Poland - Polish - Polonia, , , ,

News from the Kosciuszko Foundation

Kosciuszko Foundation Marching In 71st Annual Pulaski Day Parade

The Kosciuszko Foundation will be joining the New York Polish-American community in the 71st Annual Pułaski Day Parade, and we invite members, their families, and friends, to join us. It gives us a chance to join thousands of Poles and Polish Americans in celebrating our heritage. Since this year is also the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first Poles in America, in Jamestown, it is especially significant.

The Parade is Sunday, October 5, beginning at 12:30 PM.

New York’s Pułaski parade is a huge event for Poles and Polish-Americans. Check it out if you are in the New York Metropolitan area.

Rafał Olbinski Art Show opening Thursday, October 9th

Rafal Olbinski, the renowned Polish artist, will have a show of his works at the Rotunda Gallery of the Kosciuszko Foundation in October. The exhibition will open with a presentation by Olbinski on Thursday, October 9, at 7 PM, and continue through Sunday, October 26. The Foundation is located at 15 East 65th Street, between Fifth and Madison Avenues. Visitors can see the show during office hours Monday-Friday, 9-5 PM, and on Saturdays, October 11, 18, and 25, from 3 —“ 7 PM. Since other events take place at the Foundation, it is best to call ahead of time. Office phone is (212) 734-2130.

Olbinski is an architect by professional training, as well as painter, poster artist, graphic designer, and illustrator, and has lived in New York since 1981. His illustrations regularly appear in the press, including Time, Newsweek, Der Spiegel, Business Week, and other newspapers and magazines. For many years he has been creating opera posters, including commissions for the New York Metropolitan Opera and City Opera. In 2002 Olbinski designed stage settings for the Philadelphia Opera Company’s production of ”Don Giovanni” He also created a famous poster after the attacks of September 11, 2001. Since 1995, he has taught at the School of Visual Arts in New York.

Rafal Olbinski’s posters are a synthesis of surrealistic mood and, from the other side, symbolism, characteristic of the Polish school of poster design. He has received more than 100 awards for his work, including Gold and Silver Medals from the Society of Illustrators and Art Directors Club of New York. In 1994 he was awarded the International Oscar for the World’s Most Memorable Poster, “Prix Savignac 1994” in Paris. In 1995 his poster was chosen as the official New York City “Capital of the World” Poster in an invitational competition, by a jury led by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. In the following year he won the award for the best painting in the annual exhibition of the Society of Illustrators.

Olbinski was born in city of Kielce, Poland, and graduated from the Architectural Department of Warsaw Polytechnic School. In 1981 he emigrated to the US, where he soon established himself as a prominent painter, illustrator and designer.

The Mariacki Altarpiece, Its theft by Nazi Germany, and its complicated post-war return

Mariacki Altarpiece
Mariacki Altarpiece

Agata Wolska, archivist of the Mariacki Cathedral, the oldest and richest archive in Poland, will give an illustrated talk on the Cathedral’s magnificent altarpiece, stolen during World War Two and only returned more than a decade after the war ended. The talk is on THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, at 7 PM. The talk is open to the public and no ticket is required; donations are welcome.

Krakow, Poland’s ancient capital is blessed with world-class art and architecture. Wit Stwosz (German Viet Stoss, ca. 1440-1533) one of the greatest Gothic sculptors lived and worked there for 19 years. For twelve years he worked on his masterpiece; the 3-story-high altarpiece in the Mariacki (Basilica of the Virgin Mary) on the city’s central Rynek Glowny (Grand Square). The altarpiece is the largest Gothic sculpture in the world, 42 feet high and 36 foot-wide. It consists of some 200 fine limewood sculptures treated with color and gold foil.

It is a Flugelaltar (German style “wing altar”) with two wings framing the center. The central part, with huge lifelike statues of the saints, depicts dramatically the Virgin Mary’s Dormition, surrounded by the Apostles. Looking upwards one sees the Ascension of Our Lady and Lord. At the top there is the Madonna’s Heavenly Coronation by the Trinity. The wings are covered with relief scenes from the life of the Holy Family. The huge structure is ceremonially opened at noon each day, and closed at night.

During the Nazi occupation of Poland, the altar was dismantled and taken to Germany. Its rescue and return by the Americans is a thrilling story.

Agata Wolska studied art history at Krakow’s ancient Jagiellonian University, and received further training in archival maintenance and computerization. She has received a grant from the Kosciuszko Foundation to do research in the Library of Congress and U.S. National Archives in connection with the altar’s return. Ms. Wolska is in charge of the Mariacki archives, and is preparing a book on the altar’s troubled wartime history.

