Protest planned at Polish funeral of former bishop in child abuse case
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
03.09.2015 17:46
A foundation that aids victims of child abuse by clergymen in Poland is planning a protest at the funeral of a defrocked bishop who died last week before his trial was completed at the Vatican.
Photo: Glowimages
A funeral mass for Józef Wesołowski is reportedly due to be held in Czorsztyn, southern Poland, on Saturday 5 September.
It is unclear whether the former bishop will be buried in Czorsztyn or in his family's tomb in the nearby village of Sromowce Wyżne.
Marek Lisiński, head of the 'Nie lęjajcie się' foundation ('Do not be afraid'), has told Radio Zet that the protest will be against what he described as “the ignorance” of the Polish Church regarding the problem of child abuse.
He said that the protesters would not heckle or impede mourners during the service.
Wesolowski died aged 67, on 27 August.
His trial, which concerned crimes allegedly committed during his tenure as papal nuncio in the Dominican Republic (2008 to 2013) began at the Vatican on 11 July, but it was immediately adjourned after the defendant fell ill.
Initial post mortem findings suggest that Wesołowski died of a heart attack.
A funeral mass was held at the Vatican on Monday, before his body was transported to Poland.
It is understood that although Wesolowski was defrocked in June 2014, he was placed in a coffin wearing a cassock and his episcopal ring. (nh/rk)