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Poland’s President to Open International Pro-Family Conference

From Christian Newswire:

Allan Carlson, founder and chairman of The World Congress of Families, announced today that Polish President Lech Kaczynski will give the opening address at World Congress of Families IV in Warsaw, May 11-13.

Poland’s president has also agreed to serve as Honorary Patron of the Congress, which is expected to bring more than 3,500 pro-family leaders, activists, scholars and parliamentarians to Warsaw in May.

Carlson expressed his delight with Kaczynski’s involvement. “We are honored to have President Kaczynski as the keynote speaker and Patron of the Congress,” Carlson declared. “His well-known commitment to the family is very much in keeping with the theme of World Congress of Families IV —“ Beyond Demographic Winter: The Natural Family and the Springtime for Nations.”

President Kaczynski has been critical of gay activism, recently noting that if the homosexual “approach to sexual life were to be promoted on a grand scale, the human race would disappear.”

Kaczynski has also expressed concern about falling birthrates across Europe and voiced strong support for religious values and the natural family.

Kaczynski assumed the office of President on December 23, 2005. In the 1970s, he was active in the Anti-Communist Workers’ Defense Committee, served as an advisor to the Solidarity movement, and later became an advisor to Poland’s first democratic president, Lech Walesa. In 2001, Kaczynski became Minister of Justice and was elected mayor of Warsaw in 2002. President Kaczynski is one of the founders of the governing Law and Justice Party.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of World Congress of Families. Past Congresses have been held in Prague (1997), Geneva (1999) and Mexico City (2004). The Mexico City Congress featured remarks by Martha Sahagun de Fox, then First Lady of Mexico.

The World Congress of Families (WCF) is an international network of pro-family organizations, scholars, and leaders that seeks to restore the natural family as the fundamental social unit and the ‘seedbed’ of civil society. The WCF (with its headquarters in Rockford, IL) was founded by Allan Carlson, president of The Howard Center, in 1997. To date, there have been three World Congresses of Families —“ Prague (1997), Geneva (1999) and Mexico City (2004). WCF IV will be in Warsaw, Poland, May 11- 13, 2007.

Poland - Polish - Polonia

Happy Pułaski Day

Kazimierz Pułaski, soldier, politician, freedom fighter, and father of American cavalry.

Kazimierz Pulaski

Pułaski Day will be observed in Illinois on March 5th this year.

Hymn of the Moravian Nuns of Bethlehem

When the dying flame of day
Through the chancel shot its ray,
Far the glimmering tapers shed
Faint light on the cowled head;
And the censer burning swung,
Where nere before the altar, hung
The crimson banner, that with prayer
Had been consecrated there.
And the nun’s sweet hymn was heard while,
Sung low, in the dim, mysterious aisle.

“Take thy banner, May it wave
Proudly oer the good and brave;
Wnen the battle’s distant wail
Breaks the Sabbath of our vale,
When the clarion’s music thrills
To the hearts of these lone hills,
When the spear in conflict shakes,
And the strong lance shivering breaks.

“Take thy banner! and, beneath
The battle-cloud’s encircling wreath,
Guard it, till our homes are free!
Guard it! God will prosper thee!
In the dark and trying hour,
In the breaking forth of power,
In the rush of steeds and men,
His right hand will shield thee then.

“Take thy banner! But when night
Closes round the ghastly flight, If the vanquished warrior
bow, Spare him! as thou wouldst be
spared! By our prayers and many tears, By the
mercy that endears, Spare him! he our love hath
shared! Spare him! as thou wouldst be spared

“Take thy banner! and if e’er
Thou shouldst press the soldier’s bier,
And the muffled drum should beat
To the tread of mournfulfeet,
Then this crimson flag shall be
Martial cloak and shroud for thee.”

The warrior took that banner proud,
And it was his martial cloak and shroud!

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem entitled “Hymn of the Moravian Nuns of Bethlehem” was inspired by the fact that General Pułaski’s Legion is said to have marched into battle with a silk banner embroidered by Moravians in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Poland - Polish - Polonia, Political

Thaddeus Kościuszko and Black History Month

Thaddeus Kościuszko, the Polish engineering genius whose special skills helped George Washington win America’s War of Independence, became part of this year’s Black History Month observances.