Dorian Wind Quintet featurning Grazyna Bacewicz will open Chamber Music Season

The Dorian Wind Quintet, recognized worldwide for its uniquely polished and passionate performances, returns to inaugurate the 2008-2009 Chamber Music Series on Sunday, October 26, at 3 PM, at the Kosciuszko Foundation. The program includes works of Polish composer Grazyna Bacewicz (1909 – 1969) as well as Darius Milhaud, Anton Reicha, and Lalo Schifrin. Tickets are $40 ($30 KF members), including a reception with the musicians, and can be reserved by calling the Foundation Office at (212) 734-2130.

Since its formation at Tanglewood in 1961, the Dorian Wind Quintet has performed repertoire ranging from the Baroque to Pulitzer Prize winning commissions, in the world’s most renowned concert halls. The Quintet has literally been around the world, concertizing in 49 of the 50 states and Canada, touring Europe eighteen times, and playing throughout the Middle East, India, Africa and Asia. The Dorian made history as the first wind quintet to appear at Carnegie Hall in1981.

The Dorian Wind Quintet collaborates often with well-known artists, and has appeared at numerous festivals including the American and international festivals. It has served as the resident ensemble for many institutions including the Mannes College of Music, Brooklyn College and the State University of New York System,and for over 10 years, at the Festival Institute at Round Top, Texas. Dorian currently serves as Ensemble-in- Residence at Hunter College in New York City. It has recorded on the Vox, CRI, Serenus, New World, and Summit Records labels.

Every member of the Dorian is a virtuoso in his or her own right, as well as a dedicated chamber player. Each has been associated with the most prominent performing ensembles, venues and musical institutions in the world and has joined the Dorian Wind Quintet out of passion for the repertoire and the joy of its performance.

The current members of Dorian are Gretchen Pusch, flute; Gerard Reuter, oboe; Jerry Kirkbride, clarinet; John Hunt, bassoon; and Karl Kramer-Johansen, horn.

PNCC, , , , ,

Fact checking, clarification, orders – who’s got orders

The Young Fogey pointed to a discussion board conversation dealing with Anglican Apostolic Succession at the Byzantine Forum.

Typical of such discussions is the back and forth about who has “valid orders,” what Rome thinks of such in opposition to Orthodoxy, and does the Dutch TouchJohn Hunwicke’s article on this issue can be found here. fix everything.

What tends to surprise me is the lack of understanding exhibited in regard to the status of the Polish National Catholic Church and Utrecht.

This is an attempt to clarify some of the statements in the forum.

  1. The PNCC is not part of the Union of Utrecht period.
  2. Whether the PNCC left Utrecht or was thrown out is merely quibbling. The PNCC could not, regardless, accept the innovations the majority of the Utechian Churches have accepted (homosexual ‘marriage’ blessings and female clergy). For more on this see Poles apart by Laurence J Orzell.
  3. To be a member of the Union of Utrecht you must be a Church admitted to the International Bishops Conference (IBC), Utrecht’s governing authority.
  4. If you are not an admitted Church, but seek to be admitted in the future, you are placed under the supervision of one of the IBC Churches. These candidates are referred to as “Dependent churches and municipalities under the jurisdiction of the IBC.
  5. Obviously the PNCC is not a member of the IBC nor are we under their jurisdiction.
  6. The Declaration of Scranton is the successor to the Declaration of Utrecht. See the commentary I republished for additional details.
  7. The PNCC maintains a relationship with the Polish Catholic Church (a member of Urecht) because the PNCC considers the Polish Church to be a Sister Church (a statement in this regard can be found here). — From my perspective I cannot see the reason for the Polish Catholic Church’s continued affiliation with Utrecht. They are as far apart from Utrecht on core theological and doctrinal issues as the PNCC is. We’ll see how that plays out.
  8. The Nordic Catholic Church is under the supervision of the PNCC. The Bishop of the Buffalo-Pittsburgh Diocese exercises Episcopal oversight.
  9. The alleged Polish-Catholic Church of Canada (the Kozar group) is simply a priest and a small group of parishioners who illegally seized the PNCC Cathedral property in Toronto, Canada. One of the basis for the breakaway was the group’s desire for a continued relationship with Utrecht. While Utrecht still shows them as under the supervision of the Bishop of the Diocese of Utrecht on one web page, recent statements (here) indicate that Utrecht has cut them looseThe IBC in fact is no longer interested in establishing IBC affiliated Churches or candidate groups in North America, leaving supervision of such groups to the Episcopal Church.. The breakaway group is no longer recognized as representative of the PNCC by the Canadian Council of Churches. There is on-going litigation to recover the Cathedral property.
  10. The PNCC has no relationship with the Slovak Catholic Church. The Slovak “Bishop” obtained orders through the Duarte Costa line (vagante) and is trying to set up his own international body.

