John Paul II was never neglecting evil, nor was he ever hiding it. He was in charge of the Church, always reacting, making decisions, guided by conscience and absolute commitment to the Gospel

— said on the 14th anniversary of the Pope’s death his longstanding personal secretary Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz.

The Cardinal celebrated the Mass on Tuesday at the Sanctuary of John Paul II in Cracow. It was celebrated in the Chapel of the Priests, where the plaque from the Pope’s first grave in the Vatican Grottos, where he had been placed for six years until his beatification, is located.

In his homily Cardinal Dziwisz said that

„recent attempts to undermine the moral authority of John Paul II”

and

“raising suspicions that he did not respond adequately to evil in the Church may cause serious concern”.

John Paul II was never neglecting evil, nor was he ever hiding it. He was in charge of the Church, always reacting, making decisions, guided by conscience and absolute commitment to the Gospel

— stressed the Pope’s former personal secretary.

He added that the Pope’s attitude had been thoroughly examined during his beatification and canonization process.

Who would be interested in undermining the sanctity of John Paul II and what motives would such a person be driven by? Without John Paul II we would not be what we are today. Also without him Poland, Europe, and the whole world would be different

— said Cardinal Dziwisz.

The death of the Holy Pope did not interrupt his serving the Church and the world. More and more years have passed since his departure, and he is still very present in our lives, our faith, our hope and love. He continues to inspire and will continue to inspire future generations of the disciples of the Teacher of Nazareth

— he stressed.

Cardinal Dziwisz emphasized that John Paul II had led the Church into the third millennium of Christianity; he 

„led us through the Red Sea of enslaving communism”

and left us an example of holiness, which is expressed

„in love for God and man, in service to God and man”.

When asked about the allegations that John Paul II did not respond to evil in the Church, the cardinal said:

These are lies, lack of understanding of John Paul II’s work and great ignorance. He never tolerated evil in the Church. He was a transparent man, a saint, and saints do not tolerate evil; they have their own ways and means to remedy the evil that accompanies man and history.

What is said today: zero tolerance, after all, are his words, first, before the year 2000. He never tolerated evil, especially paedophilia

— emphasized Cardinal Dziwisz.

If someone claims today that the Pope tolerated abuses of this type in the Church, they really do harm to memory and to all of us who know what the Pope we love was. If Poles do it, it is all the more unpleasant for all of us. And I say to them: repent

— he appealed.

He emphasized that „if the Pope had knowledge, he always intervened”.

John Paul II died on April 2, 2005 at 21.37, on the eve of the Feast of Divine Mercy.

Tłum. K.J.