Ban On Polish Cardinal

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30954, 10 January 1966, Page 11

Ban On Polish Cardinal

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter —Copyright)

WARSAW, January 9. The Polish Government has refused to let Stefan, Cardinal Wyszynski, the Roman Catholic Primate of Poland, travel to Rome—and Church circles said tonight the ban had dashed their hopes of bringing Pope Paul to Poland in May.

I Polish Catholic leaders had] (invited the Pope to attend] j the celebrations marking ] 11000 years of Christianity in] 'Poland, but he was waiting] (for an invitation from the Polish Government. ■ Church sources described] j the situation between Church and State as tense and serious ■ after the Government’s refusal. disclosed yesterday, to [give Cardinal Wyszynski a ! passport. He had planned to leave ty Strain for Rome last night or | today. i He delivered a long serimon to a large congregation I last night but did not refer to the travel ban. In contrast to recent statements challenging Government views on

the Church, he confined him|self to religious topics. The 64-year-old cardinal has (been to Rome 11 times since [the Government freed Im from house arrest in October. 1956. The Polish Government accused the Cardinal of harming Polish interests during a recent visit to Rome as a result of the controversial letter which he and Polish bishops sent to the West German church when they were in Rome last December. “So far, there is no guar- | antee that the cardinal during his stay abroad will not undertake again an action, the results of which may be harmful to the interests of the Polish State,” a Government statement said.