After much discussion it has been decided that one Polish parade will be held, in accordance with tradition, in Warszawa (that is, Slavic Village) and a second parade will be held in Parma. It’s a little absurd…unfortunately, our Polonia is not able to hide its divisions or, rather, its chronic dismemberment. The saying, „where there are two Poles, there are three parties” has not lost its significance but rather gathered strength. We might say today that where there is one Pole, there are two parades.

I wonder how this second parade will look. I tried to untangle this Gordian knot, but I quickly gave up. I was left with questions like these: Will those who go to one parade do so in order to protest the other parade? And if someone wants to be neutral and go to both parades (since such a possibility exists, without any need for cloning), don’t the parades then turn into a farce for everyone looking on?

Hurray! I’m sorry for such a completely out of place remark, but Logic has just returned to help me, suggesting that perhaps geography and math might explain the dilemma of the two parades. Those who are closer to Warszawa can go to the parade there and those for whom it is easier to strengthen the ranks in Parma can go there…Perhaps there is someone out there under the illusion that the two parades will increase attendance, since each year the May 3rd parade becomes significantly smaller and a less attractive event. Perhaps reproducing the event will improve something, perhaps not. Logic still does not understand that Poles are just not able to figure out the math; seeing my face at the mention of numbers, Logic gave up. And so I just succumbed to a wave of random, illogical (!) thoughts….

It suddenly occurred to me that, as long as we’re thinking about our own comfort and convenience, we could just organize a private parade in our driveway. Why not? This is certainly a manifestation of patriotism. Inviting the neighbors or even everyone on the block would be an additional way to strengthen Polish identity. Because individual events like these are better than collective action. I already had this fight with Logic, but I fell alseep over tables and graphs. I’ve got it, I thought, Poles can do this. And then all of these questions came back, without any answers, and I started to fall asleep again…

A colorful river of people makes its way down the main street of downtown Cleveland. At first I don’t really know what’s going on; I can’t see because of the reporters with their cameras and notebooks. Local television and radio are here and all the local government representatives. I quickly try to remember something that would help me to explain all of this. St. Patrick’s Day? No, wrong time. Somebody famous in town? No. A strike? Yeah, right. The long awaited victory of the Indians or the Cavaliers? Where have you been? The parade comes closer. I see red and white flags with the Polish eagle, the flags of Polish cities, folk costumes; I recognize the faces of some friends, read some Polish words, and hear some songs from the Vistula….This is the May 3rd parade! A Polish parade in the center of Cleveland! Finally! Everyone together! I’m probably dreaming! But I feel it when I pinch myself…

Unfortunately, the pinching begins to hurt a little more. „Now! I have to go to the parade! This is it!” – I call out, brushing something aside. Suddenly I open my eyes. My son’s grabbing my arm and saying, „Mama, wake up! I have to do a school project on Poland. You have to help me!”

Małgorzata Oleksy

Forum, 3/2010

Christmas Eve – Wigilia

The Eve of Christmas in the Polish tradition is the most festive, significant and moving of all holidays, with origins stemming from the earliest Christian traditions. The word “wigilia” comes from the Latin word for “ watch” or “vigil“. It was customary in the early Church the day before a great feast or celebration to fast, and the faithful awaited the coming event together in prayer and devotion throughout the night. The custom of Wigilia became a permanent fixture in Poland by the 18th Century.

The main part of the celebration is the festive supper composed of an odd number of meatless dishes, in great variety and number, representing most of the foods grown and eaten throughout the year. In the countryside as well as in the estates of the nobles and the king’s court, it was the custom to place a sheaf of wheat, rye, barley and oats in each of the four corners of the hall or room. This was an offering to the Christ Child in supplication for a bountiful harvest in the coming year. The table was dressed in white linens with straw tucked underneath to represent the cloths upon which Baby Jesus lay in a manger filled with straw.

A Place at the Table

A well known and widely followed custom in Poland is leaving an empty place at the Christmas Eve table. This place is reserved for a traveler, an unexpected guest who may need to have shelter and to sit and eat on a cold winter’s night. The empty place is also a reminder of those dearest to us who are unable to be present at Christmas or can serve as a memento to those who have passed on.

The First Star

The supper begins when the first star is spotted in the evening sky. This symbolizes the star of Bethlehem which guided the Three Kings to Bethlehem.

