Category: Poland – Polish – Polonia

Poland - Polish - Polonia,

Sarasota Goes Polish

Sarasota, Florida will be honoring the grandeur of Polish history, arts, cinema, and opera starting February 2nd and running through March 10th in the Sarasota Goes Polish Festival.

The festival was organized in part by Mariusz Brymora, culture and public affairs counselor for the Polish Embassy. It will introduce locals to Polish theater, art and cinema.

A series of concerts, exhibits and lectures will be held through the Sarasota Opera, the Sarasota Film Society, the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Selby Public Library and the Sarasota Polish-American Club.

The festival’s capstone event and the inspiration for the festival is the Sarasota Opera’s production of Stanislaw Moniuszko’s “Halka,” the national Polish opera.

This American production of Moniuszko’s “Halka” is the first such production in more than 50 years by a professional American opera company (the Chicago Civic Opera was the last to perform it, in the late 1940s).

Current Events, PNCC, Poland - Polish - Polonia

From the Polish Catholic Church

Mr. Robert Strybel’s syndicated column, which appears in Polish American World, notes the following regarding the Polish Catholic Church (a daughter of the PNCC):

Poland’s first Roman-Polish Catholic nuptial in a Polish-Catholic parish has occurred in the southeastern town of فęki Dukielskie, the PC fraternal organ “Rodzina” reported recently. Elżbieta Nycz was able to marry Polish-Catholic Norbert Gruszczyński after receiving dispensation from her bishop – something the RC Church had earlier been reluctant to grant…

The local Polish Catholic parish is the Church of the Good Shepherd.

Current Events, Poland - Polish - Polonia

Ambassador Who Defected From Poland Dies

From the AP via Newsday

WARSAW, Poland — Zdzislaw Rurarz, a former Polish ambassador to Japan who humiliated Poland’s communist regime by defecting to the U.S. in 1981 to protest its imposition of martial law, has died of cancer, his daughter said Saturday. He was 76.

Rurarz died Jan. 21 at the Inova Fairfax Hospital in northern Virginia, his daughter, Ewa Rurarz-Huygens, told The Associated Press by telephone from Reston, Va., where his family lives.

Rurarz was one of two Polish ambassadors who defected after Poland’s last communist leader, Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski, imposed martial law on Dec. 13, 1981 in an attempt to crack down on Solidarity, a trade union pushing for democratic change.

The defections of the two communist party loyalists from such prestigious positions came as a humiliating blow to the regime that, it later turned out, was poised to collapse eight years later.

Solidarity, led by Lech Walesa, eventually prevailed, helping to end communist rule in 1989. However, Poland endured 19 months of martial law — harsh military rule that saw Solidarity leaders, including Walesa, imprisoned and about 100 people killed.

The other ambassador to defect was Romuald Spasowski, the ambassador to the United States…

Media, Poland - Polish - Polonia

Ryszard Kapuściński

Renowned journalist and chronicler of our life and times, Ryszard Kapuściński has died.

From Reuters: Polish chronicler of Third World Kapuscinski dies

WARSAW (Reuters) – Polish journalist and author Ryszard Kapuscinski, who chronicled despotism and strife in the Third World, died on Tuesday, the PAP news agency said. He was 74.

From 1959 to 1981, Kapuscinski covered the world’s poorest and most troubled spots as a journalist for PAP and also wrote books about Africa’s emergence from colonialism — and its descent into turmoil and war.

Best-known among his 19 books was “The Emperor”, an account of the downfall of Ethiopia’s Haile Selassie told from inside the castle walls.

He witnessed 27 coups and revolutions, befriended the likes of Che Guevara, and was sentenced to death four times, according to his American publisher, Alfred A. Knopf.

Kapuscinski’s books were translated into 30 languages. “Shah of Shahs”, published in 1982, covers the overthrow of the Shah of Iran. “The Soccer War” is a collection of dispatches from the Third World. “Imperium” chronicles the break-up of the Soviet Union…

We had awarded Mr. Kapuściński a person-of-the-month honor as part of a project we undertook via Polonia Global Fund. See 04/2002 – Ryszard Kapuscinski. There’s some great background there from a Guardian article.

Current Events, Poland - Polish - Polonia

R.C. Archdiocese of New York announces church closings

The announcement and a link to the list in Realignment Announcement Decisions from the Archdiocesan website (it’s loading real slow right now).

The closings as summed up in the NY Times in N.Y. Archdiocese Announces Parish Closings.

There’s two St. Stanislaus parishes on the list, one in Port Jervis, one in Pine Island. The Pine Island parish will in effect disappear and merge into another parish.

Our Lady of Vilnius is not on the list, anywhere, thankfully.

(UPDATE 1) The Our Lady of Vilnius, NYC blog notes that 1010 WINS is reporting Our Lady of Vilnius will be closed as well (as a footnote non-the-less). Stay tuned.

(UPDATE 2) The NY Sun states that it confirmed the closing of Our Lady of Vilnius with Archdiocesan officials. See N.Y. Archdiocese Will Close 10 Parishes.

Current Events, Poland - Polish - Polonia

From the R.C. Diocese of Rzeszów, Poland

Rzeszów, Poland is my family’s ancestral home. I’ve visited and taught there and I have family and friends there. I keep tabs on the area and came across this report from Catholic Church Conservation: Good news from Poland.

