Tag: Culture

Events, PNCC, , , ,

4th Annual Block Party at St. Stan’s in Scranton

From the Abington Journal: Cathedral plans fourth annual block party

St. Stanislaus Polish National Catholic Cathedral in South Scranton will hold its fourth annual Block Party from 5 to 10 p.m. August 24 and August 25 at the corner of East Elm Street and Pittston Avenue.

Ethnic foods such as pierogi, halushki, stuffed cabbage, kielbasa and potato pancakes will be offered along with steak n’ cheese and chicken cheese hoagies, French fries, pizza, hot dogs, clams, beer, soda, coffee, pizza frita, homemade cakes and ice cream.

There will also be plenty of children’s games, bingo and basket raffles and other entertainment, including Jerry Sapphire on Friday and Saturday evening from 6 to 8 p.m., the band Blush from 8 to 10 p.m. Friday and the band Crock Pot Abduction from 8 to 10 p.m. Saturday.

For more information, Contact St. Stanislaus rectory at 570.343.6017 or parish office at 570.961.9231.

Art, Poland - Polish - Polonia, , , , ,

Olympic Art Contest for Students Abroad

Graphic courtesy of the Rolco Sports Network
The Republic of Poland sponsored an Olympic Art Contest celebrating the 2012 London Olympics that was open to students of Polish Saturday Schools that operate abroad. The outstanding entries were displayed at a recent reception at the Polish Cultural and Social Center in London. The display area was renamed the Polish Olympic Center and a multi-media showcase was presented and titled, “A History of 124 years of the Polish Sports Movement.” The Center hosted a different cultural and business events everyday throughout the 2012 London Olympic Games.

R.J. Rolak reporting.

PNCC, Poland - Polish - Polonia, , ,

Celebrating Polish Heritage in Wisconsin

From the Wausau Daily Herald: Our Savior National Catholic Church celebrates Polish heritage

Even if your heritage is French and Indian, you become a little bit Polish when you’re at Our Savior’s Polish Fest.

The annual festival of Our Savior National Catholic Church in Mosinee just has that way about it, at least according to Bucky Bucknell, 69, of Mosinee. Bucknell, who has the French and Indian heritage, has been volunteering at the event since he started attending the church 22 years ago. Both the festival and the church tend to draw people in, Bucknell said.

July 7 and 8 marked the 37th year the church has played host to Polish Fest, held in the Mosinee Rec Center and featuring Polish food such as sausage and kraut, golabki (a cabbage, rice and meat dish) and pierogies. The celebration of all things Polish also features plenty of Polish polka music, Polish beer and some activities such as raffles and a rummage sale.

The food is the big draw, Bucknell said.

“It ain’t run to the store and buy the stuff,” he said. “Everybody puts a lot of pride into it.”

On Saturday, people stood in line to fill up on the food — the pierogies were so good they tempted non-Poles to add a c, z, y and k to their last name.

The festival drew Russ and Theresa Napiwocki, both 45, north from Stevens Point.

The couple love attending church picnics, especially if they feature polka music. “I’ve been dancing since I was 6,” Russ said.

The Polish food was icing on the cake. “You just can’t get food like this in a restaurant,” Theresa said.

Vacen Osowski, 92, of Mosinee founded Polish Fest in 1975. He knew he had a hit on his hand when “we went through 110 half-barrels of beer, and we had 5,000 pierogies and we ran out.”

He ran the festival for about 15 years, but now he just helps out as he can.

Osowski said the food has always been a draw, for those of Polish heritage or not.

“The people like Polish food. That’s all there is to it,” he said.

Poland - Polish - Polonia, , , , , , ,

Ś+P Daniel J. Kij

Andrew Golebiowski, Chair of the Polish Legacy Project of Buffalo shared the news of the passing of ś.p. Daniel Kij on Tuesday, August 2nd. I had known ś.p. Daniel for years. He was a mainstay in the life of the Western New York and National Polonian community. Andrew writes:

Daniel made a big impact on everyone he came in contact with. You may have known Daniel as a friend, taken a trip to Poland with him, been helped with a search for your family roots or taught how to pronounce your name, or you may have taken part in a Polish-Jewish conversation with him, or even sang with him. You may have merely known him from television, back when he was a frequent advisor to local media during the Solidarity era in Poland.

Those of us who considered him our friend are greatly inspired by his involvement in genealogy and the creation of a Polish Museum of W.N.Y. We hope to match his passion for the community and for knowledge about our heritage and the world we live in.

