik.

Abp. Józef Michalik underlines that one of the most meaningful successes of the Catholic Church is its independence from the worlds of politics and business. He is a decided opponent of privileges for the Church, for example, customs relief in relation to items purchased abroad.

Under the influence of support by Pope John Paul II for the integration of Poland into the EU, Abp. Michalik has softened his anti-European stand considerably. In an interview for the Rzeczpospolita newspaper, he said: „The Church in Europe was always one of few universal international communities. It is not afraid, therefore, of the European Union. It is difficult to speak about integration exclusively on the political or economic level. Real integration will never take place, if it is without reference to the soul and is built on egoistic interests without reference to the principles of healthy culture, to lasting and ethical values, which are the same for all members.”

In another interview Abp. Michalik said that “we do not fear the Union, but neither do we really trust it.”

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Archbishop JÓZEF MICHALIK, age 63, was born in a clerical family.

He received his bishopric in 1986 from the hands of John Paul II.

Józef Michalik became head of a hospice in 1986 and was named archbishop, metropolitan of by the Pope in 1993. Since 1999 he is the vice-chairman of the Polish Episcopate. On March 18, 2004 Michalik was chosen by the bishops to lead the Espicopate for a five year term. He replaced Cardinal Józef Glemp, who occupied it for 23 years, at that position.

A little over 90 percent of Poles declare themselves to be Catholic. However, 5 percent of believers do not attend church at all. Last year 53.9 percent of believers declared they were living in accordance with the commandments of the Church and 42.8 percent declared a belief in faith of their own definition.

Research by the Statistical Institute of the Catholic Church reports that 69 percent of the faithful believe in eternal life. Belief in the resurrection was declared by 65.8 percent of those surveyed. The moral teachings of the Church are accepted by 31 percent of youth and 70 percent of young people accept sex before marriage.

It is worth underlining that Catholic press is barely 2 percent of the circulation of Polish press while before World War II it represented 27 percent.

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A conference of the Polish Episcopate includes 124 bishops, 21 one of them senior. Diocesan bishops numbered 43 during the voting and 102 bishops had the right to vote. In order to be elected chairman, a candidate must receive more than half of the votes of those participating in the election. The function of Chairman of the Episcopate is occupied for a maximum of two 5-year terms.