POLISH AMERICAN JOURNAL • MAY 2011 • OUR 100th ANNIVERSARY YEAR www.polamjournal.com 1 MAY 2011 • VOL. 100, NO. 5 $2.00 PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID AT BOSTON, NEW YORK NEW BOSTON, AT PAID PERIODICAL POSTAGE POLISH AMERICAN OFFICES AND ADDITIONAL ENTRY ESTABLISHED 1911 www.polamjournal.com JOURNAL KWOLEK’S KEVLAR, 1911 • 2011 DEDICATED TO THE PROMOTION AND CONTINUANCE OF POLISH AMERICAN CULTURE A LIFE-SAVER — Page 19 PAC APPEALS TO POLONIA TO SUPPORT VISA WAIVER PROGRAM FOR POLAND PAJ ANNOUNCES $500 ANNIVERSARY SCHOLARSHIP • THE PRESIDENT’S TRIP TO POLAND HISTORY FROM A YARD SALE TO MUSEUM • YOUR GPS TO INNER PEACE • MEMORIAL DAY MENU IDEAS NEWSMARK The Road to Sainthood — John Paul II’s Beatification PROVIDES HUMANITARIAN AID. Poland will not be ROME — On May 1, Pope How Does One involved in Libyan military operations, said Polish Presi- John Paul II will be one step dent Bronislaw Komorowski, stressing that humanitarian closer to becoming a saint. Become assistance would be Poland’s priority especially since Po- The certification of a mira- a Saint? land has a significant military presence in Afghanistan. Po- cle—the recovery of a French land has dispatched a warship to the Mediterranean to aid nun, Sister Marie Simon- 1. Examination. One in coalition operations efforts. P i e r r e , must have lived a supremely “The decision made by NATO on taking command over w h o righteous, virtuous life. This operations in Libya also means that political responsibil- prayed to is a stringent process, so the the late ity will be borne by all member-states including Poland. person who dies must have pope and It does not mean a direct involvement in a military opera- lived an exemplary life, such s u b s e - tion,” Komorowski said. as Pope John Paul II did. q u e n t l y PRESIDENT PAWLENTY? Former Minnesota Gov. Tim recovered Pawlenty pressed toward a White House campaign by for- from Par- mally announcing an exploratory committee with a call for Sister Marie k i n s o n ’s “SANTO SUBITO” or “immediate sainthood” for John Paul II backers to help him “take back our government.” Simon-Pierre disease— was the call at his funeral service. Beatification is a necessary Pundits say Pawlenty’s announcement of the explor- was need- step on the road to sainthood. atory committee almost certainly will lead to a full-blown ed for beatification, the step candidacy for the GOP nomination in a field that has been before sainthood. slow to form. The winner would face the daunting task of Before he can become a He Changed the unseating an incumbent president. saint, proof of another mira- cle is required. But for now, Papacy and the World LETTING GO. Some Poles commented they are becoming millions of Roman Catholics, by Robert Strybel not do justice to the com- tired of the monthly memorial tributes to former President Poles, and Polish Americans As in life, in death John passion he felt for all living Lech Kaczynski, who perished together with his wife and who adored John Paul II Paul II remains incredibly things. It is no surprise that Once beatified, John Paul II ninety-four senior politicians, military officials and clerics are celebrating this historic influential. His intelligence, plans for his sainthood have will be known as “Blessed.” in a plane crash in Russia in April of last year. event. warmth, and empathy made moved along at such an un- The former president’s twin brother, current opposition 2. A cause is formed. The Right after John Paul’s him one of the most beloved precedented pace. leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, has commemorated the tragedy process of becoming a saint, death on April 2, 2005 his popes of all times. He was a on the 10th of every month by placing a wreath in front of or canonization, is long, in- admirers, ranging from rank- polyglot, a traveler, a writer, TRADITIONAL APPROACH the presidential palace in Warsaw. Kaczynski’s opponents volved and even quite ex- and-file faithful to top cardi- and an athlete. Through his 26 STRENGTHENED CHURCH. have accused him of exploiting the death of his brother pensive, so the people who nals, started calling for rapid years as head of the Roman A survey conducted by the for political purposes and some have begun mocking the are pushing for someone’s sainthood for the pontiff. An- Catholic Church, he remained Quinnipiac University Poll- monthly wreath-laying by simultaneously celebrating the sainthood must organize swering their call of “Santo humble. He was proud of his ing Institute of Hamden, Con- birthdays of US film stars. On March 10, hundreds of Poles themselves. They will work Subito,” or “Saint at Once,” roots, and like all great men, necticut showed that 88% of took to Warsaw streets celebrating the birthday of Chuck with the Catholic Church and Pope Benedict XVI waived realized that, to understand the Catholics interviewed collect evidence, information Norris. On April 10th, they did the same to commemorate the mandatory five-year wait- the future, one must value the called his influence on the action movie star Steven Seagal. and money, as necessary, dur- ing period for the start of past, be it good, bad, or indif- world “good to excellent.” ing the proceedings. “Everyone’s tired of the issue,” said Polish national the process toward beatifica- ferent. Eight of ten American Catho- hero, ski jumper Adam Malysz. 