Poland
The Polish Catholic Church and the politics of ethics
Warsaw, Poland April 17, 2006 - Because of the activities of Father Tadeusz Rydzyk and his radio station Radio Maria and the failure of the Polish Catholic church authorities to exercise what the Vatican considers proper supervision over Father Tadeusz Rydzyk, the Vatican wrote a letter to the Polish Catholic Church advising it to exercise its responsibilities. Vatican Letter
Since the writing of that letter it has been made public that Father Taduesz Rydzyk has been accused of investing money in the stock market and in the upgrading of his television station and radio station which money was solicited by him from radio listeners for the purposes of helping an the Stochnia Gdanska shipyard. Church Get s Bad Press
Not only does this diversion of funds appear to be unethical, the Minister of Justice had said that he will start an investigation into the matter for possible criminal proceedings.
But Father Rydzyk has been able to operate fairly freely in Poland because it appears many of the bishops in Poland feel that his radio station benefits the Catholic Church in Poland. Even though some of the bishops in Poland have disagreed with what he is doing there has been sufficient support that no one has disciplined him. But the Vatican letter indicates that the Vatican is dissatisfied with what Father Rydzyk is doing and expects the Polish Catholic Church reign him in.
And while the Vatican is pressing for radio Maurya to not be involved in Polish politics, the Primate of Poland, Cardinal Glemp, on Easter Sunday stepped right into the middle of Polish politics during his Easter Sunday sermon.
Cardinal Glemp declared that the Polish doctors who are on strike demanding that their wages be raised have stepped across an ethical line by only providing medical services to those people who absolutely need it. Cardinal Glemp expressed absolutely no sympathy for low wages of the doctors but put his support behind the government which is threatening to change the laws to force the doctors to work. See Doctors Work For Peanuts
Cardinal Glemp seems selective in his application of ethics. This is the Primate of Poland who has allowed Father Tadeusz Rydzyk to build his personal fortune and empire at the expense of devoutly religious Catholics in Poland. This is the Primate of Poland who has not expressed any concern about the ethics of an anti-Semitic preaching priest making himself a millionaire at the expense of the poor Polish donors that contribute to his radio station.
That Cardinal Glemp considers it unethical that public servants take action to try to get a decent wage but does not come out and voice opinion that it is unethical for someone under his charge to become a personal multimillionaire at the expense of Polish Catholics is unethical in its own right. Where does the Polish Catholic Church draw the ethical line?
There is little doubt that the doctors, nurses and other medical professionals in Poland will not take this attack by the primate of Poland lightly. And this application of double standards as to ethics is not lost on them and the Polish public in general. Such double standards can only act to hurt the Polish Catholic Church
