Participation of Dr Joanna Kurczab in the scholarly conference
„Las lasem zostanie. Kapelani Katyńscy: pamięć i przyszłość”
On 11 April, a scholarly conference entitled „Las lasem zostanie. Kapelani Katyńscy: pamięć i przyszłość” (in English: The Forest Will Remain a Forest: Katyń Chaplains – Memory and the Future) was held in Warsaw at the Hall of Tradition of the Military Ordinariate of the Polish Armed Forces. The event was dedicated to commemorating the Katyn chaplains and to reflecting on their ongoing beatification process.
The conference was opened by Łukasz Stefaniak, President of the Association for the Remembrance of Katyn Chaplains, who emphasised the importance of uncovering the truth about the Katyn massacre and of considering it in the context of the future, including the recognition of the chaplains through beatification.
During the first session, distinctions were awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions to preserving the memory of the chaplains. Acting Deputy President of the Institute of National Remembrance, Dr Karol Polejowski, noted that safeguarding historical memory is a responsibility shared by successive generations.
In this part of the conference, speakers addressed, among other topics, religious persecution, the beatification processes of martyrs, and the importance of historical research and documentation. Dr Joanna Kurczab delivered a lecture on the legal status of clergy held in Soviet captivity after 17 September 1939.
The second part of the conference focused on the fate of the Katyn chaplains, including analyses of archival sources, research on the victims, and the background to the beatification process.
The conference was preceded by a Holy Mass celebrated by Bishop Wiesław Lechowicz. Following the service, members of the clergy and Dr Karol Polejowski, Deputy President of the Institute of National Remembrance, proceeded to the Katyn Chapel, where flowers were laid and candles lit in tribute to the victims.
