Poland: Second priest attacked

Basilica of St John the Baptist

A Catholic priest was attacked in Szczecin, north west Poland, on Sunday evening, by three men who entered the Basilica of St John the Baptist minutes before he was due to celebrate Mass.

Fr Aleksander Ziejewski, 68, responded to a call for help from the sacristan who had seen the men trying to take items from the sacristy. When Fr Ziejewski asked them to stop, there was a scuffle and one of the men wrapped a rosary round his fist and hit the priest in the face.

A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Szczecin-Kamień said Ziejewski will need surgery.

Three men have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Justice Minister and Prosecutor General Zbigniew Ziobro has said in a tweet that "the investigation into Sunday's attack on the priest and church workers at St John the Baptist's Basilica in Szczecin will be supervised by the National Public Prosecutor's Office."

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki condemned the attack in a Twitter post on Monday.

"There can be no consent to acts of aggression," Morawiecki said. He added that "the beating of the priest and an attempt to desecrate Holy Mass in Szczecin deserve special condemnation from all sides, regardless of political views."

Last month, a Catholic priest was rushed to a hospital after being stabbed by a knifeman in the southwestern Polish city of Wrocław.

Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, Archbishop Metropolitan of Poznań and President of the Polish Bishops' Conference wrote in a letter to Fr Ziejewski:

"It was with great sadness that I received information about the physical assault on your person, which occurred last Sunday in the Basilica of St John the Baptist in Szczecin.

"I send my words of solidarity and spiritual support, and I assure you of my prayers, also for your collaborators who suffered in the assault.

"Increasingly frequent acts of hatred against believers, including priests, and acts of profanation of sacred objects, places and objects of worship, so important for the Catholics in Poland, arouse my highest concern.

"I am saddened to see the escalation of hostile behaviour towards believers, including the use of symbolic and physical violence. Although in pluralistic society worldview differences are obvious, they can never be an excuse for this type of inhumane act.

"I am asking the perpetrators for repentance, and I am asking all people of goodwill for prayer for the Church and for those who commit similar acts of hatred.

Thank you very much, Venerable Prelate, for your zealous and full of sacrifice ministry, wishing you a quick recovery."

This was the second serious attack on a priest in Poland in recent weeks. Last month Fr Ireneusz Bakalarczyk, 48, was stabbed in the chest and stomach as he walked towards his church in Wrocław. Fr Bakalarczyk's condition was described as "serious but stable". He is recovering from his injuries.

There has been an increase in attacks on churches and church property since the release of a documentary on clerical abuse 'Tell No One' in May this year. Initially the Church hierarchy in Poland refused to take part in the film, but after it was released, the Polish Bishops held a special meeting to confront the problem of abuse, and issued a letter of apology to be read in churches throughout the country.

See also: ICN - 12 June 2019 - Priest stabbed before Mass www.indcatholicnews.com/news/37268