Breaking of the Bread (Wafer)

The most important moment of the evening is the breaking of bread or a wafer known as “oplatek”. First the Gospel of the Nativity of Christ is read, then the participants break the wafer and share it while offering wishes of happiness, health and prosperity to each other in the coming year. The Christmas Eve supper tradition has come down from celebrations among earliest Christians reenacting the Last Supper. While it allows for sharing goodwill and blessings amongst the participants while teaching how to share God’s gifts with each other, this lovely custom also encourages forgiveness of transgressions and misunderstandings that may have arisen amongst people in the previous year.
An Even Number of Guests

According to tradition, an even number of people are seated at the table. An odd number has portended bad luck for someone in the group. When there was an odd number of guests in attendance, wealthier homes had a servant invited to the table. In humbler abodes, someone who had nowhere to go that evening was invited to the celebration. Seating arrangements were made according to age or representative of the guests’ status in the community with the most important person charged with beginning the supper.

An Odd Number of Dishes

According to tradition, an odd number of dishes were to be served at the supper. Alexander Bruckner in the Etymological Dictionary of the Polish Language writes that the peasant tradition had five or seven dishes served; the nobility had nine and the aristocracy, eleven. Explanations for these requirements vary, some saying seven for the days of the week, nine for the nine angelic choirs and actually, up to twelve were allowed for the twelve apostles.
An odd number of dishes were served to assure a bountiful harvest and sufficient employment for the coming year. The dishes were composed of all the crops planted to ensure plenty and prosperity in the coming year . It was also customary to at least sample each and every one of the foods prepared so that there would be no lack of them in the following year’s celebration of Christmas Eve.

The supper begins with barscz, or red beet soup with “uszka” or “little ears” ( tiny mushroom filled pierogi) or a mushroom soup. Along with fish, other foods served include an old Polish dish of peas and cabbage, dishes with dried forest mushrooms, compotes made with dried summer fruits, a poppyseed roll and the famous “kutia” from Poland’s eastern regions — a dish made of whole wheat or barley mixed with honey, poppy seeds, nuts, dried fruits and spices.

After the Supper

In the past, besides singing carols in many parts of Poland, many other customs were observed. In the Warmia and Mazury regions while they were still seated at table, the guests and family would pull straws from under the tablecloth. If one’s straw was straight, the year would go smoothly without danger; if the straw was twisted or crooked, a more difficult year of twists and turns awaited. In the Mazowszy region the remains of the feast was fed to animals for it was the belief that at midnight, at least some of the animals spoke with human voices. This was specifically attributed to cattle for they were the animals present at the birth of the Christ child and as a reward were given the gift of human voices on Christmas Eve.

Pasterka (Midnight Mass)

Midnight mass marks the end of the Christmas Eve celebrations. The mass begins at exactly midnight. According to tradition, it commemorates the coming of shepherds to Bethlehem to pay homage to the newborn Messiah. The custom of using the Christmas liturgy on this night was already in place in the Fifth Century in the Catholic Church and quite likely arrived in Poland along with Christianity (by the Tenth Century).

Elzbieta Chalupniczak
Translated by Zofia Wisniewski

Forum, 12/2009

Elzbieta Ulanowski: You are the second professor of philosophy whom I have known  personally.  The first was Professor  Dr. Barbara Skarga  whose seminars on the history of philosophy I attended as a prerequisite  to taking the exams beginning my doctoral studies.   She was someone larger than life and I am happy whenever I can speak about her.   I have many questions for you.  In your family, was there anyone else  professionally linked with philosophy and what were your  studies like?

Ryszard Mordarski: I am the first in my family to undertake this profession.    But right behind me is my younger brother a Jesuit theologian who works  at the retreat house near the Convent at Jasna Gora in Czestochowa, Poland.  I started out studying theology,  but  entering  into my second  year, I began  the study of  philosophy.  Enrolled at the Catholic University of Lublin in tumultuous  political times,  I  witnessed  the beginning of the end of  communism in Poland, and  received my first diploma at a historical  moment , that is June 4,  right after Communist rule in Poland collapsed,  and upon the election of  a  new, democratic government.   The next two years were spent  in finishing my  study of philosophy  and  completing a two year specialization  in Dogmatic Theology.   All together , I studied for seven years –  a remarkable period of personal growth and intellectual development for me.

E.U.: Since you completed your studies in Lublin, you must know Latin and Greek.

RM.: The program sets aside two years  for the study of   the classical  languages.  I know Greek quite well and with the aid of a dictionary, I am able to translate  most of the ancient texts,  especially since many of them are not that complex.  For example, the New Testament is written in the simple dialect “koine”, employing basic grammar, not  in some obscure or  complex language.    The simplest text  is the Gospel of St. Mark,  which can be well understood  with a vocabulary of  about 600 words.

E.U.: How did the following years flow along life’s  path for our philosopher?

