Polish Priest Set for Sainthood Criticized for Anti-Semitism
The decision of Pope Francis to bring Cardinal August Hlond of Poland's journey to sainthood a step closer to finality is being criticized by several organizations due to the latter's anti-Semitic views.
CBS News revealed that the American Jewish Committee and the Simon Wiesenthal Center, two of the leading Jewish organizations, were protesting against the decision of the Roman Catholic Church's head to make Hlond a saint. The protests are also supported by the Polish Catholic publications.
The American Jewish Committee pointed out an excerpt from a pastoral letter written by Hlond in 1936 where his thoughts about the Jews can be seen. According to the group, Hlond did not condemn the death of about 40 Jews living in Poland in 1946 under the hands of a mob and a secret security. If the Polish cardinal's canonization will push through, the Catholic Church would validate his awfully negative approach against the Jewish community.
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"It's very difficult to see how you can still claim that the man was a paragon (of saintliness) when the data is so explicit," AJC's director of interreligious affairs Rabbi David Rosen said in a statement that was released by The Associated Press.
On the other hand, the Nazi-hunting group called the Simon Wiesenthal Center claimed that declaring Hlond a saint could further reassure the right-wing Polish government in its long-running efforts to rewrite the country's activities during the tragic time in history.
Hlond's sainthood became even more possible after Pope Francis accepted a decree that recognized the cardinal's "heroic virtues." The Vatican only has to confirm the validity of a miracle that will be attributed to his intercession so that he can be beatified, then another valid miracle could finally make him a saint.
While it is not clear if the protests will cause a major hurdle in Cardinal Hlond's sainthood, reports claimed that the Vatican normally takes every objection seriously.
