COMMUNIST POLICY TOWARD CATHOLIC CHURCH

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000500840029-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 7, 2003
• Sequence Number: 29
• Publication Date: July 14, 1948
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE GROUP
INTELUGENCE REPORT
COUNTRY Poland
SUBJECT Communist Policy Toward Catholic Church
ORIGIN
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INFO. 25X1
Jisr, 14 Jul), 3.9b f
PAGES 6
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STATE //AR NAVY
JUSTICE ROC COD
ghe following is a free translation of a memorandum issued by the Pelt
Politburo (the fteoutive Committee of the Polish Workers' Party) as an encloeure
to a report on relations with the Catholic Churdh.
1, Catholicism is ono of the strongest foresslin the world.
2, The imdden changes and revolutions. which have altered the social, poli cal
and economic structures of states and nations, have never pervaded the Caurdh.
The Church is an eternal inetitution. Its activities are based not un to of
years but on centtmies.
Because% of this. the Church can allow itself the privilege of looking cc
patiently until all scientific adbievemmte appear in the light of trut ad
the good, the morel, and eternal segrecat.. themselves from the false,
t vii
and the transient.
4. _The Church is watching carefully all technical and economic conquests. al4 all
new political and czlturel developments, abstaining from rash judgment t the
first case, trying to penetrate the second by its own spirit and philosc,:-.
The Churea.. in the name of Divine order and Divine rule, on earth, is talr: an
active position in connection with all problems relating to the fate of ,=stios
and nations, or man's freedom. The promise that the Church is a supethr
institution contributes in some cases to its progressiveness based on Ct).
teachings.
6 The privilege of infallibility in problems or faitn, and scholastic Charimler of
the Popes, has mad, it easy for t?s Church to preserve unity and cOhosio7 . This
gives it strength And means of d,,,-waso in those very difficult times the Murton
has to go through, and keeps it free internal cracks and doubts assailirs: the
human heart.
7. Men of today are trying to liberate themeelves from the Churdh's fetters. ?Ley
wish to live by temporal Concepts, in the present-day world.
8. This is Communism's point of view, because this view is the result *rid ',steel
materialism.
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9. The Church has declexed war on this Jestified Commnnist point of view. ?4
present the Churon is threatenea Wf the State from oateard. and by liberal
thought and destees from the ineide -tries, two elements pressing on it =der
the influence c Communiet action and priaciples. In the former case, the USSR
is a partisan to destruction of tus Onnrch; in the latter there is grtut danger
of internal diesent and rent. This is penetrating Kth the clergy ace leymen.
It is more ant more difficult for proerestive Catholics to follow the road
prescripee by the Church-eve do not speak of our Marxist comredee.
1,1. The fight of the Church against Communism shows that the former wishes to
extricate itself :iron the defet sive position to which it was forced through
progress and resole:Ulan. In spite of this it is still keeping to the same
platform on while centuries have placed it.
12. Al this time tee Church is moving away from man'e suffering from the nation's
ills, from human sickness, and 7rom tne anxieties of the State. It is layering
its dignity, it is running the dangers of the gnetto, ineead of coming nearer
to tne /defile of Divine rule on earth which is common to al races and to all
men, natiaas and states.
13. The Church is poisoning the atmosphere of.progress and the fight for a better
world, It is &lowing tendeacioo to defend old prIrastges and irretrievable
political. *commie and social poUtions of the privileged. classes* Aa long as
the Vatican will not reform its c'ergy and will not proceed on the road of new
trothr Which flow from Ceemeniet -,.rizeiplor.. co long it till bo unable to rebuild
thc, moaning of its ar.1bority, its eeadership in the world of the spirit and
norality. It will be unable to strengthen its Catholic organisations Which it
is intensely aiming to do in all Catholic countries* Catholicism is censolidating
its political positioe in Franco. .1a-y, Belgium, Uolland And is putting into
place political parties which are s.rongly tied to the Vatican. Joiniee the
fight for anew eelitical countenance in these countries,, at the sane time
opposing Communism in its wish to solve economic. social and political problems
in the Marxism spirit. '
14. The era of individualism is at tts and.. Science is creating a road fer
COmmunisa and totalitarianism. The Church has something to say in this matter.