R.M.: While still at the university, I began  working in education  as a teacher of religion.  But I resigned not long afterwards, once I realized that teaching was not exactly my calling at that time.  I decided my direction was to be  the scholarly pursuit of philosophy.   After winning a competition,  I was accepted at the University of Bydgoszcz.   Here I started my doctoral  studies,  with my  chosen subject  the French philosopher,  literary figure and Nobel prize winner  Albert Camus.  I was most of all fascinated by his political philosophy , which he formulated with great honesty and courage, going against the grain  of popular opinion which widely accepted  the existentialist philosophy of Jean Paul Sartre.  Camus was so  consistent and determined  in defending his views,  that he and Sartre actually engaged in a scuffle  when Sartre would not reveal  to the French public the truth about Soviet gulags.   The result of my doctoral studies, “Between Absurdity  and Solidarity”  was published  in 1999.

E.U.: Moving on, you have now completed your doctorate.  But this is not enough in Poland to achieve the title of Professor.  How did you spend the time while  preparing for the examination for the right to teach at  university as a docent or to be appointed a professor?

R.M.: Educational degrees in our country are based on the German system.  To become a professor, you must  go through a process called  “habilitation”.   First, there are examinations during the habilitation  process taken in three stages, each with increasing difficulty. Failure anywhere along the way puts you back at the beginning.  You  must start over,  each time with the level of difficulty increasing.   During the process you must write a book based on original subject matter, which is reviewed prior to publication by two professors.  Following publication, four more reviews are required.   At an appointed time there is an oral exam before the  Faculty Board of the department where one must answer each of the questions posed  satisfactorily, and at the end of that, present a short lecture which is evaluated for content and presentation.  To really understand the difficulty of all of this, you must experience it.   I completed my habilitation at the University of  A. Mickiewicz in Poznan in 2007, with a dissertation on “The classic political rationalism of Leo Strauss”.  Not quite a year  later, the Department of Humanties at my alma mater at Bydgoszcz presented me with the title of professor.

E.U.: Please accept my congratulations.  I believe you are extremely well prepared for and gratified by  your chosen profession.  How would you define philosophy?  I found  a definition that described it as  “a reflection of the world and ourselves in it”.

R.M.: That is a good one.  However, there are as many definitions as there are philosophers.  The most basic and classic is one that states philosophy  is the love of knowledge.  This comes from the two Greek words: philia  – meaning  ” love“, and Sophia meaning “knowledge“.  Thus speaking etymologically, there is the understanding that  philosophy is the love of knowledge and the constant pursuit of knowledge, without actually every fully achieving  that  goal.

E.U.: As for the pursuit of excellence, one never can fully achieve it.   It’s not really a compliment to tell someone that they are excellent  in a given area, for they  are always striving  towards excellence (according to Prof.  Tatarkiewicz).

R.M.: That’s right.  The philosopher  is constantly on a journey  to become more knowledgeable and even though, he or she may hope that they are  getting  closer to the ideal,  they can never achieve it in actuality.  The philosopher is always on the road to knowledge,  while others may not even realize that it exists or  where to find it.

E.U.: In current reasoning, two philosophers may have harmed human progress enormously.  I am thinking of Frederick Nietsche and Karl Marx.   Their work brought to life the totalitarian systems  of fascism and  communism.  How would you comment on this fact?

R.M.: Well, ideas always have consequences in real life.  Many different events or ideologies had their roots in the thoughts of philosophers.  I believe that both philosophers,  if they were able to learn what had developed from their ideas after their deaths,  would have been horrified.   But at the same time, one can read each one of their writings in a way that leads to Hitlerism or Stalinism.  Thus philosophy  is such an important subject,  for  ideas formulated in the heads of thinkers do get transferred to society and affect it.

E.U.: Please tell me what you are currently working on  and what  the daily life of the philosopher looks like?

R.M.: My main subjects are  political philosophy and ethics,  as well the philosophy of religion.  Everyday life?  I am surrounded by books , etc. and I read, read,  and read some more.  Not only books or articles on philosophy, but  writings of  scientists — in subjects such as physics, biology and genetics.    Many questions,  problems and issues arise  where the natural sciences and philosophy meet.

E.U.: How do you look at other professionals — what do you think of them?  Do you feel sorry that many remain in deep ignorance?

R.M.: Some philosophers have a rather  contemptuous view of others, the result of  the advantage, which they assume they have thanks to their refined, sophisticated intellectual training.  Education in philosophy  does offer good tools for logic and  methodologies for exercising it.  This  facilitates understanding of  other ways of thinking and allows for  classifying them as correct or not. Philosophers also highly value  good, common sense  — basically the perspective of the common man,  so important in everyday life.

