Thoughts and opinions from a Priest in the PNCC
The Autumn 2008 issue of Polish American Studies, the semi-annual periodical of the Polish American Historical Association (PAHA) has just been published. The journal features an article on the PNCC —“ —The Role of Polish and American Identities in the Future of the PNCC— by Jeffrey M. Jozefski.
The issue is available from Polish American Historical Association, Central Connecticut State University, 1615 Stanley St., New Britain, CT 06050.
From the Polandian blog: Warsaw, Indiana and other non-Polish oddities
Polish place names crop up all over North America and other parts of the globe settled by Poles. Nothing particularly amazing about that, but when you’re lying in bed with the dreaded January virus it’s possible to become a little obsessed with looking them all up. From there it’s a small step to collecting photos of all these geographical orphans, and from there it’s more or less inevitable that one will move on to putting together a blog post about it. It’s a cycle with all the hideous inevitability of the slippery slope from sniffing magic markers to crack cocaine…
Several years ago I had a similar idea. I wanted to create a database of Polish place names in the United States. About 1/2 hour into the project I gave up. I like this blogger’s approach to doing this, with pictures and all. Well done and interesting.
…with a tinge of reality from the pen of Andrzej Mleczko.
The first frame: The signs say Bread Work. The man to the left says: “Where is ‘and’ damn it.”
The second frame: ‘and’ shows up. The signs read Bread and Work. ‘and’ says: “Here I am honorable Chairman.”
There’s a lot of subtlety here as well. What do you see?
A great book and sequel by James Conroyd Martin: Push Not the River
Today is the final for the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy, WOŚP), a project that began in Poland in 1993, and to date has collected over $96 million dollars to fund children’s health care. This year’s focus is on early detection of childhood cancers.
If so moved, I encourage you to join in support of this worthy organization. Note that if you wish to donate by credit card you have to use their Polish site. Chose the banner link that says “Wpłata Kartą.” Note that donations are in Polish currency and the current exchange rate is about .33522 dollars per zł, so a 100 złoty donation would be about $33.52. Check out the OANDA Forex converter for details.
A profile of the organization and its history can be found on its website and on Wikipedia. A story covering the organization’s founder, Jerzy Owsiak (you could liken him to Jerry Lewis and the MD telethon), can be found in the Student Operated Press. That article notes that the program is being opposed by some Roman Catholic Church leaders in Poland.
Friday, Jan. 9 – Polish-American buffet, 4-8 pm
Sunday, Jan. 11 – Polka Dance with the Eddie Forman Orchestra, 3-7 pm
Sunday, Jan. 18 – Ballroom dance
Sunday, Jan. 25 – Ballroom Dance
Sunday, Feb. 1st – Super bowl Sunday Party! Doors open at 4 pm
Saturday, Feb. 14th – Valentine’s Day Dinner & Dance, 6-12 midnight
For more information please visit the Center’s website or call 518-456-3995. The Center is located at 225 Washington Ave Ext, Albany NY 12205.
We will not abandon the land whence our folk come.
We will not allow our language be buried.
We are the Polish nation, the Polish people,
From the royal line of Piast.
We will not allow the foe to germanize us.– So help us God!
To the last drop of blood in our veins
We will defend our spirit
Until unto dust and ash
Falls the Teutonic whirlwind.
Every doorsill will be our fortress.– So help us God!
The German will not spit in our face
Nor Germanize our children,
Our host will rise up in arms,
Our spirit will lead the way.
We’ll go forth when sounds the golden horn.– So help us God!
We won’t let Poland’s name be crushed
We won’t go, living, to the grave.
In our Homeland’s name and her honor
We lift our heads proudly,
His forefathers’ land the grandson will regain.– So help us God!
— Translated from Polish by Bernice Grochowski and was last printed in Rola Boża – God’s Field, the Newspaper of the PNCC on March 6, 2004.
Nie rzucim ziemi, skąd nasz ród,
Nie damy pogrześć mowy!
Polski my naród, polski lud,
Królewski szczep piastowy,
Nie damy by nas zniemczył wróg…– Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!
Do krwi ostatniej kropli z żył
Bronić będziemy Ducha,
Aż się rozpadnie w proch i w pył
Krzyżacka zawierucha.
Twierdzą nam będzie każdy próg…– Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!
Nie będzie Niemiec pluł nam w twarz,
Ni dzieci nam germanił.
Orężny wstanie hufiec nas,
Duch będzie nam hetmanił,
Pójdziem, gdy zabrzmi złoty róg…– Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!
Nie damy miana Polski zgnieść
Nie pójdziem żywo w trumnę.
W Ojczyzny imię i w jej cześć
Podnosim czoła dumne,
Odzyska ziemię dziadów wnuk.– Tak nam dopomóż Bóg!
Bishop Hodur wrote the words to the PNCC’s Hymn of Faith and set them to Feliks Nowowiejski’s musical setting for Rota.
More information on the historical context for Rota is available at Wikipedia.
From the Polish Chant/Pop group Mistic:
The title of the song is Wiara – Faith.
From poet John Guzlowski: What the War Taught Her
I recently received a list of Classic War Quotations from Simran Khurana at About.com and wasn’t surprised that all of them were by men. War seems to be the special province of men.
But while we think about war and read about war, we should never forget that a lot of times the people who suffer most are the civilians, the people left behind while the men are fighting. These are generally women and children. War hurts them in profound and lasting ways…
He includes his poem “What the War Taught Her,” his exploration of his mother’s experiences in the midst of war.
Sara May singing Lulajże Jezuniu
A Chaldean Hymn – Christ is born
A Ukrainian Hymn – Добрий вечiÑ€, тобi (Dobry Vechir Tobi)