At ceremonies held at the Presbyterian Church of St. Albans, the Polish American Congress presented a reproduction of General Kościuszko’s last will and testament to the United for Progress Democratic Club of Queens, New York.

Kosciuszko and Black History Month

Shown above are: (left to right) Chet Szarejko who heads the Political Activities Committee of the Downstate N.Y. Division of the Polish American Congress; Essie Lowry, president of the Progress Club who holds the copy of Kosciuszko’s will; Henry Murphy, member of the club’s board and master of ceremonies; and Frank Milewski, president of the N.Y. Congress.

Before Kościuszko left the United States in 1798, he directed the executor of his will, Thomas Jefferson, to distribute all his property he was leaving behind for ‘purchasing’ black slaves and “giving them liberty in my name.”

In describing Kościuszko, Jefferson stated, “he is as pure a son of Liberty as I have ever known and of that liberty which is to go to all and not to the few or rich alone.”

The PAC’s Milewski was a guest speaker at the Black History Month commemoration. “Kościuszko is an example of the true Polish spirit,” he said.

Current Events, Media, Perspective, Poland - Polish - Polonia

My parents named me Robert Weber because…

…they were bigots?

It appears that one of the New Yorker’s cartoonists, Robert Weber, thinks that Polish parents drink a bit too much, thereby resulting in their children having ‘funny’ names like Zbigniew.

You can see the offensive cartoon at Cartoonbank.

I don’t tend to make a big deal out of ethnic humor. To me it says more about the person telling the joke than about the people of the ethnic group being targeted.

Television networks and the media have made lots of money on anti-Polish humor:

  • ABC – Barney Miller, Drew Carey
  • CBS – All in the Family
  • NBC – most recently Office, but add Conan O’Brien and a whole host of NBC shows to that list.

Those are the ones that come most directly to mind. Do they care – no. Are they moved by protest – no. Will it continue – sure.

For my part I will pray for Mr. Weber, and maybe that’s what we should all do. Direct our indignation to prayer. Forgive Mr. Weber for his ignorance and bigotry and pray for a change of heart.

…and for Mr. Weber, here’s a few of those children born to drunken parents:

Zbigniew Brzezinski
Zbigniew Preisner
Zbigniew Herbert
Zbigniew Religa
Zbigniew Boniek
Zbigniew Oleśnicki
Zbigniew Nienacki
Zbigniew of Poland

PS.: ZBIGNIEW, Gender: Masculine, Usage: Polish, Pronounced: ZBEEG-nyef, Means “to dispel anger” from the Slavic elements zbit “to dispel” and gniew “anger”.

PPS.: David Remnick, Editor of The New Yorker responding to criticism leveled at the cartoon.

Poland - Polish - Polonia

Polskie Pieśni i Tańce: Mazowsza

Premiera w Stanach Zjednoczonych 1-go marca, 2007

PIEŚNI I TAŁƒCE MAZOWSZA jest wspaniałym widowiskiem pełnym emocji, które elektryzuje znakomitym tańcem, żywymi barwami i pięknem obrazu. Niezrównany zespól MAZOWSZE zachwyci widza szalonym wirem, podskokiem, tempem, piosenka i muzyka. Sławi on kulturalny dobytek Polski tanecznym krokiem i przepiękna melodia. Bobby Vinton, śpiewak polskiego pochodzenia, jest narratorem programu.

Mimo tego, ze Mazowsze reprezentuje aż 39 rożnych regionów Polski w swoistym ludowym stylu, choreografia i układy muzyczne tego dynamicznego widowiska sięga poza widza polskiego pochodzenia. Zespól 65 tancerzy i śpiewaków występuję w niekończącej się serii przepięknych, autentycznych, ręcznie wykonanych ludowych strojów, jeden piękniejszy od drugiego. Jest ich w sumie 1000, i niektóre waza ponad 30 funtów, tym bardziej zadziwiając publiczność wyczynami tancerzy na scenie. Akompaniując zespołowi 23-osobowa orkiestra przygrywa ukochane od wieków przez Polaków piękne melodie ludowe w układach muzycznych sięgających od prostych przyśpiewek wiejskich do kompozycji Chopina. Fachowo umocowane kamery filmowe i mikrofony wysokiej jakości nagrały ten olśniewający koncert —na żywo— w Teatrze Wielkim w Warszawie.