E.U.: What kind of a husband and father are you?  Do you demand just a little more from those closest to you?

R.M.: You’ll have to ask them, but I believe I seek out in others that which is interesting and unique in each individual.  For example, that is how  I look at my daughter  Julia, in  trying to help her develop her particular, unique talents.   But  I really wouldn’t  want her to follow my footsteps — for the life of the philosopher is not a particularly easy one.   When one is constantly buried  in the ideas of  thinkers, you can easily antagonize others without meaning to for you are frequently misunderstood.  My wife, Margaret is extremely understanding  and as for my daughter, I try hard to maintain good communications at all times.

E.U.: How is it that we see you  for awhile, and then you disappear for some time?

R.M.: I live in the States for one half of the year.  The other six months  are spent in Poland.  I have about 200 hours  of lectures there which I accomplish in the first academic semester.  Once that is complete, I am back here with my family.  I am fortunate for I can take advantage of  that which is best  in  both countries.  I truly enjoy my work and greatly value the many acquaintances  and associations I have  in Poland.   But I also deeply love being at home with my family in Lorain, Ohio.  And  I am not just relaxing  while here.  I work  with the Department of Philosophy at  Oberlin College and  spend my time translating  various philosophical texts  into the Polish language.   While at Bydgoszcz, I teach my students, along with other  things,  how to use  new terminology  drawn from the latest American philosophical works.

E.U.: You have to your credit, two published books and many translated texts.  I won’t ask for the titles, for they’re probably rather complex.  In  wrapping up, I wish you many talented doctoral candidates, great satisfaction  and happiness in the practice of furthering knowledge and thought. But most of all, the discovery of an idea that can heal the nations of our earth.

Elżbieta Ulanowski
Translated by Sean Martin

Forum, 10/2009

It was not until the twentieth Century that we have seen major progress in the way man battles disease.   Two major discoveries helped usher in these changes – penicillin and corticosteroids.  Alexander Fleming observed that a plate with nutrients covered with bacteria set aside and forgotten for several weeks had developed a mold growth that destroyed the bacteria.  This phenomenon worthy of further investigation, lead to the discovery of antibiotics isolated from molds in1940.

The history of corticosteroids was somewhat different.  Doctors noticed that women suffering from hepatitis who were also pregnant had temporary relief from inflammation in their joints.   Scientists pondered over what was happening in the bodies of these pregnant women to bring about a transient cessation of their rheumatoid symptoms and at times, even asthma. After a few years, the substances causing these effects were discovered and purified.  Hormones from supra-renal glands (the adrenals) were responsible for these changes.  Today corticosteroid hormones are widely in use totreat  those suffering from pneumonia,  inflammatory joint and muscle diseases as well as asthma.

Circulatory and heart diseases are a major cause of adult illness and death.  But tremendous advances have been made since the 1960’s to harness their devastating and deadly consequences.   Mortality rates have plunged by 62% over the last 50 years. This is due to the attainment of knowledge and control over risk factors for heart and circulatory illness –hypertension, elevated cholesterol, and education about lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol abuse, high fat diets and inactivity which lead to these illnesses.   Major improvements in the rapid response to symptoms of heart attack or stroke, open heart surgeries, bypasses, catheterization and  therapies with specific medications as well as other  new treatments being discovered and applied in the highly specialized world of cardiology and vascular medicine have and continue to bring about great progress.

In the past ten years, the life expectancy in developed countries has increased by approximately five hours each day.  In effect, we awaken every day to a 29-hour day from which we are using up 24 hours now and putting away the rest for later.

Today as we continue to seek new therapies and methods for treating illness, our attention has focused on stem cell research.  From these cells arise the tissues of muscles, the liver, bones and the brain.  Our hopes lie in the suggestion that these stem cells introduced into tissue offer the possibility of curing illnesses and even slowing down the processes of aging.  The use of therapies developed with these specialized cells in specific organs or parts of the body may potentially lead to an improvement in their condition;  for example treating  a diseased liver, or cardiac or leg arteries with pathological changes.  Future treatment of liver, heart or circulatory diseases among many others, may be conducted in the future using regenerative therapies, a new branch of medicine.

Currently the search is on for sources of stem cells.  Stem cells are distributed throughout the body, but not in large quantities.  There is however, a relatively large amount found in bone marrow and they are present in embryonic fluid and the placenta as well as the umbilical cord of newborns.  Stem cells are not generative cells. They aren’t present in sperm or the ovaries and they do not come from embryos.  This major discovery about stem cells should not pose a great problem for ethicists to resolve about the raging debate over stem cells.

