[Catholic Caucus] Polish Cardinal Now Open to Legal Protections for LGBTQ+ Couples

Skip to comments.

Posted on 12/12/2024 9:35:08 AM PST by ebb tide

In a move divergent from a history of intense LGBTQ-negative advocacy from Polish Catholic officials, Warsaw’s Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz has expressed openness to legal protections for same-gender couples in the country.

In comments to Polsat News, Nycz stated that the church should show a “certain tolerance” for those seeking to enter same-gender partnerships through a civil contract, as long as these relationships were not equated with marriage.

These comments come on the heels of a recent draft of a partnership law published by Polish Minister for Equality Katarzyna Kotula, which proposes that “two adults should be able to register their relationship with the registry office regardless of their gender. This would give them the same rights as married couples in tax and inheritance law and in choosing their surname, among other things,” according to Katholisch.de.

A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Warsaw later stressed that Nycz’s comments ought not be understood as voicing support for the drafted law, though Nycz also stated that the church will likely “not interfere” in the legislative process in Parliament regarding the newly drafted law. Such non-interference diverges from a pattern of Catholic officials in Poland working in conjunction with the ultra-conservative Law and Justice Party to promote anti-LGBTQ+ policies.

Although the cardinal’s remarks are sparse, any level of openness to LGBTQ individuals—and a promise of neutrality about the proposed law itself—are significant in light of the history of religiously-fueled LGBTQ-negative attitudes and policies in Poland.

Previously, Archbishop Marek Jedraszewski of Krakow remarked in a homily that Poland was suffering from a “rainbow disease” and likened the work of LGBTQ advocates to the oppression from late 20th century Communist leaders. He then reiterated these ideas in a pastoral letter, claiming that the LGBTQ community is the “next great threat to our freedom” and based on “a radical rejection of God,” to the support of many of his fellow bishops.

In 2020, the bishops of Poland issued a document in which they claimed that church teaching on homosexuality is “infallible” and seemingly endorsed conversion therapy. Although Bishop Józef Wróbel, an auxiliary bishop of Lublin, later denied that the document endorsed conversion therapy, he continued to endorse the idea that a person’s sexual orientation can be changed.

The Polish Catholic Church is well known for supporting the Law and Justice Party’s attempts at eradicating LGBTQ rights, endorsing bills to criminalize sex education in schools and making homosexuality equal to pedophilia. The church’s contribution to the conservative ruling party has exacerbated a situation of danger and fear for LGBTQ+ individuals in Poland, which remains one of only five European Union countries that do not allow same-gender marriage or civil partnerships.

Cardinal Nycz himself has a record of LGBTQ-negative actions. In 2016, he joined his fellow bishops in criticizing campaigns for dialogue between Catholics and LGBTQ advocates, and in 2020, he described the act of placing a rainbow flag on a statue of Christ as “desecration” and “vandalism”

Thus, while his call for a “certain tolerance” seems to be rather mild, it perhaps suggests a movement in a more positive direction, a movement that aligns with what the people of Poland are seeking. According to Katholisch.de: “a majority of the Polish population supported the introduction of registered civil partnerships for homosexual couples.” Additionally, a separate survey by the same news outlet discovered that despite the fact that roughly 90% of the population is Catholic, 65.7% of Poles viewed the church’s role in public life as negative, likely due in large part to their LGBTQ-negative position.

Indeed, despite condemnation and violence, LGBTQ+ Catholics and their allies in Poland have persisted in their resistance to LGBTQ-negative religious and secular policies. This resistance has taken a variety of forms: parents have spoken out in defense of their gay children, activists have blended religious and queer imagery to protest LGBTQ-negative policies, and Polish priest Fr. Adam Świeżyński joined Protestant clergy in offering a blessing of LGBTQ+ couples, to name a few. 

Cardinal Nycz’s recent comments are hopefully a sign that Catholic officials in Poland are beginning to listen to the people of God and to the Spirit of God calling out for justice and peace.

—Phoebe Carstens (they/them), New Ways Ministry, December 12, 2024

Click here: to donate by Credit Card

Or here: to donate by PayPal

Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794

Thank you very much and God bless you.

Francis just elevated this homosexualist to the College of Cardinals five days ago. He really know how to pick them.

1 posted on 12/12/2024 9:35:08 AM PST by ebb tide

To: Al Hitan; Fedora; irishjuggler; Jaded; kalee; markomalley; miele man; Mrs. Don-o; ...

2 posted on 12/12/2024 9:36:31 AM PST by ebb tide ("The Spirit of Vatican II" is nothing more than a wicked "idealogy" of the modernists.)

To: ebb tide

3 posted on 12/12/2024 9:38:34 AM PST by Mathews (I have faith Malachi is right!!! Any day now...)

To: ebb tide

4 posted on 12/12/2024 9:40:19 AM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)

To: NorthMountain

5 posted on 12/12/2024 9:43:31 AM PST by ebb tide ("The Spirit of Vatican II" is nothing more than a wicked "idealogy" of the modernists.)

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson