John Paul II Archives

Polish Gulag woman-prisoner befriended by John Paul II

By Ted Lipien March 1, 2019

By Ted Lipien

In my book, Wojtyła’s Women: How They Shaped the life of Pope John Paul II and Changed the Catholic Church, I describe how future Pope John Paul II, whom I had interviewed in Washington D.C. for the Voice of America (VOA) in 1976 when he was Kraków’s Archbishop, became familiar with many stories of immense suffering of Polish women under both Nazi and Soviet occupation.[ref]Lipien, Ted (Tadeusz Lipień). Wojtyła’s Women: How They Shaped the life of Pope John Paul II and Changed the Catholic Church, Winchester, UK: O Books, 2008. Lipien, Ted. Wojtyła a kobiety: Jan zmienia się Kościół. Warszawa: Świat Książki, 2010.[/ref]

Glos Ameryki, History, Photos, Poland, Public Diplomacy, Religion, VOA

History’s Greatest Fourth of July Birthday Card: A Personal Story of Polish-American Friendship

By Ted Lipien July 3, 2017

By Ted Lipien Today, July 4, 2017, America celebrates its Independence Day. During his upcoming visit to Poland on July 6, President Donald Trump will be among a long line of American leaders reaffirming the importance of the Polish-American alliance and friendship. This article is about a unique way in which the citizens of the interwar Polish Republic marked in…

Op-Ed: A phony John Paul II love story distorted his real persona | Digital Journal

By Ted Lipien February 17, 2016

By Ted Lipien Published February 17, 2016 in Digital Journal British newspaper The Telegraph‘s sensationalist headline read: “Did Pope John Paul II fall in love with married American academic? BBC to investigate.” The headline referred to the BBC program “Panorama,” which aired on Monday, February 15, 2015. The program, which is now difficult to view online outside of the UK, was described…

Tomlinson on Voice of America coverage of Pope John Paul II

By Ted Lipien May 12, 2014

Former Voice of America (VOA) director and former Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) Chairman Ken Tomlinson, who died in 2014, told the Voice of America in 2012 that his most memorable moment at VOA was when he visited the Polish Service and helped to arrange extensive news coverage of Pope John Paul II’s visit to Poland when the country was…

Interweaving of Public Diplomacy and U.S. International Broadcasting

By Ted Lipien September 17, 2013

Interweaving of Public Diplomacy and U.S. International Broadcasting A Historical Analysis by Ted Lipien Published in American Diplomacy, December 2011 Summary U.S. policy makers have used traditional diplomacy, public diplomacy and government-sponsored journalism to promote America’s interests and to influence public opinion abroad. On the journalistic side, the so-called surrogate radios: Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty – more…

Reagan and Korbonski on Yalta and Poland

By Ted Lipien September 17, 2013

As Poland prepares for next year’s 70th anniversary of the Warsaw Rising, I wanted to share [highlight]Stefan Korboński[/highlight]‘s 1984 letter to The New York Times, in which the last chief of the Polish wartime underground State repeated President Ronald Reagan’s earlier statement that the United States rejects any interpretation of the Yalta agreement that suggests American consent for the division of…

Poland, Religion

Ted Lipien’s book published in Poland, reviewed in Polityka

By Ted Lipien September 16, 2013

Ted Lipien’s book about Pope John Paul II and feminism, “Wojtyła’s Women: How They Shaped the Life of Pope John Paul II and Changed the Catholic Church, O-Books, UK, 2008,” was translated into Polish and published in Poland. Adam Szostkiewicz, a reviewer for the Polish news magazine Polityka, wrote that “Lipien is an American journalist with Polish roots who speaks…

Poland, Public Diplomacy

Beatification of John Paul II was a low priority public diplomacy event for President Obama

By Ted Lipien May 1, 2011

TedLipien.com, Truckee, California, USA, May 01, 2011 — In a public diplomacy blunder likely to offend American Catholics, Polish-American voters and people in Poland, the Obama Administration failed to send a high-ranking American official to the beatification ceremonies for Pope John Paul II, which were held today at the Vatican. Many other religious and ethnic groups in America are also likely to be disturbed by the failure of President Obama to attend the ceremony himself or to send a special delegation headed by Vice President Biden. The White House could have also dispatched Secretary of State Hillary Clinton or prominent members of the U.S. Congress from both political parties. The United States was represented at the ceremony only by Miguel Diaz, the ambassador to the Vatican. This is considered the lowest level of representation at an important event of this kind. King Albert and Queen Paola of Belgium led the list of royalty present and 16 heads of state and several prime ministers attended, including Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski.

