Kazimierz Nycz

infobox bishopstyles
name=Kazimierz Nycz
dipstyle=The Most Reverend
offstyle=Your Excellency
relstyle=Monsignor
deathstyle=not applicable |

Kazimierz Nycz (born February 1, 1950) is a Polish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current Archbishop of Warsaw, having previously served as Bishop of Koszalin-Kołobrzeg from 2004 to 2007.

Biography

Kazimierz Nycz was born in Stara Wieś. He received the diaconate from Karol Cardinal Wojtyla on May 8, 1972, and was ordained to the priesthood on May 20, 1973 by Bishop Julian Groblicki. On May 14, 1988, Nycz was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Kraków and Titular Bishop of "Villa Regis". He received his episcopal consecration on the following June 4 from Franciszek Cardinal Macharski, with Archbishops Jerzy Ablewicz and Stanisław Nowak serving as co-consecrators.

In 1999 Nycz was elected Chairman of the Polish Episcopal Conference's Catholic Education Commission. He was promoted to Bishop of Koszalin-Kołobrzeg on June 9, 2004. On March 3, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI named Nycz, who was on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land at the time, as the successor of Stanisław Wielgus as Metropolitan Archbishop of Warsaw. Wielgus abruptly resigned on January 7 after admitting to his former collaboration with the Służba Bezpieczeństwa, the Communist secret police in Poland. Nycz's appointment was greatly welcomed [Catholic News Service. [http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0701241.htm Polish leaders express praise for new head of Warsaw Archdiocese] March 5, 2007] , and his installation as Archbishop of Warsaw took place during Palm Sunday on April 1, 2007, at St. John's Cathedral. In addition to his role as Archbishop, he was named Bishop to the Eastern Catholics in Poland on June 9, 2007.

He holds a doctorate from the University of Lublin, was vice-rector of the Major Seminary of Kraków from 1987 to 1988, and organized the last visit of Pope John Paul II to Poland. Records of Służba Bezpieczeństwa show that Nycz had repeatedly refused to enter their services. [Reuters. [http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL0354078520070303 Pope names new archbishop of Warsaw after spy scandal] March 3, 2007]

Since the Archbishop of Warsaw is traditionally a cardinal, Nycz will most likely be elevated to the College of Cardinals. He did not get the title of cardinal in the 17 October 2007 consistory, however, and is not expected to be elevated to the Sacred College in any consistory before December 2009, when Cardinal Glemp, Archbishop emeritus of Warsaw, completes eighty years of age and loses his voting rights. This is in accord with recent Vatican policy of only promoting Archbishops to the Sacred College when the Archbishop emeritus of the same See has already lost his voting rights.

References