Knights of Liberty: Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, Saint John Paul II, and President Ronald Reagan

As the specter of communism spread across the globe in the 20th century, heroes rose up and stood resolute against the most destructive ideology in human history. The Victims of Communism Museum held its annual Polish Studies Conference on March 23 to explore the enduring legacy of three of these Knights of Liberty: Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, Saint John Paul II, and President Ronald Reagan.

The Polish Studies Conference began with a panel on The Uncrowned King of Poland – Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, exploring his life, legacy, and patriotic fight against Communism, including his mentorship of Pope John Paul II and his fight for the rights of all Poles.

Panel 1 was followed by two talks titled Saint John Paul II and Poland’s Season of Liberty and Indomitable Spirits: Wyszyński and Wojtyła.

After lunch, attendees were introduced to Ronald Reagan’s key role with a lecture titled For Individual Freedom: Ronald Reagan and the End of the Cold War.

The second panel, Liberating Europe: President Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II, and the Fall of Communism, highlighted the joint political and spiritual mission of Pope John Paul II and Ronald Reagan, and how President Reagan’s strategy and statecraft ultimately liberated Central and Eastern Europe from Soviet communism.

A lecture on Wyszyński, Wojtyła, and Reagan on European and American Values followed the second panel.

Panel 3, Lessons in Liberty: Learning from the Past, Securing the Future, examined the lessons of Cardinal Wyszyński, Pope John Paul II, and Ronald Reagan, and identify how their legacies are still relevant today.

The following is a full list of the panel descriptions and speakers:

Welcome Speech: Ambassador Andrew Bremberg, President, Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation
The Spirit of Freedom: Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, Saint John Paul II, and President Ronald Reagan: Ambassador Marek Magierowski, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the United States of America
Introduction on Cardinal Wyszyński: Monika Jablonska, Senior Fellow, Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation; Ph.D. candidate in Political Science
Cardinal Wyszyński — The Man Who Led the Nation and Church Toward Freedom: Kazimierz Braun, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus in Literature and Theater, State University of New York, Buffalo
Panel 1
The Uncrowned King of Poland – Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński
This panel considers the life and legacy of Cardinal Wyszyński — a patriot, archbishop, mentor of Pope John Paul II, fighter against Communist oppression and Soviet domination, and statesman who supported national tradition. Panelists will discuss how Wyszyński fulfilled his mission of defending not only Church rights, but also human and moral rights for all Poles. The panel will lastly explore Cardinal Wyszyński’s words, “we are fighting for the freedom of our children, for the freedom to take charge of our heads and our own hearts.”
Marek Chodakiewicz, Ph.D., The Kosciuszko Chair in Polish Studies; Professor of History, Director of the Center for Intermarium Studies, Institute of World Politics (moderator)
Ambassador Janusz Kotanski: Former Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the Holy See
John Radzilowski, Ph.D., Professor of History at the University of Alaska; Director, Polish Institute of Culture & Research at Orchard Lake
Pawel Skibinski, Ph.D.: Professor of History; Deputy Director for Research, Dmowski and Paderewski Institute of the Heritage of National Thought; Former Director, Museum of John Paul II and Primate Wyszyński
Zbigniew Stawrowski, Ph.D.: Professor of Philosophy; Author; Co-founder and Director, Józef Tischner Institute, Kraków, Poland
Introduction on Saint John Paul II: Agnes Tycner, Fellow at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation
Saint John Paul II and Poland’s Season of Liberty: George Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Center; Author; Lecturer; Member, Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation Academic Council
Indomitable Spirits: Wyszyński and Wojtyła: Sławomir Oder, Bishop of Gliwice, Poland; Postulator of the Cause of Blessed John Paul II
Luncheon
Introduction on President Ronald Reagan: Milda Matačiūnaitė-Boyce, Director of Fellowships and Coalitions, Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation
For Individual Freedom: Ronald Reagan and the End of the Cold War: Henry Nau, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University; Distinguished Scholar, The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute
Panel 2
Liberating Europe: President Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II, and the Fall of Communism
Without the efforts and dedication of former President Ronald Reagan, communism in Central and Eastern Europe could have ended in a bloody revolution or lasted for decades more. Like Pope John Paul II, Ronald Reagan recognized that the decisive error of communism was rooted in the ideology’s disregard for human dignity and innate human rights. Both figures were committed to taking down atheistic communism in order to free the hundreds of millions of people living under Soviet oppression. The partnership between President Reagan and Pope John Paul II gave people hope that things would change one day in their countries. This panel will consider the joint political and spiritual mission of Pope John Paul II and Ronald Reagan, as well as how President Reagan’s strategy and statecraft ultimately liberated Central and Eastern Europe from Soviet communism.
John Lenczowski, Ph.D., Founder, President Emeritus, Chancellor, The Institute of World Politics; Former Director of European and Soviet Affairs, National Security Council (moderator)
Ambassador Paula J. Dobriansky, Ph.D., Former Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs; Former Director of European and Soviet Affairs, Reagan Administration National Security Council (virtual)
Lee Edwards, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor of Politics; Founding Chairman, Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom Recipient, Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation
Clark Judge, Former Speechwriter and Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George Bush; Founder, White House Writers Group
Paul Kengor, Ph.D., Senior Director and Chief Academic Fellow for The Institute for Faith & Freedom; Professor of Political Science
Introduction: Agnes Tycner, Fellow at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation
Wyszyński, Wojtyła, and Reagan on European and American Values: Ryszard Legutko, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland; Co-Chair, European Conservatives and Reformists Group, European Parliament
Panel 3
Lessons in Liberty: Learning from the Past, Securing the Future
This final panel will explore how the legacies of Cardinal Wyszyński, Pope John Paul II, and Ronald Reagan are still relevant today and consider the lessons of these leaders. Panelists will discuss what the free world must do to respond to the crisis of freedom present in the contemporary world as well as our sacred duty to fight for freedom and keep the animating spirit of liberty aflame.
Elizabeth Spalding, Ph.D., Chairman, Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation; Founding Director, Victims of Communism Museum (moderator)
Ambassador Andrew Bremberg, President, Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation
Anthony Eames, Ph.D., Director of Scholarly Initiatives, The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute
Irena Lasota, President, Institute for Democracy in Eastern Europe
Eric Patterson, Ph.D., President, Religious Freedom Institute
Final Remarks: Elizabeth Spalding, Ph.D., Chairman, Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation; Founding Director, Victims of Communism Museum
Final Remarks: Monika Jablonska, Senior Fellow, Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation; Ph.D. candidate in Political Science
Conference Ended and Self-Guided Museum Tours Began