2010 marked the Year of Frederick Chopin. The year 2010 was the 200th anniversary of the birth of this eminent figure. There were great celebrations and concerts as well as piano competitions throughout the world and in particular in Poland in his honor.

We also celebrated another important figure in the history of arts, literature, and particularly poetry in Poland, Maria Konopnicka. 2010 marked the 100th anniversary of her passing. Maria Konopnicka is beloved of the Polish National Catholic Church in particular. Bishop Hodur established societies in her honor, as well in honor of Juliusz Słowacki, so as to promote literature and arts among Polish immigrants to the United States.

The following article appeared in the September 21, 2010 edition of God’s Field, written by the Very Rev. Frederyk Banas: Maria Konopnicka, May 23, 1842 – October 8, 1910, Poland’s Great Poetess

October 8, 2010 marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Poland’s great poetess, Maria Konopnicka. It was at the time of her death in 1910 that our beloved Organizer, the late Prime Bishop Franciszek Hodur was in Poland and learned of the death of this great woman after whom he had already organized societies in his church in the United States. The Roman Church refused her burial considering her an enemy and heretic because she had the courage to speak and write of the evils in the Church of Rome and its exploitation of the poor.

The family of the late poetess learned of the presence of Prime Bishop Hodur in Poland and requested that he conduct the funeral service. However, after hearing of this, the Roman hierarchy had changed its mind and decided to conduct the funeral service for her. Bishop Hodur presented his message and placed a large wreath with the inscription: “To Poland’s Great Poetess from the Polish National Catholic Church in the United States.”

The late Prime Bishop Francis Hodur in his introductory comments to the first volume of poetry published by the United Ladies’ Maria Konopnicka Societies in Scranton, PA, in 1946 said:

“Maria Konopnicka is not only the greatest poetess of the Polish people, but we can say without exaggeration, that she is the greatest poet of the human race. Before her, three women have gained fame as poets, namely: Deborah, living in the 11th century before Christ, living in that era which was known as the period of Judges; Sapphonia, living near the end of the 7th century on the island of Lesbos in Greece, and Ada Negri, living at the end of the 19th century in Italy and a contemporary of Maria Konopnicka.

History tells us that Deborah was a prophetess a judge and a poet. She wrote patriotic songs calling the Jewish people to fight for their freedom and liberty; these songs were sung either by her when she led the soldiers into battle, or by others designated by her.

Sapphonia was a poet of nature. She wrote beautiful poems about the mountains, the forests, the valleys and about all of those beautiful things which spoke to the human heart and soul and which were found on the island of Lesbos. She was persecuted to such an extent that she had to leave and return to southern Italy in order to save her life. After a few years, guided by the love of her home country, she returned to Lesbos and lived out her remaining years.

Ada Negri is truly the daughter of the Italian people. She was born into the family of a poor Italian workman. In spite of extraordinary material difficulties, she secured an adequate education and became a school teacher. She began to write and speak of the poverty of the Italian people. She spoke of the wrongs suffered by the Italian peasant and workman, and as a result of this, she lost her job as a school teacher and was persecuted. After the peasants and workmen received some recognition in the nation, she became very popular and was respected and even practically glorified by her people.

Maria Konopnicka united in her person the talents of the three mentioned immortal names. She was the poetess of her people. She did not lead her people into battle in the common meaning of the term as did Deborah, but she carried on the spiritual battle, calling for more education, equality of all people who constitute the nation, and prophesied victory for the Polish people when justice among them would be satisfied. She loved the natural beauty of the Polish landscape, the glorious majesty of the Tatra Mountains, the fields, streams, the gardens and the villages and all of those things which would foster love for the Fatherland.

She was disillusioned and disgusted with a visit to the Church of St. Joachim in Rome in which were placed all the national standards of all nations of the world, but among which the standard of Poland was not evident. She wrote of this bitterly saying, “Upon these marble walls where even the schismatic Lutheran has his place, this holy martyr for the Christian cause, this sacred Poland has been erased from among the nations of the earth as though anathemized.From “Do braci zmartwychwstańców.”” In a poem concerning the Church of Rome she speaks thusly:

O Rome! . . . How you have disappointed
     me, Rome!
You have not spread your wings over
     the brood as the hen does
When in Jerusalem the hawks hovered
     over the chicks,
No, you have hid in the smoke of your
     thuribles,
And with the hawks you have made
     alliance.
In the brightness of the feathers of
     peacocks you
Permit yourself to be carried, basking in
     the glory
Which you have torn out of the garment
     of Christ!

Maria Konopnicka struggled for social justice; she was the mediatrix of her people. She wrote of the oppressed, of the disinherited, the orphan and the poverty of her fellowman. The words which she uttered in receiving the gift of a home and a little parcel of land in Zamowiec, a gift of the Polish people in appreciation for her labor, sufferings and work on their behalf, could be interpreted as her will and testament: “On this occasion,” she said, “what do we need? … Love for the earth. Confessors for an ideal, education for the people, respect for work, soldiers for an idea, triumph for truth, unity and equality for all!”

Her principles and ideals were so closely related to those of our beloved Organizer, the late Prime Bishop Francis Hodur. Both lived and struggled for freedom, truth, equality, justice, education, brotherhood and enlightenment; Both were warriors for great causes and issues! People of this caliber are not born daily but are providential! Let us cherish their work and continue on the mission they have begun for causes so noble and holy which will make our Country and our Church great, free, and unique!