"Fat Thursday," Fat Chance

The Poles are beginning their home stretch to Mardi Gras today, as the archbishop-emeritus of Warsaw launches an attempt to clear his name:

In court, archbishop Wielgus will be defended by Marek Małecki, the same lawyer who was recently successful in getting a clearing verdict for Małgorzata Niezabitowska, press aide for Poland’s first government after 1989 round table compromise agreement with the communists. The verdict for Niezabitowska said that while she had been a registered spy for the communist, there is no evidence to prove that she was fully aware of the fact.

Now the vetting court will examine the case of Archbishop Wielgus, whose guilt was pronounced as beyond doubt by two independent historical committees.

And now, amidst media allegations that the archbishop of Bratislava collaborated with the Czech secret police, the church in Slovakia will undergo a similar self-exploration of its past.

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