Karol

Okay, so I didn't watch The History Channel last night. I watched The Hallmark Channel, where they showed that movie "Karol: The Man Who Became Pope." It will show again this Sunday at 9 am Eastern time.

Piotr Adamczyk was very effective as the young Wojtyla. In fact, this is one of those times where the movie was better than the book upon which it was based. I wish they had shown more of the underground theater movement during the Nazi occupation. But they did manage some attention on Nowa Huta, a city planned and built by the Communist government with no church.

"The plan was to bring an enormous steel mill to the city. The communists hoped the factory would weaken the influence of the Catholic Church in the area... The atheist communist’s had a lot to learn. Every time the people put up a cross, the officials had it removed, but another one would be in its place the next day... The Catholics in Nowa Huta ignore the rules and for the next 20 years with the help of their Bishop, Karol Wojtyla and other priests from Krakow, thousands and thousands of them met every Sunday to celebrate Mass in the muddy fields where their church should be."

This scene showed a transformative moment for the future pope, as he come out of his shell of apparent political neutrality, to confront the government.

There was also a woman with whom he was rather close, if only platonically. But it was obvious they shared an affection for one another. Her feelings for him were apparent when she learned of his decision to become a priest. There was such a woman in his life as a young man, but any indication of romantic interest has been refuted. Toward the end of the film, Cardinal Wojtyla is in the Vatican when he meets his old boyhood chum Jerzy Kluger. There is actually a book written about their lifetime friendship. (Did I mention Kluger was Jewish?)

Anyway, I'm getting the DVD when it comes out. For sure.