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Events in Gdansk  St. Brigid’s in the News
The discussions in the last Report (No. 64) in reference to the St. Brigid’s puzzle, are brought out in sharper focus in the August 21st issue of the Wall Street Journal. Now that Lech Walesa has brought about the enourmous changes in the government’s makeup, there is a mixture of celebration and apprehension as everyone awaits reforms.

Amity Shlaes writes from Gdansk:
Tadeusz Mazowiecki stands on a balcony in the Sunda’ sunlight bef ore a cheering crowd in a church courtyard [St. Brigid’s]. By his side is Lech Walesa. “Together we will build Poland,” the prime minister-designate tells the Solidarity supporters. Strong chantings interrupt from the back of the crowd, “We want bread,” the hecklers shout, “not a prime minister.” ... To attend a Mass for Solidarity in Gdansk’s red brick St. Brygida Church is to witness the national will to meet the challenge. “Poland lives,” sing pensioners, veterans in red and white armbands, and children sporting Solidarity pins. The priest, draped in white silk, begins the ceremony with an announcement that brings unchurchly applause: “Poland’s first Catholic prime minister takes part in this Mass.” The sermon is about St. Jeremy, who, like Mr. Mazowiecki, was in prison and “needed to be rescued.” Seated by the altar with other Solidarity leaders is the gray-browed Mr. Mazowiecki. When he and Mr. Walesa receive Communion, the entire congregation kneels with them.

From the Journal’s Philip Revzin comes this report:
In Solidarity’s home church, St. Brygida, a packed Sunday Mass applauded thru tears as parish priest Henryk Jankowski introduced the Solidarity leaders. “Gdansk will pray for you; Poland will pray for you,” intoned Father Jankowski to a congregation of workers from the Lenin Shiprards. Solidarity will need those prayers and all that support...it must now attempt the nearly impossible. The 62-yr. old Mr. Mazowiecki (pronounced TAH-day-OOSH mah-zoh-VYET-skee) gave his first TV interview from the leaf’ garden of a nunnery housing blind children, explaining that the peacefulness of the nunnery and the quiet determination of the blind children give him continual inspiration. The world watches.

Right: Baltimore Sun cartoonist KAL summarizes events in Gdansk. o verleof: Berthold Hellingra th etching of the Frauengasse captures the spirit of this short lane: the Frauentor, the Hevelius observatory, and an animal head that is the exit of a rainspout (at the lower right, on porch railing).


 

Danzig Report Vol. 1 - Nr. 65 - October - November - December - 1989, Page 40.