News in Brief·
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News in Brief· POLAND 1973 he became the first Polish bishop to visit the Federal Republic of Germany Death of Archbishop Baraniak since the Second World War. His death will inevitably open up a Archbishop Antoni Baraniak, Metro lengthy period of haggling with the politan of Poznan, died on 13 .August. communist authorities about a succes Born on New Year's Day 1904, he joined sor. But in the present circumstances, in the Salesian Order and was ordained which the Church plays a vital, though priest in August 1930. In April 1951 he independent part in keeping the socio was nominated assistant bishop of the economic tensions in the country with then Metropolitan of Poznan, Arch in limits, the problem should be rela bishop Dymek. This was at the height of tively easy to solve. the Stalinist period, a time of violent Archbishop Baraniak's funeral was persecution against the Church. In 1953 held on 18 August, with Cardinal Bishop Baraniak (as he then was) was Wyszynski taking part. The coffin was arrested and spent the next three years placed in the crypt of the Cathedral on in the Mokotow prison in Warsaw. Ostrow Tumski in Poznan. (The Tablet, During this time the Polish Primate, 27 August 1977; Kierunki, 28 August Cardinal Wyszynski, was also kept in 1977) detention. The Polish "October" of 1956, which brought Mr. Gomulka to power, led to their release. After a brief 1977 Czestochowa Pilgrimage "thaw" there followed another period of tension which, with various vicis The 226th pilgrimage from Warsaw to situdes, has lasted to the present day. Czestochowa started out from Warsaw In May 1957, after the death of Arch on 6 August. The Assumption of the bishop Dymek, Archbishop Baraniak be Virgin was celebrated at Jasna Gora by came his successor as Metropolitan of crowds of pilgrims from all over Poland Poznan. He was one of the most out and abroad, as well as by several Polish standing leaders of the Polish Church in bishops, including Cardinal Wyszynski these difficult times, and served, among and Stefan Barela, bishop of Czesto other things, as president of the episco chowa. The first pilgrimage to the shrine pal commission for implementing the of the Black Madonna of Jasna Gora decrees of Vatican 11. During the Coun took place in 17II. (Kierunki; 21 August cil, Archbishop Baraniak, who was re 1977, and 28 August 1977) garded as one of the most influential Polish Catholic advocates of Polish Hunger Strike in Warsaw Church German reconciliation, was among the signatories of a letter, addressed by the A seven-day hunger strike was held in Polish bishops to their German col a chapel of St. Martin's Church in leagues, in which they asked for mutual Warsaw from 26 May 1977 by ten forgiveness for the sins committed by people. These inciuded the editor-in each nation against the other; and in chief of the Catholic journal Znak, News in Brief Bohdan Cywinski, and a priest, Fr. HUNGARY Aleksander Hauke-Ligowski. The fast was intended as an act of sympathy Party Leader Sees the Pope with an imprisoned worker, Czeslaw Chomicki. The protesters called for the The Hungarian Communist Party release of Chomicki and four other leader, Mr. Janos Kadar, was received workers imprisoned for taking part in by the Pope on 9 June 1977. He spent the food price riots of June 1976, and two and a half hours in the Vatican, for the release of the members and sup and had a fifty-minute private conversa porters of the Workers' Defence Com tion with the Pope. During the audience mittee arrested in the previous two the Pope reminded Mr. Kadar of his weeks. All were in fact released in an hopes for further improvements, and amnesty on Poland's national day, 22 for strict adherence by all States to the July. (Keston News Service, 27 May Helsinki Declaration on European peace and security - which includes pledges of 1977; The Times, 27 May 1977; The Tablet, 4 June 1977; The Guardian, 25 respect for religious liberty. For years relations between Hungary July 1977) ;and the Vatican have been disrupted by the imprisonment of the late Cardi Polish Bishop Appointed nal Mindszenty and by his 15-year stay in the American Embassy in Budapest. The nomination of Mgr. Alfo~s Nossol There are still restrictions upon the as Bishop of Opole, announced by the Roman Catholic Church in Hungary. Vatican on 30 June, is regarded as the Mr. Kadar. told reporters, after the result of Archbishop Luigi Poggi's visit audience, that he felt satisfied with his to Poland in the Spring. Episcopal meeting With the Pontiff, and thought appointments in Poland are always a that it wOlild lead to further efforts to matter of great delicacy as they are sub stabilize Church-State relations. (Daily ject to government' approval. This Telegraph, ID June 1977, p. 5) , appointment was considered