CRIF draws attention to the fact that these scandalous statements were made just a few days after the statements repeated by Monsignor Richard Williamson.
One year ago already, Monsignor Williamson, a bishop with the Saint Pius X Fraternity (FSPX) had created an uproar by stating that he believed that “the gas chambers never existed”. In a video posted on 14 January 2009 and picked up by the French Catholic daily La Croix, he said, referring to his forthcoming trial in Germany for “incitement to racial hatred”: “[It is rather] racial over-heating, because I have challenged those who say that 6 million Jews were gassed, and to challenge that belief is a crime under German law, which is why they are attacking me.” Concerning Israel, he added: “Many believe that this State is legitimate, but that doesn’t necessarily make it so.”
However, Monsignor Pieronek and Williamson’s positions are very much in the minority: the Roman Catholic Church in both France and Germany has made a very clear public stand against such statements and will no doubt continue to do so. CRIF hopes that the Polish episcopate will also react publicly to this statement.
Despite the current difficulties, CRIF remains hopeful as to the pursuit and strengthening of Jewish-Catholic dialogue.
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