Observations
May 1st we will all be able to celebrate the beatification of Pope John Paul II. Among the news from Poland is an item reporting that over 50 heads of state will be in Rome for the highly anticipated event. It still seems hard to believe that John Paul II is no longer with us. Perhaps that is because, in reality, he will always be with us through the lasting impact his life has had on us, due both to our kinship with him as a Pole and to the seemingly incredible influence he exerted on world events. Also among the news from Poland is a comment from Lech Walesa on the relative contributions of Pope John Paul II and the Solidarity movement toward the fall of communism. Some could view Walesa’s comment as controversial, but of course, both factors contributed to the fall, along with many others. As Poles and Polish Americans we can take pride in both the Pope and the union.
Observations
Thanks go out this week to our regular contributor Frank Dmuchowski for his coverage of the address given by Andy Ladak on the theme of the Warsaw uprising. The presentation was all the more significant because the audience was a gathering of veterans of the 101st Airborne Division Association, a group with a special understanding of the challenges and misfortunes of war. As Frank points out, many non-Poles are unaware of this episode of WW II and the betrayal of the Soviets, who refused to give support or relief while the Nazi army slaughtered the Polish fighters.
Observations
What really shocked me when I began reviewing stories for the current issue of the Polish Weekly was the fact that Father Timothy Whalen, who has served so ably as Chancellor of the Orchard Lake Schools for so many years is being recalled to his former diocese in Pittsburgh (see this week’s Publisher’s Note). I will never forget the controversy that accompanied Fr. Whalen’s appointment as Chancellor of the Orchard Lake Schools. The assignment of priests is, of course, a prerogative of the Church and its hierarchy, but there were some who were dismayed because they thought Fr. Whalen was not “Polish” enough to preside over such a venerably Polish institution as the OLS. Personally, at the time, I wondered what the problem was, and why some people were complaining about a choice that was not theirs to make. Time has proved what a wonderful choice it was to place Fr. Whalen as the leader of Orchard Lake, and from what I have seen and heard so far, the resistance to his leaving and the sense of loss at his imminent departure are a well deserved contrast to the hesitant welcome he may have received from some quarters on his arrival in the Detroit area.
Observations
Observations
I was very pleased to see the movie review of “The Way Back,” a film by Peter Weir starring Colin Farrel, Jim Sturgess, Ms. Saoirse Ronan and Ed Harris. The movie tells the story of seven individuals who escape from a soviet Gulag in 1940. It is inspired by “The Long Walk,” a book by Sławomir Rawicz. You will note that the film is showing in limited release at local area theaters, and it might not be around long, so vote with your movie ticket dollars and lets hope the movie does well and brings a piece of Polish history to a wider audience than just Polonia. In fact, I encourage all of our readers to spread the word among non-Polish friends to see this film.
Observations
Observations
