The visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Poland last week bolstered the country's strong Catholic Church, yet an old ghost has returned to haunt the institution.
Earlier this week, Father Tadeusz Isakowicz-Zalewski, a prominent priest with a distinguished record during the Solidarity struggle, was cut short in his bid to reveal Communist era informers within the church.
Although matters seemed to come to a head this week - a volatile time in the light of the Papal visit - Father Zalewski had been campaigning for months to bring the documents to light.
Figures are unclear, but it has been suggested that as many as 6000 members of the cloth collaborated with the communist regime. The issue presents a major dilemma for Poland's bishops, as the church is proud of its role in maintaining the nation's morale during the long Soviet Winter.
Two weeks ago in a separate incident, it emerged that a respected priest who leads a Polish-Jewish relations commission had been a paid informer of the Communists for many years. Father Michal Czajkowski had spied on the legendary Solidarity priest Father Jerzy Popieluszko, who was ultimately murdered by the Communist Intelligence Agency in 1984.
Father Zalewski, the leader of the campaign for unveiling collaborators, was himself twice beaten up during the 1980's. His recent campaign was prompted by reading his own file - an undertaking that is now possible in today's Poland. Although unable to read other people's files, Zalewski discovered in his own the names of many who had informed on him personally.
This week, Archbishop of Cracow Stanislaw Dziwisz, former secretary of Pope John Paul II, ruled that Father Zalewski should desist in his campaign to out fellow churchmen. The ruling has been obeyed.
'I accept this decision in spirit of allegiance to the metropolitan, to whom I have always had and have respect' Father Zalewski responded.
Yet it is unlikely that the problem will go away. Pope Benedict XVI himself spoke eloquently of the issue at a mass in Warsaw Cathedral last week:
"Since the time of Peter, the community of the church has had to distance itself from betrayal and unfaithfulness, as well as a lack of confidence in love and forgiveness... We appeal to your consciences � have the courage to trust in our forgiveness, which has its source in the mercy of God."
The Polish Church, which has given rise to many heroes, chief among them Pope John Paul II, may not be able to prevent the ultimate release of the files, but it still has time to formulate a wise manner of dealing with them.
|