IT IS RIGHT THAT POLAND HAVE A PLACE IN EUROPEAN UNION

VATICAN CITY, DEC 3, 2001 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received the Letters of Credence of the new ambassador of Poland to the Holy See, Hanna Suchocka, noting that despite the "complex political situation of the world," it seems that "Poland is finding the proper way in the development of the State."

Referring to the successes obtained "in the work of building a sovereign State, a State of law and a State of prosperity," the Holy Father affirmed that "here emphasis should be given to how much has been achieved in the area of political freedoms, of religious freedom, and in the democratization of the social life."

"The Church," the Pope continued, "fulfilling this mission, can and desires to continue the work of consolidation and of formation of the spiritual, cultural, and social heritage of a nation which for a thousand years has been tied to the values of Christianity. The signing of the concordat, in 1993, and its successive ratification, created for the Church this possibility for an active commitment to the good of the nation. Despite the opinion of skeptics, it can be seen that the concordat not only contributed to improving the cooperation of the Church and the organs of the State on behalf of the common good, broadening the freedom of persons and the society, but it also became an ecumenical instrument with regard to other Churches and confessional communities in Poland."

The Pope emphasized that "in this same spirit the Church desires to be present also in the process of the preparation of Poland for full entrance into the European Union. It is right to aspire that Poland have its rightful place in the political and economic milieux of the structures of a united Europe. It is necessary, however, that it is present as a State which has its own spiritual and cultural face, its own inalienable historic tradition tied to Christianity since the dawn of history. Poland cannot deprive itself of this tradition, of this national identity."

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