Archbishop warns against ‘sick nationalism’

The president of Poland’s Bishops’ Conference has warned against the rise of a “sick nationalism” in his country, and urged a more tolerant attitude to refugees and migrants, writes Jonathan Luxmoore.

“From a Christian viewpoint, refugees are a challenge we must go out and encounter,” said Archbishop Stanislaw Gadecki. “Attacks on foreigners are signs of a sick nationalism and lost sense of identity, a supposition that respect for one’s country is best expressed by hatred towards outsiders.”

Gadecki was reacting to claims by Syrians that they felt unsafe in his native Poznan, where a refugee was recently assaulted in the street. The Church-backed Joint Council of Catholics and Muslims also condemned recent attacks, and thanked those combating racism and xenophobia.

“Attacks have taken place recently in our country on Muslim places of worship and people of dark skin colour, while a negative view has been expressed about believers in Islam,” the Council said.