3. Nomination. The de- tion, the last formal step be- A truly remarkable man, a lics believed the Polish Pon- See “Steps ...,” page 4 IN SOLIDARITY. One thousand lanterns were released fore possible canonization. multitude of volumes could See “Changed ...,” page 4 into the sky over Warsaw as a sign of hope and harmony with the Japanese people suffering from the devastating Genealogical earthquake and tsunami in which more than 28 thousand A Pact of Lies people perished. Donations were also collected to aid vic- An Interview with Danusha Goska About Her Book, the Conference to “Put the tims and to help with reconstruction of public buildings in Japan. The Lanterns of Happiness Ceremony was orga- Stereotypical Image of Poles, and Polish-Jewish Relations Pieces Together” nized jointly by the Japanese Events Group and the Polish ieganski, in her book of the come conscious of the status of people CHICAGO — The 33rd annual Humanitarian Action organization. Participants signed a same name, is the term Danu- like me in mainstream and elite Ameri- conference of the Polish Genea- book of condolence and wore yellow ribbons as a sign of sha Goska assigns to the ste- can society?” logical Society of America (PGSA), unity with the people of Japan. The color yellow is a sym- reotypical image of “Polaks” Well into my twenties, I had little to “Puzzled by the Past? Put the Pieces bol of courage in Japan. Bas crude and brutish, long on brawn and no contact with mainstream and elite Together” will be held on October 1, “In the culture of the East, the releasing of lanterns sym- short on brains. More than just a “Pol- American society. My mother was born 2011. An optional Polish Chicago bus bolizes hope. For our part, the action is a gesture of solidar- ish joke,” Goska traces how this stereo- a peasant in Slovakia and grew up in a tour will also be available on a first- ity and hope that the damage caused by the disaster will be type has haunted Polish (and, by exten- house her father made by hand. It was registration basis on Friday, Septem- sion, Slavic Americans) from the heyday repaired,” said Olga Blumczynska of the PAH. the typical Slavic peasant house: one ber 30. Preliminary plans for the tour of the 19th and early 20th century immi- room, with storage for crops. Before my include a visit to the Polish Museum LACK OF LAW “A DISGRACE.” During an interview with gration. But the story doesn’t end there. mother was born, my grandfather left for of America and a real Polish lunch. national television channel TVP, President Bronislaw Ko- “Bieganski” also has its own twisted America to mine coal. My mother came The bus will leave from our confer- morowski has said Poland’s failure to act on restitution influence on American popular culture to America to meet her father. He had claims by those who had property confiscated by Nazis and (just think of how the film “The Deer contracted emphysema in the mines, and ence hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn, communists is “a disgrace.” Hunter” portrays Slavic Americans) as my mother had to become a live-in do- Des Plaines, Illinois conveniently lo- “The lack of a bill on re-privatization is a disgrace for well as in Polish-Jewish relations. An mestic servant to support her family. She cated near O’Hare airport. Poland,” the president declared. academic study that deserves attention was one of the smartest people I’ve ever After returning to the hotel there It has been estimated that 89,000 cases are still out- from Polish Americans as well as of- met, brilliant writer, and she cleaned will be time to relax and have dinner. standing, with many properties now in ruins or sold to third fering a point of dialogue between Pol- rich people’s houses all her life. My fa- Afterwards you will have the oppor- parties. Komorowski accentuated that many of the claim- ish and Jewish Americans, Goska (who ther was born in Throop, Pennsylvania tunity to meet with other researchers ants still live in Poland. teaches as an adjunct at William Pater- of Polish immigrants.