Police evict ex-nuns who refused to leave Polish convent

Published: 2007-10-11

WARSAW, Poland (CNS) -- Police evicted several dozen former nuns from a Polish convent after they refused a series of court orders to leave. A force of 200 police, supported by ambulances and firetrucks, forced entry Oct.10 to the motherhouse of the Sisters of the Family of Bethany in Kazimierz to evict the women, who were expelled from their order earlier this year. Mariusz Sokolowski, police spokesman, said police officials secured the property in a peaceful seven-hour action. He said the former nuns initially showed "strong emotions" but later sang hymns and conferred with psychologists and priests. Sokolowski also said former Franciscan Father Roman Komaryczko had been arrested after "acting aggressively" and five women from Russia and Belarus who were detained at the convent would be deported. More than 60 women were bused to retreat centers in other cities; Poland's Gazeta Wyborcza daily said Oct. 11 that most had left for unknown locations later in the day.

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