partic ularly delicate because of the additional political factor represented by a large Cardinal Konig Visits Hungary number of Germans in the diocese. Cardinal Konig of Vienna visited Eszter Estimated' at 90,000, they are not al gom and Budapest at the invitation of lowed to leave the country because of the Hungarian primate from 27 to 29 their valued technical skills. (The April. He said that the Church could Tablet, 9 July 1977) only perform its functions under the leadership of bishops who were close to Report on Polish Missionaries the people. Secret bishops could not perform the tasks of the Church, nor According to a report by the Rome press could bishops "in golden cages". He office Qf the Polish Bishops' Conference, emphasized the bishops' responsibility 993,'Polish priests and religious were to see that the Church had freedom to working overseas as missionaries during proclaim the Gospel clearly. He hoped 1976. Last year 93 Polish missionaries that the political leadership would at left for mission stations, a considerable last recognize Christians' as loyal citi increase Dver the statistics of previous zens. (Glaube in der 2. Welt, Informa years. More than half the missionaries tionsdienst, No. 6, 15 May 1977, p. 6) went to Africa and the others to Asia and Oceania. The largest single number Groups of Youpg Catholics Disbanded - 23 nuns and two priests - went to Libya. Four members of the Polish 'Con Young Catholics in Hungary had begun gregation of Divine Providence have forming "basis-groups" in the search gone to Tokyo to establish their first for a new form of spirituality. A num house outside Poland. It is the first ber of young priests helped them. Al group of missionaries ever to go to Japan though they were not officially part of from Eastern Europe. (The Tablet, 26 the parishes, they held meditation March 1977, P.317; Catholic Life in services in churches as part of parish Poland, No~ 3, 1977, p. 43) worship. Cardinal Lekai condemned News in Brief 271 these as uncanonical last February. The has its problems like churches else state security police kept these groups where, Catholic life in Hungary has an under· observation for a while, and "elan of joyflllness". (AKSA, 23 April several students were expelled from the 1977) university. There were rumours of a pending trial, in particular against 22 Cooperation between Believers and young priests. Possibly in response to Non-believers these pressures, the bishops' conference . ..' . - condemned the . groups last December. The p'ublie discussion in Hungary about This forestalled any attempts to crush coope'ration between believers and non the groups by the authorities. But believing citizens· in the building up of Catholic circles are disappointed at the the homeland and the participation ·0£ Episcopate's action and believe that the Christians in responsible tasks in Hun cardinal was wrongly informed about garian society reached a .climax at last these youth groups. (Glaube in der 2. year's Sixth Congress of the .Patriotic Welt, Informationsdienst, No. 6, 15 May National Front. The preparatory docu 1977, p. 6) ments had already called for the crea tion of assemblies of citizens with differ Pope Paul Receives Hun8arian ing outlooks. The Hungarian b'shops' conference in thek proclamation early Bishops and Archbishops in June 1975 welcomed these aims Pope Paul received the bishops and and said that the clergy and Catholic archbishops of the Hungarian Catholic laity were prepared to cooperate in the Church on 14 April 1977. The Pope em development of social. economic and phasized that, despite its difficulties the educational institutions in the spirit of position of the Church in Hungary was Pope Paul's encyclical Populorum .Pro clearly hopeful. Every diocese now has gressio. Many priests and laymen have a bishop. The bishops' reports about already taken part in such gatherings. their dioceses revealed the unity of the The Budapest paper Magyar Nemzet, Hungarian bishops with the Apostolic analysing the elections for local com See. The Pope was overjoyed to receive mittees of the National Front wrote: clear signs that the religious situation in "According to still incomplete returns Hungary had improved. But some prob about a hundred prominent church lems still existed, for example the ob people are members of various National stacles to vocations for religious orders Front committees". A few days before and the limitations placed on religious the Congress an article appeared in the instruction for the young. Movements Party newspaper Nepszabadsa8 clarify which attacked episcopal authority or ing the attitude of the Communist Party underrated the importance of norms in towards the Church and believers: the Eucharist were dangerous, since " ... differences of general outlook must they lead to breaks in Church unity.