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THE SARMATIAN REVIEW Vol. XXV, No. 3 September 2005 Toward Postmodernism A 1980s Polish engraving. From the Sarmatian Review Archives. 1142 SARMATIAN REVIEW September 2005 The Sarmatian Review (ISSN 1059- Agnieszka Gutthy, Bacacay (review).1154 produced Catholic writers that compare 5872) is a triannual publication of the Polish Institute Michael (Michał) Zioło, The Only Known favorably with contemporary American of Houston. The journal deals with Polish, Central, Picture of God (excerpts) . .1155 Catholic writers (we provide a “sound and Eastern European affairs, and it explores their Sutherland Edwards, The Polish Captivity bite” of Michael Zioło in this issue). Why, implications for the United States. We specialize in (chapters 1 and 2). .1160 then, are they so glaringly absent in the translation of documents.Sarmatian Review is Announcements and Notes . 1166 indexed in the American Bibliography of Slavic and About the Authors . .1168 Catholic structures in the United States East European Studies and in P.A.I.S. International Thank You Note . 1168 and Canada? Database available on OCLC FirstSearch. Files in It seems to us that there are several .pdf format are also available at the Central and Eastern Our Take European Online Library (www.ceeol.com). reasons. First, American Catholics tend Subscription price is $15.00 per year for individuals, American Catholicism to believe that Catholicism begins and $21.00 for institutions and libraries ($21.00 for ends in America, that what is going on in individuals, $27.00 for libraries overseas, air mail). and Polish Americans The views expressed by authors of articles do not the Catholic Church here is of primary necessarily represent those of the Editors or of the John Paul II’s legacy is both spiritual and importance elsewhere, from the Vatican Polish Institute of Houston. Articles are subject to worldly. Leaving aside things spiritual, to the villages of sub-Saharan Africa. editing. Unsolicited manuscripts and other materials This attitude begets another, namely, that are not returned unless accompanied by a self- we shall consider the worldly. Will his addressed and stamped envelope. Please submit your legacy enable American Catholicism to only the English, German, and other contribution electronically and send a printout by air incorporate Polish Catholic presence into Western European heritage in mail. Letters to the Editor can be e-mailed to church customs, ecclesiastical Catholicism is worth preserving. Thus <[email protected]>, with an accompanying American conservative Catholics bashed printout (including return address) sent by air mail. appointments, and the canon of texts to Articles, letters, and subscription checks should be be studied, sung, and taught in America’s John Paul II for not devoting most of his mailed to Catholic churches and parochial schools? time to disciplining unorthodox bishops The Sarmatian Review, P. O. Box 79119, In January 2004, Our Take wrote about in America, whereas liberal Catholics Houston, Texas 77279–9119. the lack of Polish Americans’ visibility demanded that the Pope devote his time The Sarmatian Review retains the copyright for all in these areas. With a few exceptions, to pondering such issues as the all-male materials included in print and online issues. Copies the Polish American clergy seem priesthood. Such demands are for personal or educational use are permitted by section pathetically provincial, yet the leaders 107 and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Permission relegated to the least visible parishes in to redistribute, republish, or use SR materials in the remotest corners of the continent, and of American Catholics seem unable to advertising or promotion must be submitted in writing Polish Catholic customs are studiously understand that. to the Editor. ignored by the Irish-German-Italian Second, even though Catholics Editor: Ewa Thompson (Rice University). constitute one-fourth of the U.S. Editorial Advisory Committee: Janusz A. Ihnatowicz ecclesiastical structures. A few years ago, (University of Saint Thomas), Joseph A. Kotarba while visiting Squamish, British population, they are marginalized in (University of Houston), Alex Kurczaba (University Columbia, an industrial town of several American society. The Protestant of Illinois), Marcus D. Leuchter (Holocaust Museum thousand Anglo and Indian inhabitants, beginnings of America are loudly Houston),Witold J. Lukaszewski (Sam Houston State proclaimed in schools and scholarly University), Theresa Kurk McGinley (North Harris we found a Polish American priest. His College), Michael J. MikoÊ(University of Wisconsin), presence seemed symbolic of the use books (John Carroll notwithstanding), Jan Rybicki (Kraków Pedagogical University), made of Polish