Fr. Łukasz Bańkowski – Vatican
Knowledge, assistance, and the limits of diplomacy
The conference “The Holy See and 20th-Century Totalitarian Systems: New Insights and Research Perspectives” is organized by the Institute of National Remembrance, the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences, and the Pontifical Gregorian University.
As Rev. Dr. Adam Szpotański, an employee of the Wrocław branch of the IPN, explains, the initiative is grounded in the question of the Holy See’s attitude toward systems that enslaved societies and violated the independence of other countries. Poland and other countries of Central and Eastern Europe experienced the violence of more than one totalitarian regime in the past century.
Researchers will examine the extent to which the Vatican possessed reliable information about the activities of dictatorships, and whether, through its diplomatic and ecclesiastical network, it was able to reach places of human suffering and provide effective assistance. They will also address the impact of the Holy See’s policies on the course of world events.
From rescuing the persecuted to reconciliation
The program ranges from the initial confrontations with Bolshevism and extreme nationalism, through World War II, to the experience of communist regimes. Topics include the assistance provided by nuns to the persecuted in Italy and the role of Vatican diplomacy in rescuing Hungarian Jews.
Subsequent presentations will focus on the restriction of freedom of the Church in Czechoslovakia, the testimony of Catholics in Romania, and the situation in East Germany. The proceedings will also cover the Holy See’s relations with dictatorships in Latin America.
A prominent place will be given to the Polish experience: the attitude of John Paul II toward the communist regime, the actions of Archbishop Luigi Poggi in the face of disinformation by the authorities of the Polish People’s Republic, and the role of Paul VI and the Holy See in Polish-German reconciliation.
International response to a difficult history
Rev. Szpotański reports that the organizers received over 65 paper proposals from around the world. Researchers representing numerous European universities and scientific institutions have been invited to participate. Their presentations will make it possible to compare the experiences of different countries and view Vatican activities from multiple perspectives.
The conference will be accompanied by an Italian-language exhibition prepared by the IPN on the celebrations of the Millennium of Poland’s Baptism in Polish diaspora communities in 1966. The photographs and documents come from the Archives of the Church and Hospice of St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr, in Rome.
The proceedings will take place on October 28–29 in the Gregorianum’s Aula Magna. Admission is free, without prior registration. Papers will be delivered in Italian, English, and Polish.
Scientific and organizational preparation
The Academic Council and the Organizing Committee are responsible for the substantive and organizational preparation of the conference.
The Academic Council includes: Karol Polejowski, Ph.D., Deputy President of the Institute of National Remembrance; Rev. Prof. Mark Lewis, SJ, Rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University; and Rev. Prof. Marek Inglot, SJ, President of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences.
The Organizing Committee consists of: Prof. Emilia Hrabovec from Comenius University in Bratislava and the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences; Dr. Pierantonio Piatti, Secretary of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences; Rev. Prof. Jan Mikrut and Rev. Prof. Robert Regoli from the Pontifical Gregorian University; Dr. Sebastian Pilarski, Director of the IPN Office for Historical Research; and Rev. Dr. Adam Szpotański from the IPN Branch Office for Historical Research in Wrocław.
