Cardinal Re: At key moments, St. John Paul ignored views of Cardinals Wyszyński, Casaroli on Poland (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))

In an address for the 20th anniversary of Pope St. John Paul II’s death, the dean of the College of Cardinals said that the Pope ignored Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński’s assessment of the Solidarity movement and Cardinal Agostino Casaroli’s advice to tone down his advocacy for human rights in Poland during his 1983 apostolic journey there.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said that Cardinal Wyszyński, the Primate of Poland, feared that the Solidarity movement would provoke a Soviet invasion—but after the Pope disagreed with his assessment and backed it, he, too, became a supporter.

Cardinal Re recalled that Cardinal Casaroli, then the Secretary of State, urged the Pope to tone down his call for human rights in Poland, fearing it would provoke a crackdown on the Church there. Cardinal Re, now 91, added:

John Paul II listened attentively to Cardinal Casaroli, but did not allow himself to be convinced: he continued on the line he had taken until the end. When he returned to Rome I remember that at the working dinner the next day he confidentially said, “I am happy that I was able to say everything that seemed right to me” ...

John Paul II knew the strength of the Church in Poland better than Cardinal Casaroli. But in the case concerning the beginnings of Solidarity, I think he was able to see further only because of the special assistance that came to him from above through his constant prayer.