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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Polish Church steps up spy probe | Polish Church steps up spy probe |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Poland's Roman Catholic Church is to investigate whether any of its senior members collaborated with the communist-era secret police. | Poland's Roman Catholic Church is to investigate whether any of its senior members collaborated with the communist-era secret police. |
| The decision was made at an emergency meeting of the country's 45 bishops triggered by the dramatic resignation of Warsaw's archbishop on Sunday. | The decision was made at an emergency meeting of the country's 45 bishops triggered by the dramatic resignation of Warsaw's archbishop on Sunday. |
| Bishop Stanislaw Wielgus quit after he confessed to collaborating with the communist police. | Bishop Stanislaw Wielgus quit after he confessed to collaborating with the communist police. |
| A commission is to probe the past of all bishops and "people of the Church". | |
| "The bishops have confirmed the will to carry out a full verification of the truth about ourselves" and all clergy, said Archbishop Jozef Michalik, the head of the bishop's council. | "The bishops have confirmed the will to carry out a full verification of the truth about ourselves" and all clergy, said Archbishop Jozef Michalik, the head of the bishop's council. |
| Correspondents say the revelations of collaboration have severely weakened the Church, to which 90% of Poland's 40 million people belong. | Correspondents say the revelations of collaboration have severely weakened the Church, to which 90% of Poland's 40 million people belong. |
| Bishop Wielgus announced his decision to resign at a service intended to install him as the city's new archbishop. | Bishop Wielgus announced his decision to resign at a service intended to install him as the city's new archbishop. |
| The canon of Krakow cathedral, Father Janusz Bielanski, stood down the next day for the same reason. | The canon of Krakow cathedral, Father Janusz Bielanski, stood down the next day for the same reason. |
| Bishop Wielgus confessed his past involvement with the secret police after Polish press reports appeared last month suggesting that he had been a longstanding collaborator. | Bishop Wielgus confessed his past involvement with the secret police after Polish press reports appeared last month suggesting that he had been a longstanding collaborator. |
| Mixed image | Mixed image |
| The BBC's Adam Easton in Warsaw says that in a country where the Catholic Church plays such an important role, this scandal could hardly have been more shocking. | The BBC's Adam Easton in Warsaw says that in a country where the Catholic Church plays such an important role, this scandal could hardly have been more shocking. |
| The Church was highly esteemed because of its leading role in the fight against communism in Poland and worldwide, particularly during the time of Polish Pope John Paul II. | The Church was highly esteemed because of its leading role in the fight against communism in Poland and worldwide, particularly during the time of Polish Pope John Paul II. |
| But historians estimate that up to 15% of Polish clergy agreed to inform on their colleagues in the communist era. | But historians estimate that up to 15% of Polish clergy agreed to inform on their colleagues in the communist era. |
| The Polish Church has launched a series of investigations in recent years to identify collaborators. | The Polish Church has launched a series of investigations in recent years to identify collaborators. |
| Krakow Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, who heads an investigation in his home diocese, said the communist era had been "a time of persecution of the Church, often bloody and brutal". | Krakow Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, who heads an investigation in his home diocese, said the communist era had been "a time of persecution of the Church, often bloody and brutal". |