After more than a decade leading the Vatican’s charitable outreach to the poor, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski has been appointed archbishop of Łódź, central Poland, bringing to his homeland a pastoral mission deeply shaped by years of service to the poor.
According to OSV News, the Polish cardinal, widely known for his bold acts of charity during his tenure as papal almoner, will leave Rome after nearly three decades of service to the Vatican.
In 2013, shortly after the start of his pontificate, Pope Francis appointed then-Msgr. Krajewski to lead the Apostolic Almoner’s Office, later known as the Dicastery for the Service of Charity.
Recalling the moment he received the assignment, Cardinal Krajewski told OSV News that Pope Francis instructed him not to remain behind a desk but to go out and meet the poor directly.
“He told me that I should not stay in the Vatican City, that I should not deal with formal offices, and that I should give up everything,” the cardinal said. “Later I realized that I actually received the most when I simply had nothing.”
Under his leadership, the Vatican expanded its direct service to the poor in Rome. Showers for the homeless were installed near St. Peter’s Square, and an outpatient clinic for the needy was opened close to the Vatican walls. In 2019, the Vatican also opened Palazzo Migliori as a shelter for homeless people.
Cardinal Krajewski became known for his unconventional and sometimes daring acts of charity. In 2019, in a move that earned him the nickname “Pope’s Robinhood”, he restored electricity to an occupied building housing hundreds of migrants and families after their power had been cut due to unpaid bills, an action that technically broke a police seal. When asked about the legality of the act, he responded simply: “The Gospel is my law,” OSV News reported.
The cardinal often emphasized that charity must respect the dignity and real needs of the poor. “True charity means asking people what they need and sharing yourself with them,” he told OSV News, adding that restoring the dignity of even one person mattered more than statistics.
During his years as papal almoner, he also carried humanitarian aid to conflict zones, traveling multiple times to Ukraine to deliver assistance and solidarity on behalf of the pope.
Cardinal Krajewski said his ministry among the poor transformed him spiritually. “They taught me patience and inner calm,” he told OSV News, explaining that authentic charity requires presence, listening, and accompaniment.
As he prepares to begin his new mission in Łódź, the cardinal leaves behind a legacy of Gospel-inspired charity in Rome, one that placed the poor at the heart of the Church’s life and witness.
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