Photo courtesy of WGRZ Channel 2 News
ś.p. Daniel J. Kij of Lackawanna, New York. Beloved husband of the late Alicya (nee Lasota) Kij; dearest father of Valerie (Carl) Longfellow; loving grandfather of Benjamin, Nicholas and Audrey; son of the late Dr. Joseph F. Sr. and Wanda Kij; brother of Dr. Joseph F. Kij Jr. The family will be present to receive friends Sunday from 1 to 5 pm at the (Blasdell/Lackawanna Chapel) of the John J. Kaczor Funeral Home, 3450 South Park Avenue where prayers will be said Monday morning at 8:45 followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at Queen of Angels Church at 9:30. Interment in Holy Cross Cemetery. Mr. Kij was past president of the Polish Singers Alliance, the Polish Union of America, and the Polish Genealogical Society of New York State.

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. Amen.

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

Christian Witness, PNCC, Poland - Polish - Polonia, , ,

Newsweek Poland – Dad in a Cassock

The cover of this week’s Newsweek Polska – Dad in a cassock: How the Church tolerates the double life of priests.

I am very happy that a major publication in Poland is covering this issue. As I have said in many other posts, celibacy is a wonderful gift, granted by the Holy Spirit to those whom the Spirit wills. It is not a gift given on demand, or a simple promise, it doesn’t work that way. God is not under our control. The Roman Church really needs to get their thinking right on this issue and in line with the Orthodox Church, Oriental Church, and the PNCC. A proper disposition in the Church is to be honest, not to lie, not to cover up. There’s been enough damage caused by such things – imagine how these cover ups play on the minds, hearts, and souls of “secret wives” and children without honest fathers.

Christian Witness, Events, PNCC, , , , , , ,

PNCC Parish unites an entire community

New York Mills Bell Festival began when Sacred Heart of Jesus/Holy Cross Polish National Catholic Church donated a bell from one of the former mills to the village. The bell is now part of a monument in the park, inscribed: “To the mill workers, with gratitude.

View the history of New York Mills bell from the New York Mills Public Library and the work of Sacred Heart of Jesus/Holy Cross Parish in making the bell a treasure for the entire community.

From the Utica Observer Dispatch: NY Mills Bell Festival connects community, families

NEW YORK MILLS — Sisters Reneta Benenati, 84, and Josephine Krawczyk, 75, don’t live in the New York Mills area anymore.

The sisters left the area to attend college and become teachers, however each year they return for the village’s annual Bell Festival.

“It’s become sort of sentimental for us,” Benenati said, adding they visit “old haunts” and where they used to live.

Having grown up in Yorkville — a neighboring village — the sisters said their parents were Polish immigrants who used to work in the mills.

The annual event pays homage to those very mill workers who lived rigid lives dictated by the ring of a bell — 6 a.m. wakeup call and a 9 p.m. curfew call.

The two-day event, which began Friday, features rides, games, a parade, garage sales, fireworks and food. The festivities attract hundreds of people, young and old, to Pulaski Park on Main Street where the historic bell is on display.

“It’s nice to remember where things came from and how things used to be,” said Paul Dudajek, president of the village historical society. “I think (the event) is good because it brings the community together.”

Village resident Julie Brych said she’s been coming to the festival with her sons for about three years.

“We like to support New York Mills. It’s a good cause,” she said. “The kids like the rides, and I like the food.”

For the last 12 years the Sacred Heart of Jesus Holy Cross Polish National Catholic Church hosts a fish fry on Friday and polish food on Saturday strictly for the festival.

Debbie Vivacqua, church member and co-chair of the Bell Festival Committee, said it was unbelievable people came out despite the heat.

“It’s a nice family oriented (event) we’ve had in the village,” she said. “The people love it.”

Benenati and Krawczyk chatted over their fish fry, having the chance to connect during their time-honored visit for the festival.

“It means a lot to us,” Benenati said.

“And we’re together,” Krawczyk added.

Events, PNCC, , , , ,

Civil War re-enactors enjoy Polish Food

From the Tribune Democrat: Bandshell series to commence with performance, encampment

Roxbury Bandshell on Franklin Street in Johnstown will be the site of a summer concert series that benefits the continued preservation of the historic structure.

Music and a Civil War encampment will begin at 2 p.m. May 27 as the Roxbury Bandshell Preservation Alliance launches its entertainment schedule.

The alliance saved the historic structure from demolition, and a team of volunteers has worked tirelessly to raise money to pay for ongoing repairs.

A big part of that effort has been the development of the concert series.

Mary Borkow, alliance president, is eager to kick off the series and commemorate Memorial Day.

“Our initial concert will begin with members of the 54th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry conducting a flag-raising,” Borkow said. “They are a dedicated group of re-enactors who show people what the life of a soldier was like during the Civil War.”

The encampment has been a popular addition to the event, and parents enjoy bringing their children to the park to take part in the experience.

“The 54th will offer our visitors an opportunity to witness authentic drills, cooking demonstrations and a Civil War-era medical tent during a re-enactment,” Borkow said.

“It’s quite educational, and it’s the best way to learn about the Civil War without going to Gettysburg.”