It wants to create a new order based on the prieciple of the Gospel. Its
'advice is to solve the evil and inequality of the proletartat by eVoletionary
charity, when the rich will deign to give something to the poor because of a
caprice.
15. The specific sign of our spech is the release of atomic energy. vhich niscovery
will draw after it a tremendous development in technology and science. Science
is the force of our times; it eliminates frontiers, cultural, racial eru state
difference.. It removes differences within the estates and privileger f the
classes. Man is becoming classlees, atateless and international?he viet
become agnostic, The era is at hied when there will be only one stet. s earth
eed one "flock."
Is. Development of science is a further step in the liberation of mankind. i.
liberation from the power of the elements, the conquest of apace and /lee. The
harnessing of science by capitalism. and t. becoming a tool of the prieileged
classes belongs to the past. The fact that science was in the service of
capital bred the principle that life is not necessary as long as produaion
thrives.
17. Thanks to science the concept of freedom has been enlarged. Freedom means that
man has liberated himself from matter and. the idea of free competition, both of
which serve capitalist production.
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180 aelc:ecio hoe doci&d. that the 3tdividua1'J uork haa ooNM!,q) aae bears no Peutt,.
if it lon't tich?, up to the 1-:oceee of produntioe. Oed,a1 the ?eight el thili
principle economic syntemo are changinc, Todny'oeoaontc nyetcm cuauot count
on oi''eet 1 the whole Ul not be subordinate to c. planne coaCopt, Individual
initiativo ou.ot o eubordinateCt to the conan-ollity, The probleu?. of i'.once can
only be solvoel through aocialimation, Then milliehe of people 017 =me one
larol ro(itiction ohop,
19, Science, the rift of the indlridoaliatic cra, pulled individualium e,o its
hlehaot pooh, ane, forced man c nerve the ommunit,
20c. Botwoo the 1:oles of individoaliem and Cer,mur.i.c,:n homer' fate taken oi a form
It (human fate) io deserting the individualictic oast to adopt the ; .1munict
future? The opiritual evolution to attll undecided, Here the Chvir,: con play
o dooloivo roich,
21, On the econopic level, ocienc:.0 hen dscidod for (maionium, Thc Vati : dosiree
to be the epiritua) powor and the bulwark of moral health,
22 BdieCA on tho groato3t idea c-i,er created ly mankind, the iana of no ,orly ov
the Ohurch .ehen to ponetru:n che ocounnic eituation, the politica. ;volutiorl.
ond the aocial strife, It if: eelnE this vlrtu, I.e pave the vay in .ul OWS
faLhioh, creotioL political communities threlgh tho realization. i. and
without of az all embracing Ohuroh, a Church to ho a spirTtual ota, o t-,hloh
there will t ooe vhapherd and one fleck.,
230 Thin act ton of the Church end itn plena ar(' very aecciving VAC). Inac.trlue foe (
epoch which io oeving the way for Commuelow and collectiviv),
24 The (Alurch lo a nrotchder to he role of rogulator of iixtei'Li lnter.
nationea reli,,tione, taking fur itnelf the opirittiol pvimato,
25, In the t-- c' to de-rmtea who iii hho tho future or the won o. yout.-
piny a deotve t' i.e nle recogniztTil h,176,0 i'act, in ad.ae the fiat
for youJih'n trymag to 17.4,,:p xi. thrmh oducat'Loe In the do thai I. doctriueil,
Thio moann that the Onarch in ntepoing out of Ito cle1ori,pt7 atn1 ',tat !t tr
colleCt tn ti,,t forcoo for teo 1 ctooiogl eel ofTeholve,
26, The Catholic pcliticni movament. ao I have tiontioo6d, le etcpping . otrorgly
in Jeanne, :eolgium, Italy, holland, and oven in d.ormeny whore it i reatihg
nostalgia fon Inuopendenco,.
