*-A COPY OF THIS WAS ALSO INCLUDED IN MY JANUARY
14, 1983 SUBMISSION TO THEN-CANADIAN
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ALLAN MACEACHEN.ROME, Dec. 30--The Vatican reacted sternly today to a sharp personal attack by the Soviet Union on Pope John Paul II. The response was as unusual as the attack itself. The Soviet Union has not in many years directed strong public criticism against a pope, and the Vatican rarely dignifies political attacks with a reply.
A terse statement issued by the Vatican's press office said accusations that the Vatican carried out "subversive activities" of which Poland and other countries were victims "needs no comment or reply."
Nonetheless, the communiqué continued: "It contrasts with the reality of the facts and the situation that are well known to all, on which world public opinion has pronounced a judgment that can hardly be contradicted. It contradicts also the evaluations made by Soviet sources, including officials, which have recognized on various occasions the high skill and untiring work of Pope John Paul II for peace and a just solution of the grave problems that threaten humanity."
The Soviet attack was distributed Wednesday by the official
press agency Tass, which quoted an article in the
December issue of the monthly Politicheskoye
Samoobrazovaniye, or Political Self-Instruction.
This method of delivering a political message is used by the
Soviet Union to serve its objectives without formally engaging
the Government.
The monthly said the Pope had "taken a much more conservative and rigid position toward the socialist world" than his predecessors had taken. Vatican policies, according to the periodical, are influenced by the "growth of the aggressive designs of imperialism and the increased activity of the opponents of détente."
Focusing its attack on Poland, the Soviet monthly said: "The notorious Solidarity, which came to symbolize the crisis provoked by antisocialist forces on instructions from abroad, was born not in the wave of disorders that swept the country in the summer of 1980 but in the Catholic Church."
Referring to his Polish origins by calling him "the former Archbishop of Cracow, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla," the Soviet journal said with heavy sarcasm: "It goes without saying that the present vice regent of St. Peter prefers, in his statements whose substance happens to be political, to speak the language of Christian prayers. But the point of his statements is clear."
The article further asserted that Poland was not the only
object of Vatican subversive activity.
It said The Vatican also trained and
sent "specialists" in Catholic propaganda to other countries of
Eastern Europe.
The Soviet attack was evidently inspired by the Pope's unceasing comments on the situation in his native country since the declaration of martial law more than a year ago and the outlawing of the independent labor union movement Solidarity.
But the Pope's comments on and prayers for Poland have avoided direct criticism of the Government of Prime Minister Wojciech Jaruzelski. Rather, the Pope has expressed compassion for political prisoners and other victims of martial law and has urged his compatriots not to lose hope.
The Pope is said by Polish church
sources to be deeply aware of the power of his words to provoke
strong action by Poles that may cause stronger counteractions by
the Government.
He is said to feel that his best chance of improving the situation of Poles is by visiting the country, which he is scheduled, in principle, to do next year. It is believed that he does not want to compromise the Government's approval of the trip by strong words beforehand.
With martial law about to be lifted, the Roman Catholic Church is presumably recognized by the Soviet Union and the Polish Government as the strongest potential opponent, exercising incomparable influence over vast numbers of people. The Soviet attack may well be a warning to the Pope to use that influence to favor stability rather than to drive for greater freedom.
L'Unitâ, the daily of the Italian Communist Party, will reject the Soviet attack in Friday's issue. The paper will relate the attack to Italian comments linking Bulgaria to the attempted assassination of the Pope last year.
But the Socialist Party daily Avanti! will take L'Unitâ to task on Friday for putting an article on the Soviet criticism at the bottom of its back page today.
In the bitter political battle between the main parties of
the Italian left, Soviet statements relevant to Italy tend to
provoke efforts by Communists and Socialists to outdo each other
in the vigor of their condemnations.
(text of December 31, 1982 New York Times article)
*-A COPY OF THIS WAS ALSO INCLUDED IN MY JANUARY
14, 1983 SUBMISSION TO THEN-CANADIAN
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ALLAN MACEACHEN.
DON'T THINK THE WISDOM OF THOMAS JEFFERSON IS PASSÉ YET IN WHAT YOU ARE ENTITLED TO FROM YOUR GOVERNMENT? LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD: TAKE A BRIEF SIDESTEP HERE TO SIGN MY GUESTBOOK.