It appears that the Ordinary for the R.C. Diocese of Rzeszów has given permission for the establishment of Traditional Latin Rite Community (Duszpasterstwo Tradycji فacińskiej) in the Diocese. The community will be using the Church of the Holy Cross which is in the center of the city.

Of course the inroads the SSPX has made in Poland (and the Ukraine), especially in areas like Rzeszów (See: St. Andrew Bobola Parish), would have nothing to do with this – right?

Poland - Polish - Polonia,

Niech Żyje Starbucks

From the Lansing State Journal: Starbucks gets in the paczki game

DETROIT – The paczki – a popular Polish pre-Lenten pastry – is putting in an appearance for patrons at about 60 Detroit-area Starbucks outlets.

Beginning Tuesday, the Detroit-area Starbucks stores will sell the deep-fried jelly-filled doughnuts. Paczkis (POONCH’-kees) pack lots of calories and are customary on the eve of Lent, the 40-day period of self-denial that many Christians observe before Easter.

Starbucks Corp.’s Great Lakes regional director, Scott Hasselbach, told the Detroit Free Press that selling paczkis is a way for the international chain to be ”locally relevant.”

Starbucks is offering them with apple cinnamon, raspberry and Bavarian cream fillings for 95 cents. Starbucks said it will take orders for boxes of six for pickup on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 20, the day before Lent.

Smacznego!

Poland - Polish - Polonia

Washington D.C. Internship Opporunity

The Washington, D.C. office of the Polish American Congress would like to invite you to apply for an internship position during the Spring semester 2007.

Internship in the Washington DC office provides a wide spectrum of opportunities to improve one’s research abilities by learning about the legislative process and the political environment in the Nation’s Capital.

Interns work on individual and team projects that include:

  • Conducting in-depth research on specific pieces of legislation, particularly those affecting the Polish American community;
  • Conducting projects relating to immigration issues;
  • Attending various events such as congressional hearings, press conferences, lectures and briefings (e.g. organized by Heritage Foundation, Freedom House, coalitions on immigration policy, East Central European ethnic groups, as well as other foundations and organizations);
  • Conducting research on various matters concerning Polish Americans and Poland, and
  • Performing various office duties, as assigned.

General notes regarding internship in the Washington D.C. office of the Polish American Congress:

  1. At least a one-month commitment is required;
  2. During the Fall and Spring semesters we offer flexible hours (full time, part time and everything in-between) to accommodate the student’s schedule. Of course, the more time a student can spend with us – the better.
  3. The internship program is built upon three components: legislative, research and office. Sample activities include research on particular pieces of legislation; attending press conferences, seminars, lectures etc. (after each outside event you will be asked to write a 1-2 page report); updating databases, and participating in everyday office activities. Depending on the semester and the number of interns in the office, you may be asked to work as a team with other interns. A detailed, individualized program is prepared for each intern and discussed with him/her during our first meeting at the office.
  4. The internship program is unpaid. As much as we would like to, we do not provided monetary compensation for the time and support we receive from our interns.
  5. We are particularly interested in taking on only responsible and reliable persons. Professionalism and dependability are a must. Also, our interns must possess strong writing and interpersonal skills as well as have an interest in matters/issues relating to Poland, Polonia and/or Central Europe. Proficiency in the Polish language is a plus, but is not required.

To apply please send your current CV with a cover letter to Dr. Barbara B. Andersen, Internship Program Coordinator.

The Polish American Congress is an umbrella organization representing 3,000 Polish American organizations, ranging from national fraternal benefit societies, such as the Polish National Alliance, Polish Women’s Alliance, Polish Roman Catholic Union, Polish Falcons and others, including veteran, cultural, professional, religious and social associations, with an aggregate membership of over one million.

Polish American Congress
1612 K Street, N.W. Suite 410
Washington, D.C. 20006
Tel: (202) 296-6955
Fax: (202) 835-1565

Poland - Polish - Polonia

Pączki Day celebration

The Polish Heritage Dancers will once again sponsor WNY’s largest Polish-American Pre-Lenten Celebration on February 18th.

You too can celebrate the last hurrah before Lent Polish style at the 10th Annual Pączki Day celebration sponsored by the Polish Heritage Dancers of WNY. This event will take place on Sunday, February 18, 2007 at the Hearthstone Manor, 333 Dick Road in Depew, NY from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

Phocus, a very popular up-and-coming Polka band will perform live music for your listening and dancing pleasure from 2-6 PM. The Polish Heritage Dancers will take the stage at 3 PM. Our Polish kitchen will be open for all your favorite Polish foods. Dinners as well as ala carte items, desserts and of course Pączki (Polish style jelly donuts) will be on the menu. Take part in the Chinese auction, and shop the Polish Peddler and Salt Lamps Etc. for all your Polish gifts.

Tickets are $6.00 in advance, $8.00 at the door. Children under 12 can get in for only $2.00.

For tickets, table reservations, or more information contact Michelle at (716) 937-0032 or Debbie at (716) 681-3526. Tickets are also available at:

  • The Am-Pol Eagle, the voice of Polonia, 3620 Harlem Rd. Cheektowaga, NY (716) 835-9454.
  • The European Deli, 1972 Clinton St., Buffalo, NY (716) 825-0186.
  • Salt Lamps Etc. 5274 Broadway, Lancaster, NY (716) 564-9286.

Tickets on sale now through Feb. 16th. Get your tickets early as no pre-sale tickets will be held at the door.