Ok, now everything is as clear as mud. Really though, I do encourage all who wish to study the PNCC to do so. We publish a lot, and are great on full disclosure. The minutes of Supreme Council meetings and Synods are available both in book form and in the pages of God’s Field. Buy a book, get a subscription, or just ask. It will go a long way in getting the facts straight.

Fathers, PNCC

October 1 – St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the Catechetical Lectures

If you have anything against any man, forgive it: you come here to receive forgiveness of sins, and thou also must forgive him that has sinned against you. Else with what face will you say to the Lord, Forgive me my many sins, if you have not yourself forgiven your fellow-servant even his little sins. Attend diligently the Church assemblies; not only now when diligent attendance is required of you by the Clergy, but also after you have received the grace. For if, before you have received it, the practice is good, is it not also good after the bestowal? If before thou be grafted in, it is a safe course to be watered and tended, is it not far better after the planting? Wrestle for your own soul, especially in such days as these. Nourish your soul with sacred readings; for the Lord has prepared for you a spiritual table; therefore say thou also after the Psalmist, The Lord is my shepherd, and I shall lack nothing: in a place of grass, there has He made me rest; He has fed me beside the waters of comfort, He has converted my soul: —” that Angels also may share your joy, and Christ Himself the great High Priest, having accepted your resolve, may present you all to the Father, saying, Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me. May He keep you all well-pleasing in His sight! To whom be the glory, and the power unto the endless ages of eternity. Amen. — Lecture 1. An Introductory Lecture to those who had come forward for Baptism.

Fathers, PNCC

September 30 – St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the Catechetical Lectures

The present is the season of confession: confess what you have done in word or in deed, by night or by day; confess in an acceptable time, and in the day of salvation receive the heavenly treasure. Devote your time to the Exorcisms: be assiduous at the Catechisings, and remember the things that shall be spoken, for they are spoken not for your ears only, but that by faith you may seal them up in the memory. Blot out from your mind all earthly care: for you are running for your soul. You are utterly forsaking the things of the world: little are the things which you are forsaking, great what the Lord is giving. Forsake things present, and put your trust in things to come. Have you run so many circles of the years busied in vain about the world, and have you not forty days to be free (for prayer), for your own soul’s sake? Be still, and know that I am God, says the Scripture. Excuse yourself from talking many idle words: neither backbite, nor lend a willing ear to backbiters; but rather be prompt to prayer. Show in ascetic exercise that your heart is nerved. Cleanse your vessel, that you may receive grace more abundantly. For though remission of sins is given equally to all, the communion of the Holy Ghost is bestowed in proportion to each man’s faith. If you have labored little, you receive little; but if you have wrought much, the reward is great. You are running for yourself, see to your own interest. — Lecture 1. An Introductory Lecture to those who had come forward for Baptism.

Christian Witness, PNCC

Eternal rest Frank Jawor

I ask your prayers for the repose of the soul of Mr. Frank Jawor. His obituary from Wayne State University follows:

Former WSU Men’s Golf Coach Passes Away: Frank Jawor was the 1990 GLIAC Coach of the Year

Former Wayne State University men’s golf coach Frank Jawor, 87, passed away last Friday, September 26, 2008. He was the 1990 GLIAC Coach of the Year.

Beloved husband of the late Helen. Dearest father of Frank (Carol), John J., and Kathy Lynn. Loving grandfather of Frank Benjamin. Dear brother of Stan, Cass, Wanda, John, and the late Ted, Chet, Victoria, Helen, Joe and Stephanie. Family will receive friends Sunday 1-8 p.m. with prayers at 7 p.m. at Stanley Turowski Funeral Home, 25509 W. Warren, Dearborn Hts. In state 9:30 a.m. Monday at Our Savior Polish National Catholic Church, 610 N. Beech Daly until 10 a.m. Mass. Long-time PGA Member, former President of Michigan PGA, master golf professional, and former Wayne State golf coach. In lieu of flowers memorial donations to Our Savior Polish National Church or charity of choice.

Mr. Jawor, besides his accomplishments noted above, was an active member of the Polish National Union of America. He was Secretary of Branch 243 in Dearborn Heights and served on several national committees. He passed away three days before the celebration of the centennial of Polish National Union. May his valued service be treasured by all. Please pray:

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and may the perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace.

