First Thoughts

February 13th-14th, 2006
Somewhere over Greenland

I begin these reflections of my upcoming months at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków somewhere over the arctic; exactly where, I’m not sure, since Wallace and Gromit: The Attack of the Wererabbit is playing on the movie screen right now, thus disabling the map and flight statistics which are usually shown there. I find it appropriate to be flying the LOT Polish Airlines 767 airplane by the name of Gniezno to Kraków right now. Gniezno was the first bishopric and capital of Poland, so in a way, I begin my journey of seeking to learn about and return to my roots by returning on the plane named after the place from which Polish Christendom sprung.

I begin this journey with a completely open mind and an open heart, prepared to expect the unexpected, to journey through the unknown, and to grow closer and deeper in my faith life, particularly coming to better know the saint of our modern times: Karol Wojtyła, in whose beloved Krakow I will be studying. And how could he not come to mind, when I am in the midst of a diverse group of Poles. Around me sit Polish-Americans, whose excited young ones run up and down the aisles-oh wait, one just crawled-up and down, chased by his older sister. I am able to place myself into their situation, remembering the seemingly endless flight and the growing excitement as I first traveled to Poland as a six-year-old, eager to meet my grandparents and to see the exciting places that my parents had told me about. Behind me, an older man just dozed off, after having conversed with, or rather, talked to the man next to him for the past two and a half hours. God bless those souls who like to share their entire life story with you, as well as tell you about their great grand-uncle who had a second cousin who was related to some Polish nobleman, or who was a hero in some war or another. Then, there are of course those Poles such as the young couple next to me, who seek to find their identity and place in modern Poland, and to make a living in the midst of a growingly materialistic and secular Poland. As Poland enters into the Third Millennium at a booming pace, it must find its place in Europe, as well as seek to create a just and humane society for all of its members.

I could go on and on about the people that I see and about the economic situation in Poland, but perhaps those reflections will be written as I progress in my studies over the course of the semester. At this point, I am particularly struck by a statement in the Orientation Guide for Students Traveling Abroad, which was given to me by the College of Arts and Letters before I left. In it, we students who are traveling the world are advised to “learn to become professional people watchers.” It is funny that the packet mentions this, since this has always been one of my favorite things to do. A statement that I ran across earlier today in a book entitled The Way to Christ, by then-archbishop Wojtyła highlighted a great truth, I think. In this retreat for university-aged students which was given in 1972, the archbishop states about humans, “this man—one can say ‘this word,’ with a small w, this intellect, a part of the whole visible reality—is united precisely through this reality and its richness and depth, with the Word—with this intelligence, thought, and intellect without which the richness, complexity, and precision of the world, which is moreover filled with constantly unexpected factors, becomes incomprehensible.” Truly, these profound words (which I by no means claim to understand fully, at least yet) are the words of a saint.

Pope Benedict in Deus Caritas Est writes about Christianity as being a religion about man, and about his participation in the inner life and ultimately, the love of the Trinity. More and more I realize the depth of these words, and this timeless teaching, which Wojtyła claims has been part of the revelation to man since the beginning of time. The people around me, whether they know it or not, are called to share in the life of the Trinity. Wait, stop and think about that! Everybody, the yapping older man behind me, the excited and wandering children, the young man with pierced ears across the aisle from me—these are all my brothers and sisters by virtue of their Sonship of God, the Father and Creator. I don’t think that I can really even try to delve deeper into the meaning of this at this point in time.

I look forward to this semester as being a semester of “people watching,” in the sense that Pope Benedict and Pope John Paul II talked about, of seeking to see all those whom I encounter, from the international students who want to have a good time by going to bars and restaurants (who I assume I will meet), to the religious priests and sisters who roam the streets of Kraków, and give it the title of the “Polish Rome,” or the “little Rome,” as my brothers and sisters. (And I must say, mostly just to brag, that the Archdiocese of Kraków does have more churches and parishes than the Archdiocese of Rome).

What is the purpose of this series of web-based reflections on my study and travels abroad? From a purely selfish perspective, they will enable me to later be able to recall and re-live my experiences from abroad. But I also hope that through my thoughts and my sentiments, I may come to better know the beauties of Poland, the treasures of the Polish culture, history, and thought, and that I (and other people reading these thoughts) may come to better see and appreciate Poland’s unique contribution to the shaping of history, culture, and particularly of the Catholic Church.

At this point in the history of modern Europe, Poland finds itself with huge responsibilities, as well as in a unique position. As one of the only remaining truly Catholic nations in Europe, Poland faces much opposition from the European Union (especially in the area of morals, such as the new European Parliament resolution to enforce the legalization of same-sex “marriage”). With a new conservative government led by President Lech Kaczyński, the former President of Warsaw (mayor), his conservative coalition led by the Law and Justice party must be strong in defending Poland’s uniquely and truly Christian culture. It will be interesting to see how his decisions will reflect this campaign promise of his.

I am sure that I will be able to engage in discussions of politics and social issues, as I will be living in Ośrodek Akademicki Barbakan, a center run by the Personal Prelature of Opus Dei. I am hoping to meet other young Catholic students, as well as professors, with whom I will be able to discuss the trends of the Polish nation at this crucial time in its history. As a student of philosophy and theology, I am interested in studying and talking to the people in Kraków, particularly young Catholic students, about the philosophical trends of the culture, and how philosophy is affecting the day-to-day life of Poles. Whereas the United States is now facing a moral crisis of culture caused by unprecedented wealth and a misunderstanding of freedom, Poland has not yet reached this “burned out” period, and is only now traveling the road to the intersection at which it will have to, as a nation, make a decision—does its faith and culture matter enough to be preserved, or will the allurement of capitalism, western goods, the opportunities for business, and the sometimes negative attitude towards the “clericalism” of the Church lead it down the wide and easy boulevard, like most of Western Europe. All of these things remain to be seen, and I hope that Poland may indeed take the “straight and narrow,” the “road less traveled by,” for I know that it will “make all the difference.”
This week, I will have to obtain a student ID at the Jagiellonian University, which I humbly admit has been the alma mater of greats such as Nicholas Copernicus and Karol Wojtyła. I will also have to pick my final class schedule, hoping to take five courses, in Polish language, history, and literature. In my next entry, I hope to report on my move into the Opus Dei Center, where I will have a private room, three meals a day, laundry, and an oratory in the residence—not too shabby, and the perfect opportunity and place to think a lot, observe a lot, learn a lot, and ultimately, I hope, to come closer to the Truth, by learning about who I am, and my place in the world, in the midst of all of these images of God around me.

I can’t help to also mention that my thoughts are with all of my friends at Notre Dame, somewhere on the other side of the world by now. Keep fighting the battle, for some professors, even, will try to dissuade you from standing for the Truth. As the time and season for the usual manifestations of feminism and false teaching on campus, through various performances, is upon us, seek to show all of our fellow students the true beauty and dignity of human life, and the “genius of woman.” I am looking forward to learning about how the Edith Stein Project, sponsored by the Center for Ethics and Culture, went.

Until next time, I will be scouting around Kraków to see what I can learn and what new insights I will already have.