Polen nach dem Papstbesuch
Poland after the Pope's visit

Summary/Abstract: Three months after the visit of Pope John Paul II to Poland, the Polish bishops for the first time spoke publicly about the current state of church-state relations. They had expected that after this event and their willingness to normalize relations with the state, as advocated by John Paul II, the State would be ready to make concessions. Nothing has happened since then. Disappointment therefore speaks from the communiqué that was issued after the two-day conference of bishops in early September 1979 in Warsaw. The episcopate states that the government does not show sufficient understanding for the needs of the Church, that it denies the believers the rights that they enjoy in public life, that it discriminates against the faithful and excludes them from all leading positions in favor of the Communists. Under these circumstances, the Church cannot take seriously the government's assurance that it will seek cooperation with the Church. The bishops complain that the church is still isolated from the mass media and has no newspaper for the faithful. The "Słowo Powszechne" daily paper published by "socially progressive" Catholics of the organization "PAX" does not consider the episcopate to be an organ close to the church. This criticism is practiced in the communique of the church policy of the state and is reminiscent of the visit of the pope in Poland, which is said to have caused great moral changes in the lives of millions of Poles, proving beneficial to all Poles and useful for the Polish people and the state (Dziennik Polski, London, September 10, 1979).

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