Research facilities in the U.S. and Japan compete actively in the field of medical regenerative therapies.  The Japanese have created a stem cell bank, and in southern California’s coast near San Diego a consortium for Regenerative Medicine has formed and is actively seeks leading scientists throughout the world, awarding grants and funding their research in anticipation of  breakthroughs in this field..
However, the road to success in this new area of medicine is fraught with difficulties and dangers.   In these miraculous cells there lurks a deadly potential for uncontrolled cancerous growth.  Thus more research is imperative.

Much will be discovered in the first clinical trials begun in 2008. Those paralyzed with spinal cord injuries or patients with atherosclerosis obliterans (occlusive sclerotic disease of the lower extremities) threatened by amputation anxiously await the results of these trials.   In Poland last year, ten patients were treated using regenerative therapy for such problems.  Each received an injection of stem cells into their legs.  Six have had radical improvements in their condition, while four suffered a decline.

We shall see in the near future, just how rapidly and effectively this new area of medical science will develop, perhaps bringing about the slowing of the aging process or reversing its effects entirely.  Indeed, the dream of Faust – a return to youth may be possible, without the diabolical services of Mephistopheles.

Dr. Elzbita Ulanowska
Translated by Zofia Wisniewski

Forum, 6/2009

So what does this mean to PACC and its supporters?  An endowment fund is a fund set aside to generate income as well as for long-term use for the not-for-profit organization.  Having a strong and stable endowment fund is a sign that an organization is fiscally responsible and prepared for whatever the future may hold.  It can also ensure that the mission of an organization can continue in perpetuity if needed.

By partnering with the Cleveland Foundation, PACC also gets access to the foundation staff.  In the coming year, we will work together to establish a strong planned giving program, which will include seminars for interested donors and advisors.  Our goal is to de-mystify the estate and charitable planning process, and be a resource to PACC as you grow your endowment.

Please feel free to contact Gene Bak at 216 883 2828 or contact the Cleveland Foundation directly at 216.861.3810.

We look forward to a long and prosperous relationship!

Forum, 6/2009

Each year, one of the Chapters which make-up our national organization host the convention. This gives our members a chance to visit the various centers of Polonia across the country. A schedule of events which includes time for convention business, visits to various sites of interest, and presentations on pertinent topics is arranged by the host chapter to help our time together not only be an enjoyable gathering, but also worthwhile and enriching one, too.
This year’s convention began on Monday evening at our convention venue, the Marriott Hotel at the Key Center in downtown Cleveland, where our opening dinner was held. Bp. Robert Carlson of Saginaw, Michigan, powerfully addressed our membership on the important theme of cultivating a culture of vocations in our communities today as has been so successfully done by Polonia in the past. No one was left unmoved by his simple yet powerful words.

On Tuesday, following the morning convention business session, we all traveled for a Noon Mass at St. John Cantius Church in the Tremont section of Cleveland where the pastor Fr. Lucjan Stokowski welcomed us. Cleveland Auxiliary Bishop Roger Gries, OSB, was the main celebrant and Fr. Ralph Bodziony, Pastor Emeritus, spoke about Helena Pelczar, former parishioner, relative of the sainted Polish bishop, and Cleveland Polonia’s authentic mystic and stigmatist. From there we made the short trip to Sokolowski’s University Inn, a famous neighborhood restaurant frequent by “everybody who is somebody” and everyone is between!

After lunch, we traveled to Berea and Ohio’s oldest Polish parish, St. Adalbert, where we were cordially greeted by Fr. Gerald Keller, the pastor. Fr. Czesław Krysa of Buffalo was the celebrant for our holy hour and benediction and gave a presentation on the proper understanding  of music within the Church’s liturgy and some of the differences devotionally and liturgically between the older and newer immigrant populations of our country. On the way back to the hotel, we made whirlwind pastoral visit to St. Barbara Church where we were warmly received by the pastor, Fr. Michael Dyrcz.     After convention business, Wednesday brought us to Immaculate Heart of  Mary Church in Cleveland for a Noon Mass. Fr. Ralph Hudak, pastor, and his parishioners received us warmly. Bp. Arthur Serratelli of Paterson, New Jersey, was our  celebrant and he was joined by Bp. Thomas Wenski of Orlando, Detroit Auxiliary Bp. Frank Reiss, and retired Cleveland Auxiliary Bp. Edward Pevec. From Church everyone walked the one block to the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center and Museum where a fantastic lunch was served. During that time, Ben Stefanski, Jr. and Gene Bak, spoke to us of the groundbreaking  and proactive private/public initiative underway which is transforming that local inner-city neighborhood into a model of urban renewal.

