Sad News

I can't say I've followed Stanislaw Wielgus' career in the church closely, but this was shocking, and saddening news nonethless.

Pope Accepts Warsaw Prelate's Resignation

Archbishop Wielgus Had Collaborated With Communist Secret Police

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 7, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Warsaw's Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus, who acknowledged collaborating with Poland's Communist secret police.

In a note issued today by the Holy See, the apostolic nunciature in Poland communicated that Warsaw's new archbishop presented the Pope his "resignation of the canonical office." The archbishop was originally scheduled to begin his pastoral ministry in Warsaw today.

"The Holy Father has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus and has appointed His Eminence, Cardinal Jozef Glemp, primate of Poland, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Warsaw until further indication," added the note issued by Archbishop Jozef Kowalczyk, apostolic nuncio in Poland.

Archbishop Wielgus, 67, acknowledged in a statement that in his youth he collaborated with the secret police, after a statement of Poland's Historical Commission was published on Friday, which confirmed the relationship of the then young priest with the Security Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The commission clarified that, in virtue of the analysis of documents of the National Memory Institute, "it cannot be affirmed that this collaboration had consequences for persons or institutions." At any rate, this type of collaboration was prohibited by the episcopate.

I'm a bit too tired to comment at the moment beyond a gut response. I certainly hope no one suffered as a result of his collaboration, but even if no one was harmed, I can only imagine the shame he must carry on his soul.