Protest Planned at Polish Funeral of Former Bishop in Child Abuse Case

The News
September 3, 2015

http://www.thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/219808,Protest-planned-at-Polish-funeral-of-bishop-in-child-abuse-case

A funeral mass for Jozef Wesolowski 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 Wyzne.

Marek Lisinski, head of the 'Nie lejajcie sie' 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 Wesolowski 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)