Franciszek Pawłowski (30 March 1774 – 6 July 1852) was a Polish prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the bishop of Płock from 1836 to his death in 1852.

Pawłowski was born in Mokre near Czersk[1] in a family of a standard bearer Michał and his wife Jozefa née Łukowicz.

[2] Pawłowski started his education at the Jesuit Junior High School in Chojnice and continued in the Nowe Szkoty neighbourhood of Gdańsk.

After graduating from high school, he enrolled at the University of Königsberg on 17 November 1796, where he studied philosophy and law.

He also considered enrolling at the Collegio Teutonico in Rome to become a priest, having obtained a letter of recommendation from the bishop in 1795.

In 1804, he was appointed a canon of the Diocese of Włocławek, which necessitated the approval from the Prussian government, received on 18 June 1805.

Besides managing the cathedral chapter, Pawłowski received the post of a member of the Catholic clerical section in the Government Commission for Religious Denominations and Public Enlightenment (KRWRiOP).

The KRWRiOP, established in 1815, oversaw all religions and denominations in Poland, including supervising and nominating the clergy, matters of religious orders, property issues, and remuneration.

Jan Ziółek wrote that the award was, among other intentions, the Emperor's message to the Holy See of how much the representatives of the Catholic Church are respected in Russia.