Father Surgent abused children for years. Could Cardinal Wojtyła have stopped him?

Polish bishops took over three years to establish a commission to investigate sexual abuse of minors by clergy. Journalists from "Rzeczpospolita" began examining this issue in 2021 using state archives. The case of priest Eugeniusz Surgent, who abused many minors over 50 years, highlights the Church's dark history in Poland. Despite being convicted of crimes against six minors in 1973, documents revealed many more victims. The investigation suggests that Cardinal Karol Wojtyła did not cover up Surgent's actions but faced challenges due to the priest's manipulative behavior. Recent access to church archives has allowed for a deeper understanding of the decisions made by church authorities regarding Surgent, indicating a complex interplay of ignorance and pressure from the community.