THE Roman Catholic bishops of Poland, appealing against “constant attempts” to denigrate the late Pope St John Paul II in his homeland, have accused his critics of undermining Christian traditions.

“Polish history has known many important, exceptional figures who have co-created it and shaped it — St John Paul II undoubtedly ranks among them,” the Polish Bishops’ Conference said.

“It requires great ill will to overlook the immense store of goodness that resulted from his highly diligent and creative service in the See of Peter, and from his contribution to positive changes in Poland. . . These unjust and harmful actions are aimed at a man to whom so much is owed — not only by our own Church and nation, but by the whole world.”

The message was published as attacks on the Polish Pope continued on social media, recalling his conservative position on social and moral issues, as well as allegations that he failed to confront clerical sex abuse during his 26-year pontificate.

The Bishops said that John Paul II had been “a powerful voice for the poor, the persecuted, and the discriminated against”, had helped “numerous nations” to regain freedom, and had given many renewed faith in Christ and a “sense of meaning”.

His pontificate had spurred the fall of Communism and the restoration of European unity, while championing Christian values as a source of stability and “interpersonal solidarity”, they said.

Elected in October 1978 as the first non-Italian Pope for 450 years, John Paul II appointed 240 cardinals and 2500 bishops, canonised 482 saints, and travelled more than a million miles to 132 countries. He issued 14 encyclicals and 68 apostolic letters and constitutions.

Attacks on his record have increased in the past five years, as the Polish liberal government, under Prime Minister Donald Tusk, has sought to end funding for projects associated with him, including a “Memory and Identity” museum in the north-central city of Torun.

Speaking on the annual Papal Day in Poland on 16 October, the Primate, Archbishop Wojciech Polak of Gniezno, accused critics of creating a “false image” by viewing Pope John Paul’s teachings only “from a single viewpoint” and ignoring “the context in which the Pope spoke his words”.

“Time takes its toll, and new generations are emerging who no longer know him in the first person,” Archbishop Polak said of the pope, who was beatified in 2011 and canonised in 2014.