Radio Maryja finances called into question by critical documentary

Following Monday's broadcast of Jerzy Morawski's documentary on TVP1 entitled, "The Empire of Father Rydzyk", a hot debate broke out throughout the country as doubts arose about the financial conduct of radical Christian Radio Maryja. In his film Morawski describes how ten years ago an ordinary monk with less than a Deutschemark in his pocket managed to create a real political and media empire. Morawski claims that Tadeusz Rydzyk, officially a member of the Redemptorist order, virtually operates without any control from his superiors, the Catholic church or the relevant state authorities. According to its financial report for the last year presented to the National Radio and Television Council (KRRiTV) the radio station recorded a zl. 16 million profit, on which it paid no tax. Church officials would not comment on the information, but Cardinal Jozef Glemp said that as far as he knows this is just a media report and there will be plenty of time to get acquainted with the full details of the case. (Rzeczpospolita, pp. A1, 3) J.K.