Basic HTML Version
PASTOR'S REPORT, June 18, 1979
Page 19
"The message was presented before crowds totalling perhaps 6 million Poles
with such emotion and such a complete lack of interest in diplomatic in
te"r'est in diplomatI'c'"""tip-toeing that theeffect� overwhelming."
Vinocur reported that the situation as it unfolded was so new, so unexpected,
that it was actually difficult to grasp in its entirety. "Here was,
11
he
said, "a Polish pope talking daily before assemblies of his countrymen
about how the Soviet Union and the other Allies had not come to their aid
during the seige of Warsaw in World War I; about the Christian history of
Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Poland, Yugoslavia and Lithuania; about how
Europe must turn to Christianity if it is to advance beyond its present
divisions; about how Communism and Christianity are diametrically opposed,
and how the state must always be subsidiary 'to the Eull sovereignty of
the nation.'"
"An obvious question," continued Vinocur, "was what the cumulative effect
of such comments could be, refined and repeated over the next years.•..
The pope showed how unsettling his approach could seem when he said, 'I am
sure there are people out there who are already having a hard time taking
this Slavic pope.
I
The themes seeded
ex
the
�r
depending£!:!. how they
are nurtured, could be the source of a new kind of dialogue in Eastern
urope or ·they could provide a permanent element of confrontation."
It is remarkable how much the pope "got away with" in his verbal assault
on Communism. But the Polish authorities, having agreed to the visit in the
first place--a Polish party official told Vinocur privately that they wanted
to get a papal visit out of the way early--had little choice but to grin
and bea.r it. They heard the pope suggest that Communist societies were
flawed and inadequate. "Christ will never approve," he said in the indus
trial city of Nowa Huta, "that man must be considered or consider himself
merely as a means of production....This must be remembered by both the
workers and the employer, by the work system as well as by the system of
remuneration."
The corr�ination of the mass throngs and the almost daily criticisms of
Communist society brought, said Vinocur, "painful illustrations to Polish
and other European leaders of their lack of contact with the population."
Pope Tells of Europe's "Fundamental Unity"
On this historic trip, reported Vinocur, the pope offered "a vision of the
future and perhaps a glimpse of the long-term lines of his pontificate."
John Paul II delivered these thunderbolt words on one occasion: "Europe,
despite its present and long-lasting divisions of regimes, ideologies and
economic and political systems, cannot cease to seek its fundamental unity
Lan�/
must turn to Christianitx. Despite theciifferent traditions that
exist in the territory of Europe between its Eastern part and its Western
part, there lives in each of them the same Christianity.•..Christianity
must commit itself anew to the formation� the spiritual unity of Europe.
Economic and political reasons cannot do it. We must go deeper ..."
Since Vinocur's analysis, yet other indepth reports have come in. One of
the best by far is found in the June 18th issue of Time magazine. Be sure
to get and read the entire article.