Afterward, it was off to Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Garfield Heights. Fr. Theodore Marszal, pastor, led all in singing the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and offered benediction afterward. Bp. Serratelli then gave a moving address on the beaty, exemplary nature, and importance of the ethnic communities, especially Polish, in the life of the Church in this country. From there, we made a whirlwind pastoral visit to the Shrine of  Our Lady of Czestochowa at the Marymount motherhouse of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, Third Order of Saint Francis where our members could strike the same pose as did Pope John Paul II when he visited there as Karol Kard. Wojtyla in 1969.

The day culminated fantastically with a moving vespers service at the Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus in Cleveland. Bp. Wenski was the main celebrant and homilist and dedicated a new papal shrine in honor of both St. Stanislaus and Pope John Paul II – two saintly Polish bishops of Krakow 1000 years removed. Of special note was the extraordinary and powerful music under the direction of David Krakowski.

On Thursday, our group traveled to our Cleveland seminaries – St. Mary Seminary and Borromeo College Seminary – to celebrate Midday Prayer with the seminarians, faculty, and stuff. Chicago Auxiliary bishop Thomas Paprocki was the celebrant and homilist and we were all treaded to a festive lunch in the seminary refectory afterward. At the conclusion of the meal, all joined in singing a hearty PLURIMUS ANNOS to Bp. Ryszard Karpinski, the Delegate  of the Polish Episcopate for Polonia Abroad, who that very day was observing the 48th anniversary of his priestly ordination. Also joining us for lunch were Clelveland’s Bishops Emeritus, Anthony M. Pilla, and our retired Auxiliary Bishop Edward Pevec, who both reside at the seminary.

After adjourning to the seminary’s Aula magna, Dr. Mitchell Bienia presented an overview and brief history of Cleveland Polonia which was well received by the delegates. We departed the seminary at the conclusion of  Dr. Bienia’s talk traveled next to St. Casmir Church in Cleveland.

Welcomed by Msgr. Leo Telesz, St. Casimir’s pastor for 35 years, we were then led in the recitation of the rosary by Fr. David Bialkowski of Buffalo and Bp. Karpinski, who alternated the decades in English and Polish. A presentation followed by Fr. Leonard Chrobot of Fort Wayne/South Bend noting the changing nature of our Polish communities and the generational differences among the people who now make-up Polonia.

After that we all headed to the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist where Bp. Richard Lennon of Cleveland offered our Solemn Convention Mass. He was joined by Bp. John Yanta of Amarillo, Texas, the founder of P.A.P.A. Bp. Karpinski, Bp. Paprocki, and Bp. Reiss. Of special note was the presence of His Eminence, Adam Cardinal Maida, Archbishop of Detroit and Episcopal moderator of P.A.P.A., who honored us with his presence. They were joined by all of our convention participants, whose ranks were bolstered by local clergy, by delegations from the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre  and the Knights of Columbus, and representatives from every facet of Cleveland Polonia.

Immediately after the Mass, everyone met at the Father Keller Center of St. Adalbert Church in Berea where we were joined by many others for the gala Fr. Leopold Moczygeba Award Banquet. A wonderful meal and enjoyable gathering made for a memorable time shared by all. Fr. Gerald Keller welcomed all on behalf of the Cleveland Chapter of P.A.P.A. and in the name of the parish. Bp. Paprocki offered the invocation and P.A.P.A.’s National President, Msgr. Daniel Plocharczyk of Hartford, gave the toast. Remarks were offered by Cardinal Maida, Bp. Lennon, and Bp. Yanta, who also presented the Fr. Moczygeba Award to this year’s worthy recipient, Fr. Ralph Bodziony. Cleveland’s own Syrena Dancers performed two wonderful pieces  from two different regions of Poland. Bp. Reiss concluded the program by offering the benediction.

On Friday morning, Bp. Karpinski offered morning Mass and the 18th National Convention of the Polish American Priests’ Association was brought to an official close with the conclusion of the business sessions which followed.
As President of the Cleveland Chapter  and Convention Chairman, I offer sincere and heartfelt thanks to all who so generously contributed in so many ways to helping make our convention possible…to our Cleveland pastors and priests, our Polish fraternals, organizations, and business both locally and throughout the country, to our dedicated people who helped with service of every kind – nothing could have been accomplished without all of them. With them, however, our priest participants left refreshed and renewed after an enjoyable fraternal gathering – which is what it is all about! On their behalf and in my own name, I offer a hearty and sincere BÓG ZAPŁAĆ!