Catholic clergy in this and Protestant virtues supposedly lie at Dariusz Skórczewski (Catholic University of Lublin), country. A well-known Catholic publishing the foundations of America’s success Tamara Trojanowska (University of Toronto), Piotr (notwithstanding the fact that in the sixth Wilczek (University of Silesia). house recently turned down a novel by Copy Editor: Cyndy Brown Kazimierz Braun of SUNY-Buffalo (the century, St. Benedict taught Europe how Web Pages: Lisa Spiro (Rice University). novel’s protagonist was modeled on John to work—ora et labora—and Web Address: <http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~sarmatia>. Paul II as a young man, and the place of “Benedictine industriousness” became Sarmatian Council: James Burns (Houston), Iga J. proverbial in several European Henderson (Houston), Marek Kimmel (Rice action was Poland and America), because University), Leonard M. Krazynski (First Honorary the topic was too “exotic” for an languages). American intellectual life is Polish Consul in Houston), James R. Thompson (Rice American audience. When we look at the conducted almost entirely outside the University). chanceries of American dioceses or the Catholic parameters. The representative intellectual publications stand miles away In this issue: editorial boards of Catholic periodicals— from Catholicism, while American SR Index . .1143 we find a scarcity of Polish names and Zdzisław Krasnod∏bski, The Past and Present Polish Catholic presence. universities employ few practicing Ends of History . 1145 And yet, both in Poland and in America, Catholics in their humanities divisions. BOOKS. 1149 Polish Catholicism remains one of the Catholics may be a quarter of the Roger Cooke, Stalin and His Hangmen most vital Catholic centers in the world. population, but practicing Catholics on (review) . 1150 Granted, much needs improving there, the humanities faculties at leading Joseph A. Kotarba, Spanish Carlism and Polish but much is also to be admired and universities are less than one percent of Nationalism (review). 1151 learned from. Americans of Polish the faculty. Patricia A. Gajda, When Eagles Die (review) . 1153 background have brought some of that Being a subculture carries a price tag. Catholic spirit to these shores. Poland has (continued on page 1167) September 2005 SARMATIAN REVIEW 1143 The Sarmatian Review Index Russian spying in the United States in 2005 Estimated number of Russian spies operating in the United States in 2005: approximately the same as when Russia was under Communism. Number of known Russian spies currently operating in the United States under official cover, according to the U.S. intelligence sources: 100 (a fraction of the total). Most common professions assumed by the non-official Russian cover agents, or NOCs: businessman, journalist, and academic. Information the spies are after: military technology and hardware, including the latest lasers; U.S. plans regard- ing the former Soviet states, China, and the Middle East; and U.S. energy policy. Source: Jonas Bernstein in Russia Reform Monitor, no. 1240 (February 2, 2005). Russia’s economic priorities Number of families in the Russian Federation who live without hot water or sewerage: 14.3 million (out of the estimaged 34 million families), or 40 million people. Source: Federal Construction and Communal Services Agency Director Vladimir Averchenko, as reported by Russia Reform Monitor, no. 1244 (February 16, 2005). American finances Percentage of total world savings in 2004 that are invested in America and finance American consumption: 80 percent. Percentage of U.S. Treasury bills, notes, and bonds held by foreigners: 43 percent. Source: Vice chairman of Goldman Sachs International Robert Hormats, as reported by the New York Times, 24 February 2005. Russian finances Estimated capital flight from the Russian Federation in 2004: 8 billion dollars, or quadruple the 2003 outflow. Source: Deputy Economics Minister Andrei Sharonov, as reported in Russia Reform Monitor, no. 1242 (24 February 2005). Chechen contribution to Soviet GDP Percentage of Chechnya’s contribution to the Soviet GDP before 1991: 12 percent. Source: Chechnya Weekly (published by the Jamestown Foundation), vol. VI, no. 9 (2 March 2005). Postcolonial economies: CIS economies in 2004 Growth of GDP in all CIS countries including Russia: 8 percent. Percentage of export earnings that Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan receive for oil: 90 percent, 58 percent, and 26 percent, respectively. Percentage of export earnings that Turkmenistan receives for gas: 57 percent. Infant mortality in CIS: Tadjikistan, 116 per thousand; Kazakhstan, 99; Kyrgystan, 61; Moldova, 31, Russia, 21. World Bank figures for GDP per person (according to current exchange rages) in these countries: Moldova, 590 dollars; Kyrgystan,