Wieczne odpoczynek racz mu dać Panie, a światłość wiekuista niechaj mu świeci.
Niech odpoczywa w pokoju, Amen.

PNCC, ,

Parish event in Wallington, NJ

An announcement from Transfiguration Parish. I met some lovely people from Transfiguration this past Sunday while at the Holy Mass and Banquet honoring the centennial of the Polish National Union of America. If you are in the area I encourage you to attend and support the parish.

The Polish National Catholic Church of the Transfiguration, 135 Hathaway St., Wallington, NJ will hold a Chicken BBQ Dinner Saturday, Oct. 11, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Eat-in and take-out orders will be available. Tickets are $8 each; call 973-773-4090 for information. Reservation deadline is Oct. 8.

Fathers, PNCC

September 29 – St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the Catechetical Lectures

You are receiving not a perishable but a spiritual shield. Henceforth you are planted in the invisible Paradise. Thou receivest a new name, which you had not before. Heretofore you were a Catechumen, but now you will be called a Believer. You are transplanted henceforth among the spiritual olive-trees, being grafted from the wild into the good olive-tree, from sins into righteousness, from pollutions into purity. You are made partaker of the Holy Vine . Well then, if thou abide in the Vine, you grow as a fruitful branch; but if thou abide not, you will be consumed by the fire. Let us therefore bear fruit worthily. God forbid that in us should be done what befell that barren fig-tree, that Jesus come not even now and curse us for our barrenness. But may all be able to use that other saying, But I am like a fruitful olive-tree in the house of God: I have trusted in the mercy of God for ever —” an olive-tree not to be perceived by sense, but by the mind , and full of light. As then it is His part to plant and to water , so it is thine to bear fruit: it is God’s to grant grace, but thine to receive and guard it. Despise not the grace because it is freely given, but receive and treasure it devoutly. — Lecture 1. An Introductory Lecture to those who had come forward for Baptism.

Fathers, PNCC

September 28 – St. John Chrysostom from Homilies on Matthew

After this, He says, “What think ye? A man had two sons; and he says to the first, go, work today in the vineyard. But he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go sir: and went not. Whether then of them two did the will of his father? They say, the first.

Again He convicts them by a parable, intimating both their unreasonable obstinacy, and the submissiveness of those who were utterly condemned by them. For these two children declare what came to pass with respect to both the Gentiles and the Jews. For the former not having undertaken to obey, neither having become hearers of the law, showed forth their obedience in their works; and the latter having said, “All that the Lord shall speak, we will do, and will hearken,” in their works were disobedient. And for this reason, let me add, that they might not think the law would benefit them, He shows that this self-same thing condemns them, like as Paul also says, “Not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.” For this intent, that He might make them even self-condemned, He causes the judgment to be delivered by themselves, like as He does also in the ensuing parable of the vineyard.

And that this might be done, He makes trial of the accusation in the person of an other. For since they were not willing to confess directly, He by a parable drives them on to what He desired.

But when, not understanding His sayings, they had delivered the judgment, He unfolds His concealed meaning after this, and says, “Publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of Heaven before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and you believed him not; but the publicans believed him; and you, when you had seen it, repented not afterwards, that you might believe him.

For if He had said simply, harlots go before you, the word would have seemed to them to be offensive; but now, being uttered after their own judgment it appears to be not too hard.

Therefore He adds also the accusation. What then is this? “John came,” He says, “unto you,” not unto them, and not this only, but; also “in the way of righteousness.” “For neither with this can you find fault, that he was some careless one, and of no profit; but both his life was irreprehensible, and his care for you great, and you gave no heed to him.

And with this there is another charge also, that publicans gave heed; and with this, again another, that “not even after them did ye. For you should have done so even before them, but not to do it even after them was to be deprived of all excuse;” and unspeakable was both the praise of the one, and the charge against the other. “To you he came, and you accepted him not; he came not to them, and they receive him, and not even them did ye take for instructors.

See by how many things is shown the commendation of those, and the charge against these. To you he came, not to them. You believed not, this offended not them. They believed, this profited not you. — From Homily 67.

Christian Witness, Homilies, , ,

Propositions on Christian Theology: A Pilgrim Walks the Plank

Ben Myers of Faith & Theology has several postings on Propositions on Christian Theology, a new book by Kim Fabricius. See Propositions on Christian theology: a new book by Kim Fabricius! and Endorsements for Kim’s new book.

The book consists of Mr. Fabricius’ “10 propositions” series as well as poetry and hymns he has written. These propositions have informed many of my homilies. They are more than an exposition of thoughts, or rubrics on theology, they are an series of unveilings. Each word and phrase takes you deeper and deeper into our life in God, opening new doors, new expectations. Before you know it, you begin to imagine yourself as someone who can understand the deepest theology. You begin to think that you can comprehend God.