Fr. Eric Orzech

Forum, 5/2007

Following the Friday business sessions, the ACPC board members were invited to attend a testimonial reception honoring Eugene Bak, the Executive Director of the Polish American Cultural Center who was a recipient of the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland for his work in promoting Polish Culture, History and Arts. The presentation was made by Polish Consul General, Krzysztof Kasprzyk. The Board Members were impressed by the large crowd, the table laden with delectable hors d’oeurves and a splendid musical interlude by pianist Jacek Sobieski and singer Dorota Sobieski who presented Moniuszko’s “Znaszli ten Kraj” and a lilting Mazurka by Chopin.

The Saturday morning session was spent on extensive committee reports revealing progress and successes in the many programs and functions of the Council. The meeting terminated in time for the members to attend Saturday 5:00 o’clock Mass at the beautiful St. Stanislaus Church. Everyone had an opportunity to pay homage and pray before the newly installed icon depicting St. Stanislaus and Pope John Paul II.

That evening the Board members were wined and dined at the Cultural Center where a delectable Polish cuisine dinner was served. The after dinner speaker, Dr. Thaddeus Radzilowski, Founder and President of the Piast Institute-Hamtramck, MI stirred the listeners’ intellectual faculties with his interesting, provocative and well-researched talk on Polish American culture in the U.S.

The 59th Annual ACPC Convention, hosted by the Friends of Polish Art-Detroit, will take place July 10-14 at the Dearborn Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dearborn, MI

Thed Cooke

Forum, 5/2007

Months later I was impressed again when I attended the grand opening of the Center’s Heritage museum, something all of Cleveland should be proud of. The energy of that event, and the enthusiasm of everyone involved convinced me to make another phone call to the Center for the sake of my next visiting Polish artist, Anna Konik. After members of the Center so graciously showed Anna around Slavic Village, she called me the next day demanding that I eat more Polish food and spend some time with these great people. Anna’s new friends visited us at SPACES for her public lecture, and then again for the opening of her exhibition, a video project about homelessness.

When the Cleveland International Film Festival came around in March of the following year, SPACES and the Center decided to collaborate: After the showing of My Nikifor, we held a reception and discussion in the gallery. This event took place during ArtMart, the annual members’ show and sale at SPACES, where anyone can become a member and exhibit and sell their art in the gallery for one week. I am proud that at least one member from the Center was one of the ArtMart artists. That night, a few of us were inspired to organize a community art exhibition and sale at the Center. Art at the Center was a huge success, and continued the process of cultural exchange and partnership between the arts community and the Polish community in Cleveland

These collaborations continue this month with the upcoming Polish films at the Cleveland International Film Festival, followed by a reception at SPACES. ArtMart 2007 will have just opened in the gallery, providing visitors with a look at the diverse array of artists who contribute to the local arts community. In May and June, with the support of the Ohio Arts Council (which also supported Roman and Anna’s residencies), we welcome Polish artist Malgorzata Markiewicz to Cleveland for six weeks. Anna Konik’s friends from the Center have offered to help SPACES host Malgorzata. This kind of partnership is what helps make the SPACES World Artists Program successful.

As funding is being sought to renovate the rooms below the Polish Heritage Museum for a contemporary art gallery in the Center, I’ve started to dream about what our partnership will mean in the future. I hope that together we will find and select Polish artists to bring here, that we will give them the freedom, time, space, and support they need to create new art, and that by working together, we will all learn about each other’s cultures, and be the better for it.
For more information about SPACES and its international residency program, please visit www.spacegallery.org.

Sarah Beiderman

Forum, 3/2007

A colonnade, damaged during the war, rises from the square, a fragment of the fomer Saski Palace. An eternal flame and an honor guard of soldiers stands before it. Every Pole knows that this is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
For several years there has been a custom that young couples come here after their wedding to place their bouquets as an offering to the Unknown Soldier. Such a beautiful patriotic gesture to begin their new lives.

2007 will mark the 82nd anniversary of the Pantheon of National Memory. Looking back on history, we learn that the Frenchman Frederic Simon, shocked at the immense loss his country suffered during World War I, gave us the idea of creating a tomb for the nameless fallen soldier. Just two years later, by November 11, 1920, Tombs of the Unknown Soldier were already erected in, besides France, Great Britain, Italy, the United States, Belgium, Romania, and Yugoslavia.
The Polish mausoleum was built only in 1925. There were reasons for the delay. When other nations enjoyed peace after the war, the reborn Polish Republic had to fight an additional three years to secure the borders of the independent state. Only in 1924 did the Council of Ministers decide, as a result of the efforts of General Władysław Sikorski, that the Polish Pantheon should find its place beneath the arcades of the Saski Palace.

