Pope Benedict appoints a new top church official for Poland

Pope appoints a new top church leader in Poland

WARSAW, Poland — Roman Catholic officials say the pope has appointed Archbishop Jozef Kowalczyk, the papal nuncio to Poland, as the country’s top church official.

The Vatican and Poland’s church announced Saturday that the 71-year-old Kowalczyk is now the primate of Poland, the leading church position in the deeply Catholic country. He also was appointed archbishop of Gniezno.

At the same time, church officials say Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of the outgoing primate, 77-year-old Henryk Muszynski.

Polish church spokesman Rev. Jozef Kloch said Muszynski was stepping down due to his age.