The following is from Mike Higton’s foreword:

You will find some propositions in this book on dull sermons and others on holy laughter, some on the Nicene Creed and others on the nature of heresy, some on human sexuality and others on all-too-human hypocrisy, some on the role of angels and others on the location of hell, and still others on fasting and feasting, peace and policing, grace and gratitude —“ but don’t be fooled into thinking that it is simply a scattershot miscellany. Proposition by proposition, aphorism by aphorism, this book provides a solid training in how to think theologically —“ how to break and remake your thought in the light of God’s grace.

I highly recommend Propositions on Christian Theology: A Pilgrim Walks the Plank (Carolina Academic Press, 2008), 228 pp. It is currently available from Amazon, or at a pre-publication discount from the publishers.

Homilies,

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First reading: Ezekiel 18:25-28
Psalm: Ps 25:4-9
Epistle: Philippians 2:1-11
Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32

If there is any encouragement in Christ,
any solace in love,
any participation in the Spirit,
any compassion and mercy,
complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love,
united in heart, thinking one thing.

The righteous do not see the dirty. That is the Lord’s warning to us. It is His call to us. We are to open our eyes to life as a Christian, as a follower of Christ.

Think of the key words from Paul’s letter to the Philippians: encouragement, solace, participation, compassion, mercy, joy, love, unity. These are the attributes of the Christian community and of His followers. These attributes are the markers by which we are to define ourselves. They are the signs the world is to see when they look to us.

Paul goes on in one of the most beautiful hymns in all the scriptures – the great Christological hymn, wherein he tells us that Christ:

emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
He humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.

The Christian way of life is the open way. It is the way that welcomes and accepts all those who come. It is the way that sees Christ when our neighbor approaches. It is life in a community that lays out all its gifts to those who approach.

This lesson is not the result of moral stories, Jesus coming as a beggar, and our call to open the door, but rather because Christ did come as man. In doing so He raised up humanity. He intrinsically joined humanity to God in His incarnation. As such we are to honor, serve, and open our gifts to all men.

In coming Jesus came as the poor, as the itinerant. Jesus was the focus of condemnation from the powers that be. Jesus was the one who came and who had no place to lay His head.

Brothers and sisters,

Jesus knows the hearts of men. He knows that we can easily fall into a comfortable state. That state is the place where we feel assured – of salvation, of God’s favor, of our regeneration. He warned the chief priests and elders:

“Amen, I say to you,
tax collectors and prostitutes
are entering the kingdom of God before you.—

He warned them and warns us, because like them we often fail to see the dirty, the broken, those who come to us in search of the gift. We fail to see those who reach out to us in so many ways every day – just looking for Christ to be made present to them, in our words and actions. The chief priests and elders didn’t see God in their poorest of brothers, in the outcasts and untouchables. They only saw themselves.

Jesus goes on to say:

—When John came to you in the way of righteousness,
you did not believe him—

John was derided as well. An outcast, living a dirty and miserable existence in the wilderness. A crazy man who proclaimed an indictment against the unrepentant rich and powerful. Yet those who felt trapped in unrighteousness, who came seeking the gift, were the ones who saw John for what he truly was. Jesus says:

“but tax collectors and prostitutes [believed him].”

My friends,

We are blessed. We have the solace and comfort of the Holy Church. We have every advantage a believer can have. Our call is to take that advantage and solace — all the gifts we have — and bring them to those caught in unrighteousness, those trapped without hope, those without the Word, those seeking the gift, those who ask in big and small ways — please show me Jesus.

We must reawaken ourselves from our slumber. We must see anew with the eyes of Christ — in each and every interaction. We are called to see beyond appearance, beyond politics, beyond the false walls built upon the stereotypes and dangers the world sees. We are to see those who need, those who search, those who ask.

We have great gifts in encouragement, solace, participation, compassion, mercy, joy, love, and unity. We have the example of Christ whom the world did not recognize (John 1:10-11):

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not.
He came to his own home, and his own people received him not.

…and we know that God is the God of salvation.

So we must be careful to recognize, to see, to share the gifts; to share each and every day with each and every person That is what we must do to be like the son who recanted and did the will of his father. We cannot simply say yes, yes, nod, and slumber away our days in righteousness. We must see with eyes wide open. We must offer all we have. We must do! Otherwise we will have missed the sign and Jesus may well say of us:

—Yet even when you saw that,
you did not later change your minds”

Amen.