From this moment on progress happened quickly. Fifteen battlefields were chosen. From one of them, chosen by chance, the ashes of an unknown soldier were taken to Warsaw. Fate chose the Lwów battlefield, where a bloody battle lasting more than six months began in November 1918. Unidentified remains were located after exhumation of the graves at the battlefied. The uniform and cap, characteristic of those worn by peasants from Central Poland and by Polish legionaries during the war, identifed the remains as those of a volunteer soldier on the front lines, no more than twenty years old.

Military and government representatives, chosen representatives of the families of fallen soldiers – two mothers, two widows, and two sisters, and throngs of people greeted the train from Lwów at the main station in Warsaw. The funeral procession led through the streets of the city to the cathedral, where Mass was celebrated. Father Antoni Szlagowski offered the homily, from which the following is taken:

„Who are you? – We do not know,
Who are your parents? – We do not know,
Where is your home? – We do not know,
Your greatness lies in the unknown. Take the name of these valiant Poles: Kościuszki, Puławski, Dąbrowski.
You are an eternal genius of war and we call you brave; you are the enduring strength of ideals and sacrifice; you are the victor of the independence of the nation and you are freedom.”

At 1:00 pm a gunfire salute gave the signal for traffic to stop and for quiet, throughout all of Poland. Then President Stanisław Wojciechowski lit a candle symbolizing the flame of eternal memory. At the ceremony were present Generals Haller and Sikorski, soldiers, knights of the Virtuta Militari, representatives of the Sejm and Senate, and a large crowd. Delegations from throughout the country and abroad placed flowers at the site.
Today the Tomb includes earth from all the battlefieds where Poles have fought.

Dr. Elżbieta Ulanowska
Translated by Sean Martin

Forum, 3/2007

First, Łukasz said that there are elements of positive cooperation. The youth organize the disco dances in the Center, which are very popular. Now they also do a dance for Halloween, for both young and old. The Center has purchased two televisions for the downstairs cafe, where young people gather every Sunday to watch the day’s game. They’ve also acquired new lighting for the dances and new equipment for the cafe, making it much easier to use. What else do they need? Equipment for playing the music. They don’t want to have to depend on others to organize the dances and the concerts at the picnics. They’re also trying to get a projector for lighting effects and presentations. „And we also need a better printer!” They could make beautiful posters and announcements, but our printer can’t handle it.

Sure, but this is all small stuff. I asked Łukasz about bigger dreams. In the past Polonia built beautiful churches. Łukasz first said that it’s not worth talking about this, that there’s no chance for such things now. Then he started to talk. You see, he said, Monika organized a beautiful art show in the Center. There were 300 people at the opening. Crowds also come to our dances; they wrote about us in the Plain Dealer. Monika organized the art show in cooperation with SPACES, a well-known gallery in Cleveland. You see, we’re open to everything, we were raised here and we want to be who we are: Polonia from Cleveland. Not just „little Warsaw”, but greater Polonia.

We spoke further about the dreams of young Polonia. About a Center for themselves, best if near the Center, where the youth are already active. There would be dances, the sports club, and other activities. They think about organizing an information center for youth from Poland, as well as for those raised here in Cleveland, focusing on education and careers. They could also organize studio space for artists and photographers, a salon for discussion, and anything they long for. There are already some organizing a dance section. Perhaps the Syrena group could find a home there?

Then Łukas sighed and said: But, remember, young people like to be crazy. So don’t expect that we’ll throw everything to the side and work on this dream. We have to work on our careers, go to school, and we want to relax and play on the weekend. And some of us have already started families. When and how are we supposed to do this?

That’s what Łukasz had to say. And I know my opinion. I see that Monika Dedejczyk makes contact with other young people who are studying, writing grants, and working as artists. Weronika Kowalczyk, the star of the recent art show, impressed with Monika’s efforts, is thinking about joining the activities of the Center. Łukasz flies from meetings at the Center to meetings of Polonia, takes pictures for the Forum, manages Polonia’s websites, and, during breaks, helps others buy skis. Marcin Staniszewski, a student at the University of Akron, also works on the Center’s website. We would all have been lost long ago without Andrzej Pawlik. Agata Foremska writes for the Forum. She and Monika appear often on the radio with Eugenia Stolarczyk. Young Polonia works alongside and helps the older generation. And they have their own dreams….

Ryszard Romaniuk

Forum, 12/2006