27. The GInkreh 1 en'vernal, Tro, Cnurch le one 6reat myntic oc7.nmulty t. inter
notional cnneact.,-;r and wieholn to murex.? tTo whole of humanity vitt it.E1
ihnoenn!. th4 communiitT eo conceived all are brothern, the u ie van
ffamtert; the men wed the women, The utiversality
of the Ghurch iS the conooquoeee of the .i)ivIfl ni ii I. no and of ite 't thly
orp;anizatton.,
28, The Vnte;lo e Ving itn plan Nor() anti more to too An;/o-ciex,h viii .fy Tho
thlien of taw iiuI.t end Britain v,vior the lonflorahl.p of the Ui impori6lieto
diecJuertn to the Vatican Viol, oOt of a retum to the Micielo A600 wbc i the lipmau
emperor of Corwin nutionalit yule(' the world, and tho Popo ruled ki.2P,11 houlm
Gren wore the Topoo of Vatito poiticoe in Munoolini'n anC
It in only that, which explaieo tho nonlutervontioa of the fop,.1 ecci f tho
Ya3ciot and Achil C:riMOV. Tho totulitarinna havin. failed, too Vatic,ln it
pinuthg Ito honoi: on poiltioo?. it military ..c'eate ef the angio stjorx1,1? vpocule,;;IL.
that 1,-.0 the uort uII,1 be ruie,,i to/ the Anglo-5a.7,,ono, and an tu4o-'c OR peace
antablinhcd, eaormouo horizono of expeavion and conqueat of noule 1 open up
before ito Thin action will in the ?yea of the Vatican lay down t grentoot
dam to the Oommuniot march,
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30. Spirltusl rule foo the Church to nerve tne c,n1i3,e of pence Tht poaco caanot
ho forced upon humanity, Tho Church ij peu:Y1f4.: fop ponce and tho Pops .r,oro
aleays ready to bocome nediator and judw:s., fllenedict AV and Pius X() Tho
Church beliovop in thz efficacy of Internettonai. Lem, and all other intornatioval
institutions like the Lengiw of Nations end UNG, But it dcon not wa):: to
become a mombor of theo because it ooald become dependent on th lead.stato,
310 The Vatican'u oolicy is atriring to un16!? tne Uherch and to remoro tl.) divisions
between those who are Christienn?the follower :If Christ.
-?"?, Thio policy of the Vatican is very charnoteri.3t1c Ja them times ara, _meracel
thane opecial problems:
(a) The return of the Anglican Gilt/CI& to the fold of the Boman? ?
(b) Poaco with the krotootant Churches nnd unifichtion with Rome,
(c) A reconciliation with the :1;notern Church useer linniwo primate,
?3 Theo.,
are very bold concopts which if uuccocoful anuld have tremendo
They aro solidly ;Acid to the greet and very aucret plans of the Angl Izons
who are more and more tn contect with the V'ettenn,
Unity botween the Roman. Protestant, and Ahlicon Church co moans unit:- of a
Christian Europe, It also moans a moral full:dation and the moot d4rigerea
antisote ugnillot Communism, Counting oh recoccilintion of tho Eastc: Church
meann the dontraction of the U6A by tno ::;1(0.0,-:inune. To destroy Conmunium
completoly ne o pagan and anti cultural current it to pnained to 1140-'ql old
rolticioes traditions which in spite of 1,ropcncde nod ruthless action 1P-o letent
and over more otronay and powerfully aalxoui n t the hearts of the nainn
people. The eoloit communion, and the cu:ripty ore to load the poop of a..L
Ruuslao to anothrr world over tl)c rubblo of Commul0.em, Lnd base It on le.ith to
CJ at Papal yule of :writ), been con cooltal nod Chwl.chIllis diploma
J- The ttemp,) to onito the hngl..,:con and fonap Churco,.: 1921 and 192h met
fal)ure bucneur or difference): in t1), t)o.c))'?,,,s ,,e(, too position of tL:
nuthorltimu, Ihnee o11 heccol- ,..ery small when ih)
politicians will recoghi-;:e that Goauunit,p, bolo in England.
c06,. Cyping of Iroto tanti nm, whoLn) hi pl.))) 0 re nu1 i. c .1' Individualism ? in-ireiiio
eVEtit tcolv con';;011tLI kfht Ch aro roady to .-fie1s--; pone)!tIi nome bccoune split
will grow, the problems of faith will hocow,./ more individualistic, w. . ? lead te
more and more sect e? ad it comp.) ete Iii OU)',' rat/ 'Wile? of th, :OteotHlt,
Church, not (Ally on 15tate pffair-3 but ovou on I. t c,?nn 11 ock,.
