UK church leaders write letter to Polish president

On Friday, Cardinal Vincent Nichols and the Archbishop of Canterbury Most Rev Justin Welby responded to earlier letters by Duda asking the church leaders to appeal to Britons to respect the rights of Poles living in the UK.

In the reply, the UK church leaders said they “make clear once again [their] shared commitment to tackling any signs of intolerance directed at migrants living in the United Kingdom”.

In the weeks following the UK referendum to leave the EU, a number of Poles have been attacked in England, with several hospitalised and one man killed. Forty-year-old Arkadiusz Józwik was brutally beaten in Harlow, near London, and died from his injuries a few days later.

“Above all, we remember in our prayers the family of Mr Arkadiusz Jóżwik who was killed on 27 August. We offer our prayers for the repose of his soul and we remember the two other Polish gentlemen attacked in Harlow shortly afterwards,” the letter from the church leaders read.

“Polish Catholic chaplains [in the UK], meeting together recently, have reported that most Poles taking part in their religious community activities feel welcome and are not planning to leave the UK. Nor do they feel that the Polish community is targeted any more that other immigrants.”

The Polish community is the largest minority in the UK, according to recent statistics. (rg)

Source: PAP, Independent Catholic News