Clergymen reprimanded over defence of former president

Father Aleksander Seniuk, who led a mass dedicated to the outgoing Polish head of state of on Thursday, was summoned to the Curia in Warsaw, where he was obliged to explain himself on Monday evening.

“Father Seniuk assured that he had not by any means wanted to defy the position of the Polish Episcopate in his comments,” a statement released by the Curia noted.

The priest had said during Thursday's mass than “many injustices” had been done to the outgoing president Komorowski, and “unfortunately they were uttered by people who call themselves people of the Church.”

Fellow clergymen Father Kazimierz Sowa later clarified that these “injustices” included Komorowski being compared with Hitler.

“We had a deep urge to tell him that it is not proper to compare someone to Hitler,” Father Sowa said.

Komorowski had been strongly criticised by many clergymen, most recently with regard to IVF legislation, which the outgoing president signed in July. The Episcopate openly opposed the legislation, later arguing that all politicians who backed the bill should not take holy communion until they had publicly changed their standing on IVF.

Meanwhile, according to the Curia's statement, “Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz reminds all priests in the Archdiocese of Warsaw to be on guard against risk of political engagement in sacred spaces.” (nh/rk)

Source: PAP