, woo inteniely in tornoted in tb ro. tune ?:ohnoctrAl with the .unn
Thurch,. and made kgrout afortu to orrive at, re:cone thou in on a "bro
it 1. e for that purnoze thet, the: E'o.stern Celty,re,.tion and tin) .$;pol.
institute for 0:1:oat:al .".tucift.e) 'ieio croot,cJy 'ocueilet _r)f in 191?,?
is no nora for proof that such u o.,?,de!,;;;,.; to th)
it
and Coomunium"n infidno6 it ie wevld
:3tahtin,?, with Ch;:lot'u icochingo, thr cho..,TA stard on an tntei , ?AnneA..
tio 01111 uerjane, such n poi of V t"',lt)'c'd..tut the ? con
Aar!, fpfed 'for tne most coui.eLl ant dpi)alo. CiL(ii! 011',
hand It oTdOrvnfl t? 10'10 oro ?.1.110 the:, k?!1) erofmtel! ? thLo tni,l an
International ;)oint of view; on the (,t11)': Hwel tleJ :(-Inc.Iplo has been n.,-eetad
idiot only th000 r14) ere true nottonnliot,, tro) Gethnlice, and onl?
'-;athelice aro tlue potrlot
4,0 (11 foflr :101' I t, Ira Loon cii the Church J .1)! ;pnr:?1. ,10 av.tiso
n' OtiILIj
ain) take it in u) see , and no one 1 n compatoui e.:ccon)t the Church, ,c) et t to
coil tile with intorest3 of state, the Church hoe found an Immo in the.: ,urmula
that every nation has its historical miusion, Its own individual way lf attaining
historical and national aims.
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Wery Owtholic iu thorel:oro obligated in the ','1!.at Co.,)la to love kite country,
and if that ccanez to he nhoula. yield to 1;ho ncw order (tho Pope.)
pOoition in cenection with tho :10311,ch rinine in kloTember, and in the once of
Muouoliniln cti.or in Ethiopi10. Lova of ono m own country ohould not bree& heto
toward each Jthci Tho Vatican does not mals:o is fold .'ort itc ova ce=try
and the love of it; or the other hand, it proclaim:3 the principle of great
state on earth ,Jnic.h wili =brae() all hananity rognrilene of tongue, and
cetate in the frame of the Catholic Church,
, If the Church to left to let End practice witht hindrnace from the to if
the political reglweu are truly :irichdly, tho Ghtvoa advia b the faitt! d to
live according to tho princlp/o: Give Caosar what in Caouarca, and God what im
Godlo, Prayer? for tho rulern are eaid, the pnlpit to used to back the regime
But if the dathorities have a tondonu to limit the pri,Tilegad situation of the
Church, it utope befog loyal alla le ready to uac all ilu Influence to Lndermine
the authortty of klic, ruaiag 'agent, Then the Church 13 atate in the ctntoo
In men:, min
parties, and
initiator oh
only unIto3
10 tho apux
trion the Church 1.0 the mu
it doea not make
a nolitical party or not,
thc faithful (Poland U6,L,
of Catholic votivIty,
ut dangerous and tlo otrongpat ill
erenco hother It actually iB t
(France, Bolgiom, Italy) or whether it
Zaglaad). rothroninc Chriet tie King
44: Individualn, antioa and ctaten are momOrii 6:- the Kingdom which in nil of thio
world, whout ruler to God himel.f.' Tho rude of Ohrik?: the) King & no. Q!C thiQ
world, but the wol.hit of thiu rule in cid& ck, to ocr.tlmou change the 1,oridc
march forward nod Ove it 15;z: e.tmoaphore:
45. The Vatican did nut forgot the worldly aoptet
whilst areoting tho foondationo for itn unity
decreed that lnymtn were apon to
obligated to watch cy.?er It?-; poAty ovion
thoTe who do not twIloic.
