National Movement

Rome, June 11, 1993

ul. Parkowa 22/2A
81-726 Sopot
Poland

Translated from Polish

His Excellency
General of the Carmelite Order
Father Camillo Maccise OCD
Rome

Your Excellency,
We would like to present our point of view regarding the intention of the final removal of the
Carmelite Sisters from the nunnery bordering on the former German death camp Auschwitz in
Oświęcim.
All documents and information published in this matter suggest that the decision of removing
Carmel is a result of Jewish pressure, and also of their influence in the Church, and the so called
agreement of the Carmelite Sisters to leave the present nunnery has been forced upon them. The
result of Jewish aggression, disguised by tactical causes, the Church authorities describe as
dialogue.
The presence of the Carmelite Convent next to the former concentration camp Auschwitz
reflects the right to prayer and the presence of the cross in a place where Christians perished -
both Poles and others. This right is not changed by the fact that people of other religions also
died there. The presence of the Carmelite Sisters is a propitiatory sacrifice for the souls of the
murdered and for the crimes committed there.
In a letter dated January 18, 1988 the Provincial of the Carmelite Order in Poland stated: "For
many days vicious Jewish attacks and the moral pressure of Cardinal Franciszek Macharski on
our Sisters in Oświęcim to agree to move to another place have intensified. The arguments are:
love of one's neighbour, not interrupting the dialogue of the Church with the Jews, not giving
an excuse for attack on the Holy Father and the Church in Poland. We are aware of the deed of
this foundation, its validity. (...) almost all of Cracow's bishops are outraged by this pressure (...).
Similar opinion is expressed by the clergy of Oświęcim and surrounding areas. All of them think
that harm is being done to the Sisters and that they should remain in the current nunnery - their
own property".
The Polish Episcopate on March 9, 1989, "in accordance with the opinion of the Holy Father
John Paul II", supported Cardinal F. Macharski in the establishment of a "Center" in Oświęcim,
intended as the new home for the Carmelite Sisters. Whereas, on May 17, 1989 the Higher
Superiors of Male Convents in Poland expressed "concern because of external pressure, aiming
at removing from the current place the Carmelite convent (...), the convent was rightfully
established near the former concentration camp to provide prayer and contemplation to all the
people (...), the Carmelite nunnery, which is their property, is located in a suitable and proper
place in our homeland and does not violate anyone's right nor does it hurt anyone. Therefore it
is disturbing to hear of attempts of unjustified external pressure to move the convent to another
place, and the unfair removal of the Carmelite Sisters from their property will be a dangerous
precedent for the future".
One can not be silent when Pope John Paul II in his letter to the Carmelite Sisters states: "It
is currently the will of the Church that you move to another place in Oświęcim". There is no
authority in the Church that could forbid prayer in a certain place, or to give in to external
pressure, because of someone's superstition, or outright profanity. Therefore, a question arises
what is the conciliar declaration "Nostra Aetate" and postconciliar changes. In the preliminary
works of the Council there was no concept of non-christian religions. The change was inflicted
by a secret meeting of representatives of the Holy See (Card. Bea and Fr. Congar) with the Jews

in Strasbourg in the winter of 1962/63.
We are expressing our concern about the abandoning of Tradition and other changes taking
place in the Church: new liturgy, new calendar, new law, new catechism, new teaching ...
Therefore we take the liberty of repeating the statement of Vatican Council I: "the Holy Spirit
was not promised to the successors of Peter, that by His revelation they might make new
doctrine, but that by His assistance they might inviolably keep and faithfully expound the
revelation or deposit of faith delivered through the Apostles" (D.S. 3070).
Incidentally, even in the judgement of outsiders, the fact that the Jews are so keen on
removing Carmel, implies that Carmel must be of higher value than "important reasons", for
which John Paul II was allegedly forced to concessions - as it is unofficially reported by various
Vatican sources.
In his letter John Paul II did not give the Sisters freedom of choice, as it implied by the
statement he uses. The pope gave them a choice between continuing to live in another place in
Oświęcim or to return to their original convent. Freedom of choice would be given if they were
allowed to stay in the current convent. In the opinion of experts the Church Law was broken
many times in the case of Carmel.
To be precise we have to note, that there is also an opinion that the Carmelite Sisters should
leave the current nunnery to preserve the authority of John Paul II even though he made a wrong
decision. Others, however, think that the authority of the Church will suffer more if a wrongful
stand is maintained, especially in an area where the Pope in not infallible. The opinion of the
faithful should be treated seriously, because already in Poland there are voices that, if the
Carmelite Sisters as a result of the pressure exerted upon them leave their present nunnery, then
"John Paul II will not have a moral right to come to Poland". With pain we also notice an ever
more frequently voiced accusation that "Polish bishops are not the apostles but traitors of the
Faith and Nation".
As a result of the liquidation of the current Carmel will be the liquidation of the convent
chapel and the removal of a cross where Poles were shot, which according to the Jews "casts a
shadow upon the camp". So far such a decision was not made by the Church authorities, at the
same time they have not opposed such a request. A symbolic gesture which may be interpreted
as a signal of readiness to remove the cross was made by the Polish Primate Cardinal Józef
Glemp, who attended a meeting with Jews in Spertus College of Judaica, during his visit in the
USA in 1991, without a cross on his chest, because "he did not want to offend his hosts" (rabbi
Byron L. Sherwin), and who was earlier described by Sigmund Sternberg, the president of the
International Council of Christians and Jews: "I made the observation that Glemp is ready to
listen" (September 1989).
In discussing the case of Carmel we can not overlook the pastoral letter of the Polish
Episcopate of November 30, 1990 issued on the 25 anniversary of "Nostra Aetate". The letter
which declares, that it "touches the important subject of our attitude to the Jewish nation" is
evidence of the abuse of trust of the faithful. Manipulations, insinuations and falsifications, even
an alteration in the quote from the Holy Scripture - is the shortest description of this letter. The
isolation of the contemporary leadership of the Church is shown in its support and participation
in the transformation of the communist system into a system which is its continuation, above all
in its anti-christian sense.
In the belief that obedience is at the service of Faith and not Faith at the service of obedience,
we ask Your Excellency, as the superior of the Convent carrying the honorable title B. Mariae
Virginis de Monte Carmelo, to keep the Carmelite Sisters from leaving the current convent and
to give testimony about the truth of Carmel in Oświęcim to the Church, Poles and international
opinion.
On behalf of the National Movement I would like to convey my deepest respect

Mariusz Urban
President of National Movement