Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

The Freethinker

Home
Nonreligious
Catholic bishops condemn Polish court’s rainbow virgin verdict

Catholic bishops condemn Polish court’s rainbow virgin verdict

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 6:03 pm by Barry Duke

Catholic bishops condemn Polish court’s rainbow virgin verdict 2021-03-05T18:03:45+02:00 Barry Duke

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A Polish court has been accused of giving the green light to anti-Catholic sentiment by acquitting three women accused of the ‘profanation’ of Our Lady of Częstochowa, better known as the Black Madonna.

Images via YouTube

In a statement issued this week following the acquittal, Catholic bishops – including Piotr Libera of Płock, inset above – expressed “pain and sadness” over the fact that the judge in a case that attracted global attention, found that the activists did not intend to offend religious sensibilities or to insult the venerated image of the Virgin Mary, housed at the Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa.

Libera and two cohorts said in a March 3 statement that they strongly disagreed with with the ruling.

The statement, according the Catholic News Agency, said:

It is with pain and sadness that we have accepted the verdict of the District Court in Płock, dated March 2, 2021, in the case concerning the profanation of the image of Our Lady of Częstochowa in our city, in April 2019.

We note that the actions involved in the court proceedings clearly violated the social order and – in their essence – contradict the idea of tolerance claimed by the perpetrators.

The Płock bishops added:

We do not agree with the verdict, which has already been described by many as the state’s open consent to actions against the Catholic religion, the honour of the Mother of God and objects of devotion associated with her, as well as the feelings of Catholics.

We express our deep hope that the court of second instance, in accordance with the law, will speak out against this profanation, restoring the disturbed sense of justice.

A day later Catholic Action in the Diocese of Płock also condemned the verdict, and expressed its “utmost concern”. It said that its members:

Cannot come to terms with the sentence of the court, which can be interpreted as consent to openly and publicly offend the feelings of believers and to profanation of the Jasna Góra image of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Image via YouTube

One of the accused, psychotherapist Elżbieta Podleśna, above, said the prosecutor’s office was likely to appeal against the verdict.

If it does, Poland’s reputation for being a country enslaved by Catholic bigotry, will face another round of international ridicule.

• Please report any typos/errors to [email protected]

If you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee – and boy, do I get through a LOT of coffee keeping this site active – please click the link below.

I’d love a cup of coffee

Previous Post

March 4, 2021

Fewer gays are cowering in closets; worried Christians want answers

Next Post

March 5, 2021 Leading Nigerian Anglican castigated for 'dehumanising' gays

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Archive My Atheism News Opinion Reviews Uncategorized

Select a Month December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 March 2007 April 2006 February 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which sea did Moses cross in the Exodus story?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Dead Sea Sea of Galilee Red Sea Caspian Sea

Books by This Author Books by The Freethinker

See All Titles »