The remaining concerts will begin at 5 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 9, except for the last concert, which will begin at 2 with an open-mic stage.

Along with the military camp, people will enjoy performances by Ole 97, a Johnny Cash tribute band, at 3; and the Desperados’ rock sounds at 5.

The alliance is inviting people to sample food provided by members of Holy Cross National Catholic Church in Moxham (534 Woodland Ave, Johnstown, PA).

Parishioners Pam Fish and Linda Ringler will lead a team that will prepare hamburgers, hot dogs, gobs and occasionally authentic Polish dishes such as pierogi and haluski.

Proceeds from food sales and any donations collected at the free concerts will go toward the bandshell’s restoration fund.

“We have had a good response when we pass around a drum for people to donate, and we appreciate every penny,” Borkow said.

All the musicians have donated their time and talents toward the preservation effort.

Events, PNCC, Poland - Polish - Polonia, , , ,

Polish Constitution Day celebrated in the Cleveland area

From WTAM and also at Newsnet5: Celebrating the Polish Constitution: Big parade held in Parma.

The annual Polish Heritage Parade was held in Parma Sunday afternoon [May 6th].

Thousands watched as marchers stepped off at Parma Circle, and made their way on Ridge Road to Essen Avenue in honor of Polish Constitution Day.

After the parade there was a party at the Little Polish Diner on Ridge Road.

Festivities actually began on Friday with a celebration at the Donna Smallwood Activities Center, and continued Saturday at Polonia Hall.

Polish Constitution Day is celebrated around the nation. The constitution was ratified on May 3, 1791, with Poland being the second nation in the world to do so, following the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in 1788.

A friend in Cleveland advises that there were two Polish Constitution Day parades in the Cleveland area. One held a week ago in Little Warsaw or Slavic Village in the city, and the one noted above in the suburb of Parma. He rightly points out that it is amazing because the bulk of Polish immigration arrived in the United States over a hundred years ago. And yet, we the descendants still remember our Polish ancestry and our cultural and democratic heritage.

St. Mary’s PNCC Parish in Parma took part in Sunday’s parade. You can view photos at their website.

Art, Perspective, Poland - Polish - Polonia, , , , , ,

The latest in books

The latest in books written by Polonian authors or that concern Polish and Polonian history, language and culture.

Save Send Delete by Danusha V. Goska

Save Send Delete is a debate about God between polar opposites: Mira, a poor, Catholic professor and Rand, an atheist author and celebrity. It’s based on a true story. Mira reveals gut-level emotions and her inner struggles to live fully and honestly – and to laugh – in the face of extraordinary ordeals. She shares experiences so profound, so holy, they force us to confront our beliefs in what is true and possible. Rand hears her; he understands her; he challenges her ideas; he makes her more of herself. The book is in essence a love story. What emerges from these eternal questions is not so much about God, but what faith means to us, and ultimately, what we mean to each other.

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Solidarity: The Great Workers Strike of 1980 by Michael M. Szporer

n the summer of 1980, the eyes of the world turned to the Gdansk shipyard in Poland which suddenly became the nexus of a strike wave that paralyzed the entire country. The Gdansk strike was orchestrated by the members of an underground free trade union that came to be known as Solidarnosc [Solidarity]. Despite fears of a violent response from the communist authorities, the strikes spread to more than 750 sites around the country and involved over a million workers, mobilizing its working population. Faced with crippling strikes and with the eyes of the world on them, the communist regime signed landmark accords formally recognizing Solidarity as the first free trade union in a communist country. The union registered nearly ten million members, making it the world’s largest union to date. In a widespread and inspiring demonstration of nonviolent protest, Solidarity managed to bring about real and powerful changes that contributed to the end of the Cold War.

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The Idea of Galicia: History and Fantasy in Habsburg Political Culture by Larry Wolff

Galicia was created at the first partition of Poland in 1772 and disappeared in 1918. Yet, in slightly over a century, the idea of Galicia came to have meaning for both the peoples who lived there and the Habsburg government that ruled it. Indeed, its memory continues to exercise a powerful fascination for those who live in its former territories and for the descendants of those who emigrated out of Galicia.

The idea of Galicia was largely produced by the cultures of two cities, Lwów and Kraków. Making use of travelers’ accounts, newspaper reports, and literary works, Wolff engages such figures as Emperor Joseph II, Metternich, Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, Ivan Franko, Stanislaw Wyspianski, Tadeusz “Boy” Zelenski, Isaac Babel, Martin Buber, and Bruno Schulz. He shows the exceptional importance of provincial space as a site for the evolution of cultural meanings and identities, and analyzes the province as the framework for non-national and multi-national understandings of empire in European history.

Lukasz Wodzynski, writing in the Cosmopolitan Review calls the book: “A rich and engaging tale about Galicia and its four ethnic groups – Poles, Austrian Germans, Ruthenians and Jews – all of whom assigned a different meaning to the “idea” of Galicia.

