“It is time to settle this dispute, and there must be one solution: a thorough prosecution of all subsidies for Radio Maryja and withdrawal of the license for violation of the Concordat,” Roman Giertych announced on the X website.
The head of the so-called PiS settlement team announced his crusade against Father Tadeusz Rydzyk on social media. The KO MP argues in his submission that the media licenses created by the Redemptorist should be taken away.
Take away Father Rydzyk’s licenses. According to art. 1 of the Concordat between the Republic of Poland and the Holy See, the State and the Catholic Church agreed to mutually respect the principle of independence and autonomy. This is an obligation of both parties, not only of the State. With regard to the Catholic Church, this commitment means, first of all, that the Church will not interfere in the political processes in our country. This method of interpretation is referred to in the preamble to the Concordat, which refers to the documents of the Council that condemned such involvement in both the individual and collective activities of the clergy. In other words, both the Second Vatican Council and the Concordat between the Holy See and the Republic of Poland prohibit mixing the roles of the institutions of the State and the Church.
– writes Giertych.
Then a politician from Tusk’s formation claims that Father Tadeusz Rydzyk and the radio he created are responsible for… “propaganda”.
Meanwhile, in Poland, this rule was openly violated by Radio Maryja, led by Father Tadeusz Rydzyk, which formally belonged to the Redemptorist province (and its other private media). This radio has been organizing open propaganda about this political party for years, which at one point provided the best financing for Father Rydzyk’s private institutions (for example, the Lux Veritatis Foundation, which owns Telewizja Trwam). Modest estimates indicate that over the past eight years, the state has subsidized Father Rydzyk’s institutions with several hundred million zlotys. Several million of this came from the Justice Fund alone. In return, the largest Catholic radio station turned into an open, thoughtless and intrusive PiS propaganda mouthpiece. There is endless evidence that such obvious propaganda was carried out on this radio station. No one even denies it anymore
– we read.
The influence of the largest Catholic radio station led to other Catholic radio stations and publishing houses following in the footsteps of Fr. Rydzyk and also getting caught up in this corrupt practice of selling support in exchange for various subsidies. In essence, it was selling the votes of the faithful for money to the publishers of the media who had access to the ears of the Catholics. The former influence of bishops and the pulpit was weakening. Only twenty years ago there were cardinals like the Primate of Poland, Cardinal Józef. Glemp opposed the philosophy of Radio Maryja, and in recent years the bishops have either kept quiet or openly supported Fr. Rydzyk’s cooperation with PiS was so close that the Redemptorist was actually one of the most serious oligarchs in the country built by J. Kaczyński. Fr. Rydzyk also had a real influence on the activities of the prosecutor’s office. Much information about this will still reach the public
– writes Giertych.
But that is not the end. After the merciless attack on Father Tadeusz Rydzyk, Giertych wrote that he was a Catholic.
As you know, I am Catholic. In my actions, I try to be guided by my conscience, which I form through in-depth study of various problems. However, I can oppose the excessive rigorism of bishops (for example, by voting for financing in vitro or by proposing that abortion up to the twelfth week be prosecuted only at the request of the woman who has undergone the abortion). But I can also oppose the left, regardless of the consequences, if in my opinion that goes too far. In any case, it seems clear to me that I am a person who cannot be attributed to anti-Catholicism and therefore perhaps the best person to say loudly on this issue: enough is enough!
– we read.
Giertych and “political corruption”
The former leader of the League of Polish Families writes about the “numerous privileges” of Catholics in Poland.
Our country cannot accept the structural political corruption of Father Rydzyk and his various followers. Our state cannot accept a situation in which the largest religious community in Poland has numerous privileges, depending on the fact that it has committed itself to respecting the independence of the state, and yet openly and conspicuously fails to fulfill this fundamental obligation. Our country cannot remain silent about the open participation of the entire structural Catholic Church in the subsequent PiS election campaigns, and we have numerous examples of such participation. The reaction of the Republic of Poland to such treatment of its obligations must be decisive. I am not advocating the termination of the Concordat. However, I propose that it be respected by both sides. Since Redemptorists do not accept the independence and autonomy of the state, the state has no reason to grant them concessions, privileges or subsidies.
– we read.
I believe that the issue of revoking the license for Radio Maryja should be one of the first legal and factual decisions to be taken after winning the presidential elections, and that its possible granting to another church institution can be done only after compliance with the Concordat is guaranteed by new publishing houses and other church institutions.
– he adds.
Giertych also returns to the past and his contacts with the Toruń media. He claims that Father Rydzyk told him that he would destroy him.
And finally. I know Father Rydzyk well because I represented him in various cases, and later he supported my creation of the League of Polish Families through the media. Our conflict broke out immediately after the LPR entered the Sejm, because I did not intend to listen to his personal and financial suggestions. In short, I had no intention of cooperating in providing him with financial benefits from budget funds in exchange for support. I considered it a de facto corrupt proposal. Because of my stubbornness, he once told me that he would destroy me and publicly announced that he would like to see me on a catafalque. My mother (now deceased) suffered greatly from this at the time. However, he did not succeed in destroying me. My opposition was abused by PiS, which had no qualms about paying for “the works of Father Rydzyk” from the budget. PiS paid this tribute until our victory in 2023. It is time to resolve this dispute, and there must be one solution: a thorough prosecution investigation into all subsidies for Radio Maryja and the withdrawal of its license for violating the Concordat.
– Giertych finishes his entry.
mly/X
Source: wPolityce