Pope criticised over 'anti-Semitic' priest
Pastor Dale Morgan
Pope criticised over 'anti-Semitic' priest*
By Malcolm Moore in Venice
Last Updated: 2:13am BST 10/08/2007
The Pope was strongly criticised by Jewish groups yesterday after he
received a controversial Polish priest in an audience.
Father Tadeusz Rydzyk met the Pope last Sunday at his summer residence
at Castel Gandolfo together with a group of other Poles.
Fr Rydzyk, who runs the ultra-conservative Catholic station, Radio
Maryja, was allegedly recorded last month launching a tirade against
Jews. He berated the Polish government for a deal to compensate Jews for
property confiscated by the Communists.
According to a tape leaked to the Polish magazine, Wprost, Fr Rydzyk
said: "You know what this is about: Poland giving [the Jews] $65 billion
(£32 billion). They will come to you and say, 'Give me your coat! Take
off your trousers! Give me your shoes!'"
On air, Fr Rydzyk has denounced Jews as greedy and spoken out against a
Jewish political "lobby".
The Vatican said the meeting was only a "simple greeting". On his trip
to Warsaw last year, the Pope refused to meet Fr Rydzyk.
The European Jewish Council said that it was "astounded that Benedict
has granted an audience and a blessing to a man and an institution which
has stained the image of the Polish Church".
Leone Paserman, the head of the Jewish Community of Rome, said the
Vatican was trying to court Fr Rydzyk's large radio audience.