About Latin Civilisation

On January 17th 2007 a symposium devoted to “The Latin civilisation” was organised at Catholic University of Lublin (KUL). The conference was the idea of the students of History Association and the Department of History and Culture of Spanish-Speaking Countries. It was chaired by dr Cezary Taracha. The symposium opened with the Holy Mass at the Academic Church of KUL in the intention of Benedict XVI, the Church and the Home Country. Then, the session proper was opened by Michał Krupa and dr Cezary Taracha.

The first lecture entitled “Professor Koneczny`s concept of the Latin civilisation” was delivered by dr Paweł Skrzydlewski. He pointed out the today`s politically correct elites avoid and ignore great historiosophic achievements of the professor`s who noticed that throughout the centuries these were civilisations that determined how man developed and how they influenced its dignity. He perceived a civilisation as a method of collective existence. The only civilisation treating man with dignity was the Latin civilisation –said Skrzydlewski.

The next speaker was dr Mieczysław Ryba who presented the aspect of civilisation in Roman Dmowski`s policy. Contrary to the Piłsudski-ites whose basic tenet was the cult of the leader which deeply influenced the way the politics worked then, the National Camp was Latin and personalistic in spirit.
Though, its founders originally based their convictions on Darwin, in the course of time when the Dmowski`s party was turning more Catholic, national democrats became great proponents of the Latin civilisation.

An important guest was Sławomir Olejniczak from the Piotr Skarga`s Christian Culture Association. He spoke on the activity of a Catholic counterrevolutionist Plinio Correa de Oliviera whose numerous actions defending the Catholic culture earned him praise. Olejniczak emphasised that strict adherence to the Decalogue and defending the Church are the duty of all those engaged in the work of building a Christian civilisation.

Last speeches dealed with an eminent German theologian Dietrich von Hildebrand and his attitude to the post-council crisis in the Western Church. The lecturer Paweł Sieradzki said that Hildebrand tirelessly defended the Catholic orthodoxy and authentic interpretation of the Vatican Council`s texts. His behaviour was rewarded by the Pope Pius XII with giving the title of the Doctor of the Church of 20th century.


Kamil Szczęch