Poland, where are you going?
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
We are still in the atmosphere created by media – television, radio and some newspapers- where there is so much place to criticize the Church. Instead of asking and critically evaluating people responsible for the economy about unclear matters connected with the sale of national treasure, instead of asking about chances for families, instead of asking many basic and important questions, journalists went towards ideology, and concentrated on imaginary and sometimes trivial matters. Reactions of some politicians were inadequate to the importance of the problem, like the surprising appealing letter to the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, signed by five former Foreign ministers, certainly from only one political group. There was also a bow towards the east side, cultivating ‘other gods’. It is a kind of political option which brought much noise directed against the Church. Besides accented problems there was also much malice, not justified by the basic knowledge on this problem, for example stories told by Janusz Palikot that the Church does not pay taxes and owns unusual amount of money. If somebody thinks at least a little, he sees how many people give money onto the tray in church – these are really pennies comparing to the needs of a parish (electricity, refurbishments, conservations, salaries for people working in a church etc.) But those who do not go to church form such accusations very easily, and people similar to them buy the accusations easily as well. Whereas, the poorest people give their money onto the tray, because, mainly the poor go to church. You cannot expect more money from rich people, and the middle class practically stopped existing because the capitalist system led to destruction of this group of people in Poland. Surely, Christ would ask a question to Mr Palikot today -certainly, only if the latter one wanted to listen to Him: why are you hitting me? What thing is my priest blamed for, when resigning from many goods of this world, he works as much as he can, teaches about God’s commandments, gives people the teaching of Jesus Christ included in the Gospel and helps people walk the path leading to Redemption. This is his mission. So, why are there so many people who attack the Church?
I am also surprised with the exceptional success of Janusz Palikot in Czestochowa – a town where there is the national sanctuary of Our Lady which is inscribed so deeply in the Polish history. Does it mean that Częstochowa is a symbol which should be destroyed by opponents?
Please, remember that marihuana will not defend either Poland or the man at all. It can only lead into self-destruction. People, who succumb to this delusion today, will require serious treatment, and they will need mercifulness. The civic society is not built in this way, not saying that it orders everybody to take an oath in the same way as in the times of fascism.
So, we see well that we are led into the illusory world for various purposes and with premeditation and without any obstacles. The example of untruth can be a fact that priests pay tax on all residents of a parish and also those not going to church and non-believers, so the people of Palikot as well. And what will they say to that?
Unfortunately, many people are fooled by such cheap tricks prepared in a populist way, without any deep thinking what they are used for. Therefore, if we can say here about any victory, the media won indeed, just through spreading lies and blasphemy. But is it all about such victory? Surely, we will see soon whether the number of work places will increase, what our salary will be, whether our children will have conditions to realize a good education programme and also what the young generation will learn....
The Church does not want any privileges for the clergy or special rights. We want only normal legal order – the country of law, as it is pompously called today. We want justice and sincerity. We cannot talk about love when spreading hatred practically at the same time. We have already had this lesson with reference to president Lech Kaczyński – only after his tragic death the whole truth was revealed. Unfortunately, the same tactics is used against Jarosław Kaczyński and also the Church.
So let the Catholic solidarity wake up. We must not let others ‘stamp their feet on us’. The Church is a serious institution and the Polish nation is bigger than the group of Mr Palikot. We have won the czarism, German and Bolshevik occupants and now we have to win. And let us pray for that to Our Lady in Jasna Góra and our Queen of Poland.
(AA)
"Niedziela" 43/2011