Amid Threats, Pope to Begin 3-Nation Trip

Pope John Paul II faces hostile fellow Roman Catholics and open threats to his life today as he begins an 11-day trip to the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium.

His most critical challenge comes at the outset in the Netherlands, where wall posters have called for riots against him and offered as much as $4,000 for his life. The pontiff reportedly laughed off the death threats, which also appeared in Belgium, by quipping at a recent Vatican luncheon that the posted offer was “not very much for killing a Pope.”

Polls in Holland have shown that a majority of the country’s 5.6 million Roman Catholics were either opposed to or indifferent to John Paul’s five-day pilgrimage there.

There is less opposition in Luxembourg, where he will spend a day and a half, and in Belgium, where he will wind up his 26th papal journey.

Tension With Vatican

The Dutch church has lived in a state of tension with the Vatican since the sweeping reforms of the 1962-65 Vatican Council. Traditionally in favor of relative independence from the Roman Curia, the Dutch church moved faster and further than any in Europe to endorse liberal interpretations of the council reforms.

Today, there is a deep split between church conservatives, who favor the authority of the conservative Pope, and those who call themselves progressives and challenge the Pope’s firm stand on birth control, priestly celibacy, the role of women, and papal infallibility on doctrinal matters.

Noting the extent of disagreement that the pontiff faces during his visit, the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano said in a front-page article Wednesday that “today the Dutch church is in a state of crisis.”

Traditional Values

Most Vatican observers expect the Pope to shrug off challenges from his opponents among the faithful and to preach traditional church values and beliefs.

When confronted with similar, but much milder, opposition from church liberals during a visit to Switzerland last year, he chose to avoid argument and simply stated what he firmly believes to be the correct church position on matters of controversy.

The Netherlands reportedly has assigned about 10,000 police to assure the pontiff’s safety during his visit there, and Belgium, plagued by recent left-wing terrorist bombings, also has mounted heavy security measures.

The papal visit will end in Belgium on May 21.