Opponents plan to call on pope to block church restitution

Opponents of church restitution say they will write to Pope Francis to ask him to prevent the return of previously nationalised property to the Czech Roman Catholic Church. The group behind the move, which includes writer Lenka Procházková and documentary maker Václav Dvořák, say they want to get more signatories, effectively turning it into a petition, before sending the letter to Rome. Stop Church Restitution say the return of the property has split Czech society and intensified the despair of the country’s poorest. Around CZK 75 billion in property or financial compensation is being returned to a number of churches.