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Freedom Climbers by Bernadette McDonald

Between 1980 and 1989, Polish climbers were giant, worldwide leaders as high-altitude climbers, especially in the Himalayas. This volume documents those charismatic leaders and their iconic climbs in a defining chapter of Himalayan climbing history.

Renowned author Bernadette McDonald weaves a passionate and literary tale of adventure, politics, suffering, death and ultimately inspiration. Freedom Climbers tells the story of a group of extraordinary Polish adventurers who emerged from under the blanket of oppression following the Second World War to become the worlds leading Himalayan climbers. Although they lived in a dreary, war-ravaged landscape, with seemingly no hope of creating a meaningful life, these curious, motivated and skilled mountaineers created their own free-market economy under the very noses of their Communist bosses and climbed their way to liberation.

Patrice Dabrowski reviews Freedom Climbers for the Cosmopolitan Review discussing the gripping and heart-wrenching chronicle of the greatest Himalayan climbers of the 20th century.

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Hitlerland: American Eyewitnesses to the Nazi Rise to Power by Andrew Nagorski

Hitler’s rise to power, Germany’s march to the abyss, as seen through the eyes of Americans—diplomats, military, expats, visiting authors, Olympic athletes—who watched horrified and up close. By tapping a rich vein of personal testimonies, Hitlerland offers a gripping narrative full of surprising twists—and a startlingly fresh perspective on this heavily dissected era.

Some of the Americans in Weimar and then Hitler’s Germany were merely casual observers, others deliberately blind; a few were Nazi apologists. But most slowly began to understand the horror of what was unfolding, even when they found it difficult to grasp the breadth of the catastrophe.

Among the journalists, William Shirer, Edgar Mowrer, and Dorothy Thompson were increasingly alarmed. Consul General George Messersmith stood out among the American diplomats because of his passion and courage.

Tina Brown of NPR Books called Hitlerland a must-read in The Reporter’s Role.

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City of the Big Shoulders: An Anthology of Chicago Poetry by Ryan G. Van Cleave.

Dr. John Guzlowski’s “38 Easy Steps to Carlyle’s Everlasting Yeah.” is included in the book along with work by Stuart Dybek.

Chicago has served as touchstone and muse to generations of writers and artists defined bytheir relationship to the city’s history, lore, inhabitants, landmarks, joys and sorrows, pride and shame. The poetic conversations inspired by Chicago have long been a vital part of America’s literary landscape, from Carl Sandburg and Gwendolyn Brooks to experimental writers and today’s slam poets. The one hundred contributors to this vibrant collection take their materials and their inspirations from the city itself in a way that continues this energetic dialogue.

The cultural, ethnic, and aesthetic diversity in this gathering of poems springs from a variety of viewpoints, styles, and voices as multifaceted and energetic as the city itself.

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Stained Glass by Catherine Czerkawska

Stained Glass is a trio of ghost stories: the title story, The Penny Execution and The Sleigh.

In Stained Glass, a young man sees more than he bargained for through his cottage window.

The Penny Execution is about a saleroom acquisition with a terrible secret.

The Sleigh is a quirky and sad story about a strange experience in pre-war Poland.

The first two stories are entirely fictional but the Sleigh is true and was the inspiration behind one of the episodes in Catherine’s new novel, The Amber Heart. This novel, based on her Polish family history, is also available.

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Show Up, Look Good by Mark Wisniewski

Wisniewski shows what really happens when a resourceful, optimistic, upbeat young woman from the Midwest comes to Manhattan to make it.” — Molly Giles, author of ‘Rough Translations’ “With equal parts rue and satire, Mark Wisniewski’s thirty-four-year-old Midwestern heroine, Michelle, flees love gone wrong at home to start over with nerve and independence in Manhattan. Her picaresque misadventures and her encounters with characters odd, pretentious, and menacing prove as haunting as Holden Caulfield’s.” — DeWitt Henry, editor of ‘Ploughshares’

Mark Wisniewski is the author of the novel “Confessions of a Polish Used Car Salesman,” the collection of short stories “All Weekend With the Lights On,” and the book of narrative poems “One of Us One Night.” His fiction has appeared in magazines such as “The Southern Review,” “Antioch Review,” “New England Review,” “Virginia Quarterly Review,” “The Yale Review,” “Boulevard,” “The Sun,” and “The Georgia Review,” and has been anthologized in “Pushcart Prize” and “Best American Short Stories.” His narrative poems have appeared in such venues as “Poetry International,” “Ecotone,” “New York Quarterly,” and “Poetry.”

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Novelist Leslie Pietrzyk has a new novel, Lady of the House, coming out soon about Polish immigrants in Chicago in 1900. A chapter is available for listening to at The Drum.