46. Benedict 0 intorented tic lay world in the work of. minelonn. Ia XII
in hi r vanyclical "Orbt i.XCB.110 creat cd tho navia for the Catholic &c .on. In
192 In confirmed ttn eta-Anton, and in 1925 ch000 St. Yrancis to be i,?3 patron,
O. With the creation of the Catholic Ikctioa, the authority of tho Church :a
raised, and thc; influence of tho Vatican OVOT the Cathollc world was ,croased:
In itu prineiplen the Catholic Action in an apoutelic organization. i.e a
church orcant2ution which twinge, a very uanr. olcmont of battle 7 I it,
66c The Catholic uhould be not only a pouulvr Iletcac-f of uormono and rucilver of
the 5ac7amentcs, he mufet 1170 accoralne, tu Chr'et'u tnehindn, he mue ir,bt ()Y
their roalltlon, Tho Chtholic Action in in the co9ri,e of developmcli, in tho
different coon%rioo It accalron hifff.:ront forme wad lurco. It in a lv movomont
engaged in apwItolic worlf end ban a dofinitc,ly pol?tical countenance,
of the daily 117a* 01 fold
and orE;unlmtion, Popt .0 XIII
411rCL?t1 the Faith, They
':ait):4111 end propagato 1 Aong
49. Plconomic trohdp. arc parely wor1011 problomo, aiqd 11,
Church han not ta'.(eo aidoo la fact, howover, it
patriarchel caOto,11.ut Qtructurc. conetdcro
the 0:C(700101) 01 tr,1,0 11-%;t171'; Which 111t 1.113 luteva3
blatantly
60. Thin solicitude: for tta-, %vorkero twi orn elI Co1 tho
cocaping the Church enal it control, nu ;lily ilccfc C.
waa ihteirruted only fa thoirhravonl bixf; noi ti!,!.11 ?
becouo of th
on the oid.c of
be It duty to
of. the working
;he
iudol,
;ht down
:A too
conviction that wore
mocioun that the Coarch
4erldly welfare,
51G The Church io t partinail wif keeping the M.Ivo and ie an 4 In enemy
of the proletariat, awl oopecially of their coming into power,, This 1 the
pOlicy of the Vatican which wants to an?prolotarize the proletariat. -ain aim
is to be achieved by Christian ?rofessional organizations, who should realize
their (the dorkere) domande and secure their interents,
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b2. Tho (11,7f)::om flov!,1,26.rqpn.dvde.lo a dangor in tho
ollinetIon of pri,vnto pTeparty ild the fux.thcit prcdet&vtation of tht elanbeo,
Th18 r;hnroqhfl GA:carding to thc,3c thu fight itwoon them,
53, l',f; couth,proction cod noutra117ation of thip tendency the Church cdvoL:ttoc thio
un-proletweinion of to euje
54. Catholicinm, afi io proved in mnAy countriec, t ready to throw in all Lt o forces
to fighi, eor the preeervation of the old economic vuteru and the old r,cial
forint] in the world, tolerating overty and extortion, calling only on :ho good
will of the oxplo.torn.
55, In Polana the Cihroll hao taken t neutral stand, but caly officially, wiaunang
that it :I; above all political Larticn. Unofficially J.! in tied to tl: under-
tvound and forelan elemoats, melip1;, national,
68. in the Polish flAccopato thoro to nidos battlinG ev.un other; on Uch wantn
to otry curllotoly ioolat2c1 froc, all political probleato and io only =nod
with moral rnd oducational aCtiun the other domande th!A the Church I tho
Cathollc partr.kc of political life uo an to be ablo to arroot the Ii . aonce
ane. prcgreps of Communion in Foland?vhich Communiel is 'ditting moro d more
prapure on th&t, country,
-ed.
This document c(xttains info' ution
afiQctinc the natlonl defense ) the
United States within the waning of
thc Espionage ct50, U,S.C, 31 And
)2 .ts amended. Its tansmf.ssic' Dr
the Pevelation of its contents . any
planner to an unauthof 1--)rsc , is
pPc,hibitcd by
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