Priests who join Poland’s anti-migrant demonstrations may want to think twice.
The country’s primate, Archbishop Wojciech Polak, says if he hears of a protest against refugees “where my priests participate, I will have a swift response: each priest who joins in will be suspended.
“There’s no other path to take. I am responsible for my diocese. In situations where (priests) explicitly support one side in a conflict, I need to act immediately.
“We must be open, compassionate and ready to help those most needy – the weak and persecuted, migrants and refugees,” Polak says.
“We must respect the social order rather than destroy it thoughtlessly.”
His comments have drawn support from other religious leaders and scorn from conservative leaders, including the ruling Law and Justice Party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski.
Kaczynski, who is known for his anti-migrant attitude, has been criticised in the past for inciting xenophobia. This occurred during his election campaign when he said migrants should be kept out of Poland in case they carried “parasites and protozoa”.
At the other end of the scale, Bishop Tadeusz Pieronek says Poland’s leaders are consciously “violating the Constitution” as they overhaul the judiciary system. He called it “villainy.”
Regardless of what church and state leaders may say, priests say it seems 90 per cent of the Polish population place more importance in the Parish.
“People in small towns will keep listening to their local parish priests, the majority of whom praise the government,” said Andrzej Kaminski, 77, a retired engineer.
“The church hierarchy is high and far away, and the local priest is right there, with them.”
Whether Kaminski’s analysis is correct or not, most Poles oppose allowing refugees to settle in their country, according to Yahoo News.
Although Yahoo does not cite its source information, it claims several recent surveys show that the “majority” Poland and its rightwing premier have refused to be “blackmailed” by the European Union into accepting thousands of asylum seekers under a quota system.
- Catholic Herald
- Yahoo
- Image: Yahoo