Cardinal Dziwisz Testifies in Kraków Court Over Priest’s Abuse Case

Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz testified in a Kraków court regarding a 20-million-zloty compensation lawsuit involving clerical sexual abuse, stating he had no knowledge of the events due to his long tenure in the Vatican.

Trial Over Compensation From the Archdiocese

Since mid-June, the Regional Court in Kraków has been hearing a lawsuit for 20 million zlotys in compensation brought against the Archdiocese of Kraków and the parish in Międzybrodzie Bialskie by Janusz Szymik. Szymik was sexually abused as a child between 1984 and 1989 by the then-parish priest, Father Jan W.

Cardinal Dziwisz Denies Knowledge of the Case

One of the witnesses in the trial is Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz. The plaintiff’s attorneys argued he might have known about Father Jan W.’s actions because he received signals asking for intervention from Father Tadeusz Isakowicz-Zaleski.

During nearly an hour of testimony, the retired Metropolitan of Kraków stated he recognized Father Jan W. because he knew all the priests in the Kraków archdiocese, but had no personal or social contacts with them. He also testified that he has no knowledge of the circumstances under which Father Jan W. became the secretary to the then-Metropolitan of Kraków, Cardinal Franciszek Macharski, as he was in Rome at the time.

The prelate stated that for 27 years in the Vatican he was the Pope’s secretary and did not concern himself with diocesan affairs because he had other matters tied to his function.

Court Appearances and Health Concerns

In July, the hierarch asked not to be summoned to the hearing due to his age and health. The court originally planned to question him in June, but he was ill at the time, and he also failed to appear when summoned in July due to a pre-planned vacation and a trip to the Vatican, according to Judge Monika Szczepaniec-Czech, with a new date set for Monday, August 3.

Meanwhile, a letter was submitted to the court in which Dziwisz indicated he had no knowledge of the matter and lived in Rome from 1978 to 2004. Citing his age, health, medical recommendations, and the stress caused by such proceedings, he requested not to be summoned to court.