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Poetry of Maria Konopnicka

The poet Maria Konopnicka was greatly admired by the founder of the PNCC, Bishop Francis Hodor.  Bishop Hodur named a literary society within the Church in her honor - the United Maria Konopnicka Societies of the Polish National Catholic Church.  The poem presented below - The Institution Called 'Church' - was translated from Polish by Bernice Grochowski and was last printed in Rola Boża - God's Field, the Newspaper of the PNCC on March 6, 2004.

Maria Konopnicka (1842-1910) was a prolific poet, novelist, translator and essayist. She wrote many sensitive works which project realism, freshness, and spontaneity. In her writings, she touched upon many social issues besetting the society of her time and thus influenced the next generation of Polish poets and novelists. Konopnicka expressed ideals of democracy and patriotism in her cycle of folk songs and in a poem about peasant emigrants, Pan Balcer w Brazylji (Mr Balcer in Brazil). She also wrote novels for children.  Read more about her life and work.

The Institution Called ‘Church’

The institution called ‘Church’
Even if it had its origin in heaven,
Can be powerful and enduring only
If in its substance and its sphere
It upholds and considers the law of progress.

Otherwise – humanity will quickly surpass it
And fall away from it unconcerned,
Or else expand it with its own stout heart
Into forms which will meet their spiritual
            needs.

If the Church
Will lay hold of the great torch of progress
And carry it before the works of mankind,
It will unfurl the banner of freedom
Above the confines of its holy and reverent
            disputes,
And make known a God-given liberty
To all independent minds and souls.

Take the Gospel – it truly contains
Such sublime truths and great ideals
That even if humanity soared on wings
Over the great road of eternal progress,
This holy Book would certainly keep its
            pace…
And always be adequate and indeed remain
For ages and ages the great ideal
Of all nations – a norm for society
No mankind could ever transcend.

If it will grasp the leading-line movements
Of the age, which in painful birth bring forth
            into the world
The triumph of truth; if the Church will raise
The torch of knowledge into the hell of
            despair
And not be overtaken on this road, but lead
            the way,
Then, it will be a great Church – as great
As God, Who said: “Let there be light”.
And the ages above whose horizons
Its light will shine, shall be called Great