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Posted Sunday May 28, 2006 at 11:07 a.m. CDT
Looking for The Word From Rome column? Here is a link to past columns.
Knights of Columbus opening Polish councils
By John L. Allen Jr.
Krakow, Poland
Editor's Note: Read NCRonline.org daily for John Allen's reports on Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Poland May 25-28.
During the pope's massive youth rally Saturday night, amid a sea of Polish flags and banners, a lone American flag fluttered alongside a sign announcing a delegation from the Chicago archdiocese.
The sight of the Stars-and-Stripes in Blonia Park was a symbol of the nascent but growing ties between Catholics in Poland and in the United States.
One form this growing collaboration takes is through the Knights of Columbus, a lay Catholic organization founded in the United States that numbers some 1.7 million members.
The Knights recently opened their first councils, or local groups, in Europe in Poland, at the invitation of Cardinals Józef Glemp of Warsaw, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, and emeritus Cardinal Francizek Macharski of Krakow.
There are now a half-dozen councils of the Knights of Columbus in Poland, with more than 300 members, and the numbers are said to be growing rapidly.
Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, who was in Krakow for Benedict XVI's trip, told NCR that the Knights chose Poland to set up shop for four reasons.
First, he said, there has long been a strong Polish-American presence in the Knights of Columbus, especially in areas such as Detroit and Chicago.
Second, Anderson said, recent years have seen "an increasing American-Polish interaction within the church." He cited funding recently bestowed by the Knights to complete construction of the Center for Dialogue and Prayer at Auschwitz, visited by Benedict XVI on the last day of his Poland trip.
Third, Anderson cited a "spiritual renewal in Poland in the last 50 to 60 years," pointing to figures including St. Adam Chmielowski, St. Faustina Kowalska, St. Maximilian Kolbe and Pope John Paul II.
"It is a country where the Catholic faith is strong, and it stands out in a Europe where religious practice has been in decline," Anderson said.
Finally, Anderson said that the Knights felt that in an era of globalization, it was time to expand their overseas presence. The last country in which they established new councils, he said, was Cuba in 1908.
The Knights of Columbus arrive in Poland at a moment when conservative Catholic political forces in the country are increasingly looking to the United States for inspiration.
"I like what I see happening in the United States -- the emphasis on the family, the emergence of so many pro-life groups," said Piotr Slusarczyk, a spokesperson for the League of Polish Families, one of the center-right parties that make up the current governing coalition in Poland.
"I feel much closer to the United States than to Europe. I'm very concerned about France, Germany, even Italy. They have lost their way in terms of moral development," he told the Chicago Tribune.
| More Trip Coverage |
John Allen's preview of the papal trip: Benedict's concerns for Poland trip:.
May 25, The trip is launched: Benedict sets about reawakening Europe's Christian roots.
May 26, A social survey of Poland: Poles are staunchly Catholic but also independent.
May 26, The Pope's message in Victory Square and at Czestochowa: Faith is a gift but also a task.
May 26, Subtext to the pope's visit: Some interesting nuggets.
May 27, A great trip for pilgrims: Benedict offers spiritual and pastoral basics.
May 27, Exploring John Paul's roots: Benedict's visit to the Divine Mercy Sanctuary.
May 27, A look at the issues: Examining the trip thus far.
May 28, The pope's take on death camps: Attempting to slay God was Auschwitz's greatest evil.
May 28, The Poles' speical vocation: Pope tells Poles 'share the treasure of your faith'.
May 28, U.S.-Polish ties: Knights of Columbus opening Polish councils.
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[John L. Allen Jr. is NCR Rome correspondent. His e-mail address is jallen@natcath.org.]
May 28, 2006, National Catholic Reporter |
