Summary
During his time as Cardinal of Kraków, Karol Wojtyła, later Pope John Paul II, along with auxiliary bishop Juliusz Groblicki, clandestinely ordained priests for service in Czechoslovakia despite the Holy See’s prohibition. This was done to support persecuted fellow believers within the Church. The ordinations were conducted with the explicit permission of the candidates’ superiors and involved devising security systems. Wojtyła did not inform the Holy See of these actions, viewing them as a duty rather than defiance of Vatican policy. He believed that both sides would be unable to resolve the issue without causing suffering. At the time, Cardinal Slipyj of Slovakia also engaged in clandestine ordinations for persecuted fellow believers within his country.
Key Topics
Vatican City, Cardinal Wojtyła, Ostpolitik
