Efforts to stop the exhumation of the body of a Polish Catholic priest Father Jozef Jarzebowski, from Fawley Court in Buckinghamshire were rejected by two High Court judges on Tuesday. The 17th-century Grade One listed mansion, chapel and outbuildings near Henley-on-Thames, was bought by the ex-pat Polish community in Britain after World War Two, under the inspiration of Fr Josef, to be used as a school, museum, library, retreat and social centre.
The Grade Two listed church is modelled on a Polish mountain chapel. With walls covered in brass plates, it is the only Shrine of Divine Mercy in Britain. Prince Radziwill is buried there and it was dedicated to his mother Princess Lubomirska.
Father Jozef, who died in 1964, had asked to be buried in the chapel grounds. However in April 2010, the property was sold by the Marian Fathers for £16.5 million to businesswoman Aida Hersham. A clause in the sale agreement included a condition that the Marian Fathers could lose up to £3.5 million of the sale price if the remains of the priest and Prince Radziwill were not removed.
Elzbieta Rudewicz, a distant relative of Father Jozef, asked the court to overturn Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke's decision to grant a licence for the exhumation Fawley Court.
But Lady Justice Hallett dismissed the application. She said knew the strength of opposition to the removal of the priest's body. But she ruled that the minister's decision to give permission had been made for proper reasons: so that Father Jarzebowski could be reunited at a nearby cemetery with other members of his order in death, and the public could have access to his grave.
She said that exhumation was allowed by the Catholic Church, adding that: "Unfortunately, rest in peace does not mean RIP for eternity in a fixed burial site."
A writer and poet, Fr Jozef was a leading figure in the Polish emigree community. During World War Two he was imprisoned in a Russian labour camp. While there he made a promise that if he survived he would set up shrines to Divine Mercy. After the war he kept this promise and brought the Cult of Divine Mercy from Poland to the West under the guidance of Fr Michael Sopocko, the Personal Confessor of St Faustyna.
A spokeswoman said: “This is a great disappointment. None of us can understand why the Marian Fathers have sold this property which our families spent years collecting money to buy. It does not make sense when there are more Polish people coming to England than ever. It was a wonderful centre. I think the decision to sell was made by priests from Poland who saw the prospect of making a lot of money and don't understand or respect the strength of feeling in the community here. They did not consult with the lay Polish community."
She added that the news was even more “incredible” because the Marian Fathers' own website names Fr Josef as someone who may be a candidate for beatification.
The Marian Fathers have declined to comment. Last year they said in a statement that they would be using the profits from the sale for their missionary and pro-life work in Africa.
Father Jozef, who died in 1964, had asked to be buried in the chapel grounds. However in April 2010, the property was sold by the Marian Fathers for £16.5 million to businesswoman Aida Hersham. A clause in the sale agreement included a condition that the Marian Fathers could lose up to £3.5 million of the sale price if the remains of the priest and Prince Radziwill were not removed.
Elzbieta Rudewicz, a distant relative of Father Jozef, asked the court to overturn Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke's decision to grant a licence for the exhumation Fawley Court.
But Lady Justice Hallett dismissed the application. She said knew the strength of opposition to the removal of the priest's body. But she ruled that the minister's decision to give permission had been made for proper reasons: so that Father Jarzebowski could be reunited at a nearby cemetery with other members of his order in death, and the public could have access to his grave.
She said that exhumation was allowed by the Catholic Church, adding that: "Unfortunately, rest in peace does not mean RIP for eternity in a fixed burial site."
A writer and poet, Fr Jozef was a leading figure in the Polish emigree community. During World War Two he was imprisoned in a Russian labour camp. While there he made a promise that if he survived he would set up shrines to Divine Mercy. After the war he kept this promise and brought the Cult of Divine Mercy from Poland to the West under the guidance of Fr Michael Sopocko, the Personal Confessor of St Faustyna.
A spokeswoman said: “This is a great disappointment. None of us can understand why the Marian Fathers have sold this property which our families spent years collecting money to buy. It does not make sense when there are more Polish people coming to England than ever. It was a wonderful centre. I think the decision to sell was made by priests from Poland who saw the prospect of making a lot of money and don't understand or respect the strength of feeling in the community here. They did not consult with the lay Polish community."
She added that the news was even more “incredible” because the Marian Fathers' own website names Fr Josef as someone who may be a candidate for beatification.
The Marian Fathers have declined to comment. Last year they said in a statement that they would be using the profits from the sale for their missionary and pro-life work in Africa.
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