Polish PM defends John Paul II after report he knew of abuse

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s prime minister has stepped in to defend the good name of St. John Paul II, a “great fellow-countryman,” following claims he knew of sex abuse of minors by priests under his authority while an archbishop in Poland. The report aired this week on TVN24 struck at a highly respected figure in the predominantly Catholic country. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on social media Wednesday that proof cited against the late pontiff is “very dubious” and claimed the issue was raised by circles that want to wage a “cultural war” against Poles. He stressed the late pope’s role in democratic change in Poland in the 1980s.