Zespól Mazowsze występuję na arenie międzynarodowej jako ambasador Polskiej kultury. W ostatnich 50 latach zaliczył ponad 6000 koncertów naokoło świata. Założyciele Zespołu, aktorka/piosenkarka Mira Ziminska i dyrygent/kompozytor Tadeusz Sygientyński, po zniszczeniach drugiej Wojny Światowej, z ogromnym poświęceniem pracowali nad przechowaniem bogatej kultury pieśni i tańców polskich dla następnych pokoleń.

Program:

  • —Kołem, Kołem—
  • —Piekna Nasza Polska Cala—
  • Tramblanka Polka
  • Oberek
  • —Co Ja Myślę— —“ w strojach Kurpiowskich
  • Karnawał w Wilamowicach
  • Krakowiaczek
  • Krakowiak
  • Pieśni i Tańce z Jurgowa na Podhalu
  • Bamberki
  • Przyśpiewki i tańce z Podegrodzia
  • Winobranie w Lubuszu
  • Tańce Góralskie z wysokich Tatr
  • Żywiec —“ Taniec z Chusteczka i chodzony
  • —Cyt, Cyt— w strojach Łowickich
  • —Furman— solista: Stanisław Jopek
  • Tańce z Łowicza
  • Tańce Sannickie
  • Finale
Poland - Polish - Polonia

The Music & Dance of Poland: Mazowsze

THE MUSIC & DANCE OF POLAND: MAZOWSZE is a thrilling kaleidoscopic display of dazzling movement, vibrant color and stunning beauty. The incomparable Mazowsze (Mah-ZOV-sheh) performance troupe whirl and leap, stamp and glide in a glorious outpouring of sound and motion, rhythm and music that celebrates the cultural legacy of Poland. Polish-American entertainer Bobby Vinton narrates.

Mazowsze

While the choreography and musical arrangements represent 39 distinctive ethnographic regions of Poland with traditional performance styles, the appeal of Mazowsze’s dynamic stage show goes beyond audiences of Polish descent. An ensemble of 65 dancers and singers are arrayed in a seemingly never-ending series of handmade traditional costumes — more than 1,000 in total, one more dramatic and colorful than the next and some weighing as much as 30 lbs., making their energetic gravity-defying leaps, twirls and lifts even more impressive. A full 23-member orchestra performs music ranging from Chopin to simple folk melodies beloved by the Poles for centuries. Strategically mounted high definition cameras and microphones capture this stellar performance, recorded live at the Polish National Opera House in Warsaw, Poland.

Mazowsze is internationally recognized as Poland’s cultural ambassadors. In the last 50 years they have performed more than 6,000 shows in cities around the world. The troupe’s founders, singer/actress Mira Zimi ska and conductor/composer Tadeusz Sygietyski, dedicated themselves to preserve the rich music and dance traditions of Poland after the devastation of World War II.

Produced by WLIW New York. Executive Producer/Director: Roy A. Hammond. Producer/Editor: Roman Brygider. CC and ST.

TV Schedules as of 2/15/07

  • Alaska One —“ Saturday, 3/3 at 2:30 pm
  • Buffalo NY – WNED Wednesday, 3/7 at 7:30 pm
  • Chicago IL – WTTW Sunday, 3/11 at 6:30 pm
  • Cleveland OH – WVIZ Saturday, 3/10 at 5:30 pm
  • Denver CO – KRMA Sunday, 3/11 at 1 pm
  • Johnstown PA – WPSU Saturday, 3/17 at 11:30 am
  • Los Angeles CA – KCET Sunday, 3/11 at 1:30 pm
  • Minneapolis MN – TPT2 Saturday, 3/3 at 4:30 pm
  • Nebraska Network – Sunday, 3/18 at 2 pm
  • New York tri-state area —“ WLIW21 Thursday, 3/1 at 8 pm
  • Pittsburgh PA – WQED Tuesday, 3/20 at 8 pm
  • San Antonio TX – KLRN Sunday, 3/18 at 4:30pm
  • San Francisco CA – KRCB Monday, 3/5 at 7 pm
  • Seattle WA – KBTC Wednesday, 3/7 at 9 pm
  • Springfield MA – WGBY Monday, 3/5 at 9 pm

Visit the PBS Stationfinder to search for contact information in other cities.

