Last weekend, a tragic plane crash killed President Kaczynski, First Lady Maria Kaczynski, and 94 other military and civilian officers and prominent leaders of faith. Quigley’s Chicago-area district is home to the second-largest Polish population in the United States.
“While I wish I was traveling under happier circumstances, it is a privilege to have the opportunity to pay my respects in person,” Quigley said. “I will be bringing not only my own heartfelt sympathies for this overwhelming loss, but the condolences and support of many grieving constituents who are not able to make the trip. We will stand with our friend and ally Poland as they find the resilience to emerge stronger, as they have before, following this unthinkable event.”
When Congress resumed session following the crash, Quigley joined Senator Dick Durbin (IL) to introduce identical resolutions expressing sympathy to the Polish people.
Earlier this week, Quigley expressed his condolences on the House floor. (Click here for video and speech transcript)
The following evening, he remembered his constituent Wojciech Seweryn, a Polish artist and influential member of Chicago’s Polish community, who was aboard the plane on his way to participate in the commemorative events planned to honor those 20,000 Poles who died in Katyn 70 years ago. Sadly, Seweryn’s father died at Katyn, and the artist himself spearheaded the construction of a memorial to the event at a cemetery in Niles, Illinois.
(Click here for video and speech transcript).
The Presidential delegation will travel to Krakow this weekend. Quigley will be bringing with him a copy of a resolution passed by the House, which also mentions Seweryn.
Wojciech Seweryn, President Lech Kaczynski, Maria Kaczynska, Most Rev. Thad J. Jakubowski, DD, Bishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Edward Mika, President of the Polish Alliance Club of America.
Katyn monument at St. Adalbert Cemetery in Niles, Illinois, 2007.
Foto: Andrzej Brach