Observations
Observations
This past Sunday I was able to attend the fiftieth anniversary of the ordination to priesthood of Father Don Bates, O.S.A. Father Bates was one of my high school teachers, and in the course of studying art under his guidance I formed a special friendship with him that has lasted through the years. I comment on this because of two items in this week’s issue of the Polish Weekly.
The first is an article on the beatification of Father Jerzy Popieluszko. In reporting the beatification, the article notes that Fr. Popieluszko’s faith had a great impact on those around him. Sharing the celebration with father Bates focused my thoughts on the great impact that so many priests have on those around them, and how that impact is so deep and yet often so unrecognized.
Observations
Due to the tragic Smolensk plane crash, Presidential elections are being held in Poland and across the world for Polonia. In this issue you will find information on the various candidates. Among ten qualifying candidates, recent polls indicate the serious race is between Bronislaw Komorowski, who is current Speaker of Parliament and acting President since President Lech Kaczynski’s untimely death in the air crash, and past Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who of course is brother of the deceased President. Local Detroit area Polonians who are registered with the Polish Consulate in Chicago will be able to vote absentee at the Polish American Congress offices in Hamtramck at 11333 Jos Campau on Saturday, June 19th. For more information, contact the PAC Michigan Division at (313) 365 9400.
Observations
Kuklinski provides us with the example of one who did what was right for his country as opposed to what his government expected of him, and one who saw that the regime and the military he worked for acted against the best interest of his country. It may have been a long time coming, but we can take heart that in the long run, truth wins out.
Another item dealing with Polish heroism is the message delivered by Pope John Paul II in 1994 at the fiftieth anniversary commemoration of the battle of Monte Cassino. In that bloody event of World War II, Polish military forces succeeded in taking the heavily fortified monastery of Monte Cassino from the German army during the Italian campaign, where other allied forces had been unable to accomplish the daunting task. The message of our departed Pope speaks to the actual victory and its symbolism.
Polish diplomat Donald Tusk has received the prestigious Charlemagne Prize, which is awarded annually to individuals in recognition of their contribution to European integration. I recently commented on the importance of Poland’s involvement in world politics, and Tusk’s accomplishments toward unity in the European Union are another example of how Poland continues to gain prestige on the vital international stage.
In our publisher’s note this issue we remind those who need to that you should renew your subscription to the Polish Weekly. This is an important detail that we hope you will take care of promptly, and please remember to consider a gift subscription to a friend or relative. It’s a gift that will “keep on giving” over time, and so will be all the more appreciated.
Observations
Since he began writing for the Polish Weekly a year or so ago, Thomas Mikulski has contributed a positive and well reasoned viewpoint while stimulating an insightful dialogue among our readership. In this issue, we feature his “farewell” as a regular contributor, titled “Prelude to Liberty.” I hope we will hear more from him over time, and regardless of that, I know he will continue to be a fine example to, and a positive influence on, others both inside and outside of Polonia. Thomas and I share a common belief in the importance of the relationship between American Polonia, and American society and culture, in that each is an integral part of the other.
Observations
It is difficult to express the feeling of sadness caused by the tragic loss of so many luminaries of Poland in the Smolensk plane crash of April 10th. What is heartening is the pride we all can feel at the way Poland, its government and its people are coping with the tragedy. As you read this issue of the Polish Weekly, you will find that there is no great upheaval, no military coup, no grab for power, and no report of widespread opportunism on the occasion of such a vacuum in the higher levels of government and social organizations. Direct your attention to the item on page 10: “Transitions, the unlikely triumph of Polish democracy,” which we have obtained permission to publish this week in our pages. The authors emphasize the importance of voluntary, peaceful transitions of power and the strength of institutions within the Polish government that have allowed the nation to continue functioning in the face of the Smolensk tragedy.
Another hopeful aspect of the repercussions of the plane crash is the apparent propensity to enhance the improvement in Polish – Russian relations. At several points in this issue’s content there are remarks on the irony of the fact that the Smolensk crash took the lives of some of the best of Poland’s leadership while they were en route to a ceremony to commemorate the Katyn massacre, which was another event involving the destruction of Polish leadership. The recent event was an accident while Katyn was a deliberate war crime, but the coincidence is eerie. The immediate reaction from Russia has been one of sympathy and empathy, and I can’t help but think that the consequences of the accident will do more for the possibility of better long term relations between the two countries than might have resulted if the Katyn commemoration ceremonies had taken place as planned without the fatal crash. Who knows?
As always, we must remember the tragic past, be it Katyn or the plane crash, but focus on the future, and work to make it a brighter future in honor of those who have given their lives, in one way or another.
Observations
Lately I have enjoyed the thought provoking columns written by Thomas Mikulski, and much of the other content contributed by our regular authors on a wide variety of topics. I have noticed, though, that we are relatively short on coverage of local events. As many of our readers can surely understand, the difficulty of covering the numerous goings on of our very active community can tax the resources of time and energy. From time to time I solicit contributions from readers, and now I am doing so again. If you are a member of virtually any Polonian organization or group that is planning or has recently had a special event of any kind, please feel free to send us an item that we can publish so that your event will be known and remembered by a wider audience than just its participants.