Current Events, Poland - Polish - Polonia

You put your g-string in my rochet…

From In the News: Quirkies: Polish lace makers get saucy

Lace makers in a sleepy Polish village have come up with a novel way of injecting new life into their business —“ by making risque lingerie.

But the decision by workers in Koniakow, who previously supplied ceremonial robes for John Paul II, has been condemned by the Catholic church.

Local priests claim that the switch to lacy g-strings and bras has brought shame upon a national tradition, but Malgorzata Stanszek, who set up the venture, says that the money flooding in is helping to fund the church.

“If we listened to everything the priest says, we wouldn’t earn a penny,” she said.

Poland - Polish - Polonia

An evening of poetry

The Consular Division of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland and the Jan Karski Institute invite you to an evening of poetry

WHEN:
Saturday, February 24, 5 p.m.
Sunday, February 25, 5 p.m.

WHERE:
The Consular Division of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland
2224 Wyoming Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 22008

TICKETS:
$20 per person
For ticket reservations, please call (301) 320-5688 or (301) 320-3668.

The distinguished cast of performers will include:

  • Ms. Hanna Bondarewska,
  • Ms. Kaya Mirecka-Ploss,
  • Mr. Waldemar Izdebski
  • Mr. Wieslaw Malachowski

The entire profit from the event will be distributed to the children who lost their fathers in the tragic explosion in the Halemba mine in Ruda Slaska in November 2006.

PNCC, Poland - Polish - Polonia, ,

Here’s news… not

From EarthTimes – Report: Majority of Catholic priests in Poland want right to marry

Warsaw (dpa) – Sixty per cent of Roman Catholic priests in overwhelmingly Catholic Poland want the right the marry and have families of their own, according to a survey published by Poland’s respected Tygodnik Powszechny (TP) weekly.

As times change and the social status of and respect for the priesthood declines, more and more priests who feel lonely, isolated and misunderstood are considering leaving the priesthood, according to the weekly, which caters for Poland’s Catholic intelligentsia.

“Not everyone can cope with the fact that at the beginning of the 21st century priests are no longer regarded as the priest they knew in their youth,” Jesuit Father and psychologist Jacek Prusak told TP.

But according to an as yet unpublished study, so far only one third of young priests who quit the priesthood do so for the sake of a woman.

“The main reason (for quitting the priesthood ) are existential problems and ideals,” according to the study’s author Professor Jozef Baniak of Poznan’s Adam Mickiewicz university. “A woman, if she appears, is in the background.”

“First there is an crisis of the priest’s identity and then he looks for someone in whom he can confide his problem,” says Baniak.

Vatican statistics quoted by TP also show more and more Polish priest are deciding to quit. Whereas in 1998, some 32 priests left, in 2004 the figure shot up to 57…

Not news because many Polish R.C. priests are ‘married,’ just not in the legal sense. They have women and children, often provided for out of the coffers of the local parish, or in extreme cases, out of the diocese. Scandal erupts only when a priest leaves to do the right thing – that is he legally marries his wife and supports his wife and children. He stands by her as husband and father.

Unfortunately, far too many choose the easy road. Oh, honey, I can’t marry you. Look at my great job, the cars, the money, the clothes, the vacations, the status. But it’s ok, we’ll be together on certain evenings and every other weekend. Tell the kids I do care.

It’s a total fallacy. It’s playing to a man’s base instincts, have fun, don’t commit.

Choosing to leave the R.C. priesthood in Poland puts one at a severe disadvantage. Start with the family pressure, the social pressures in the local community, and the hint of scandal… The women (those who actually hold these men to a higher standard) are poorly regarded in comparison to those who take it and shut-up. In addition, the financial losses alone are huge – another base instinct that must be fought against if the man wishes to do right.

And, by-the-way, it is not the woman’s fault.

The 57 who left are the honest ones, the ones who take their faith seriously. The others who remain, seeking the right to marry, are simply seeking a normalization of what already exists.

These men are having problems with their identity, as Prof. Baniak points out, not because of an inherent disorder, but because the identity they live in is disordered to their natural calling – marriage, a spouse, and children.

As I’ve said before, celibacy is a gift given to some, not a gift that can be demanded of the Holy Spirit. Once the R.C. Church gets beyond demanding that its men ‘receive’ this gift, perhaps the gift will be given more freely.

Faith you know.

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