U.S. Embassies in Central and Eastern Europe Ignore 100 Anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s Birthday

By Ted Lipien February 9, 2011

TedLipien.com, Truckee, CA, February 08, 2011 — One would think that the centennial of Ronald Reagan’s birthday could be a perfect public diplomacy theme for all U.S. embassies in Central and Eastern Europe — a great opportunity for embassy-sponsored events to strengthen ties with America among diverse nations that owe their current independence and freedom in large part to President Reagan’s vision combined with his steadfastness in standing up to the “Evil Empire.” And yet, both highly-trained and highly-paid U.S. diplomats working in the countries of the former Soviet Block by and large completely ignored the anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s birthday. Only two diplomatic post out of more than a dozen in the region sponsored a public event designed to remind older and younger generations of East Europeans of Ronald Reagan’s contribution to freeing them from Soviet domination.

Who is the leader of the Free World? – Reagan, Bush, Obama – lessons in public diplomacy in response to anti-democracy crackdown in Belarus

By Ted Lipien January 3, 2011

En ce moment, il n’y a plus de pilote dans l’avion. [At the moment, there is no longer a pilot on the plane.] — A European comment on President Obama as a leader of the Free World.

TedLipien.com, Truckee, California, USA, January 03, 2011 — Who is the leader of the Free World when democracy is under threat?

“Hunger for God and Love” – Interview with Cardinal Karol Wojtyła

By Ted Lipien October 16, 2010

The radio interview, recorded and first broadcast by the Voice of America (VOA) in 1976, was rebroadcast by VOA’s Polish Service on October 16, 1978, after the news of Cardinal Karol Wojtyła’s election as the new pope had been announced at the Vatican. Today is the 32 anniversary of the election of Karol Wojtyła as Pope John Paul II.

Short Version

Full Version

Listen to excerpt (in Polish) of 1976 Voice of America (VOA ) interview with Cardinal Karol Wojtyla. Ted Lipien talked with future Pope John Paul II in Washington, DC.

China, Cold War, Cuba, Digital Journal, Featured, Highlights, History, International Broadcasting, Poland, Russia

Op-Ed: Obama should listen to fellow Nobel winners Dalai Lama and Walesa | Ted Lipien in Digital Journal

By Ted Lipien October 10, 2009

By Ted Lipien Published October 10, 2009 by Digital Journal Barred from the White House, the Dalai Lama, the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner sends Obama a letter with congratulations and some good advice, but his message may be ignored just like an earlier message from Lech Walesa, also a Nobel Prize laureate. This year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner would…

Religion

Ted Lipien’s VOA Interview Prior to Benedict XVI’s Visit to the US in 2008

By Ted Lipien August 15, 2009

Voice of America (VOA) Interview with Ted Lipien, author of Wojtyla’s Women: How Women, History and Polish Traditions Shaped the Life of Pope John Paul II and Changed the Catholic Church INTRO: The head of the Roman Catholic Church Pope Benedict XVI is paying his first visit to the US April 15-20. What message might he bring to American…

Audio

Ted Lipien’s 1976 Interview with Card. Karol Wojtyla – future Pope John Paul II

By Ted Lipien July 21, 2009

Ted Lipien’s 1976 Interview with Card. Karol Wojtyla – future Pope John Paul II (opening segment in Polish) This interview was broadcast first by the Voice of America (VOA) in 1976. Those interested in broadcast quality copy of the entire interview should send an email to: mail@tedlipien.com English Transcript Ted Lipien: I believe the just-concluded Eucharistic Congress in…

Video

Pope John Paul II’s 1979 Visit to the U.S. – VOA Video

By Ted Lipien July 20, 2009

Pope John Paul II’s 1979 Visit to the U.S. – VOA Video President Jimmy Carter’s notes from his private meeting with Pope John Paul II, October 6, 1979, front National Archives, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, Atlanta, Georgia

Tag: John Paul II