A Tribute to Polish Catholics

and their manifold contributions to Western Civilization in this week leading up to John Paul II's beatification (and there was much rejoicing!).  Excerpts:

...One thinks naturally and recently of Papa Wojtyła, prevailing against the obvious inhumanity of the Marxist-Russian Empire and taking a more Quixotic stand against the less-noticeable dehumanizing forces loose within the West itself. There is also the figure of King Jan Sobieski, whose Polish cavalry undertook the largest mounted charge in human history at the Battle of Vienna in 1683, thereby relieving the besieged Austrian capital and routing the Turkish besiegers, who left behind several hundred tons of coffee beans in their hasty retreat. Thus in a single day King Jan stopped the Islamic crescent from penetrating to the heart of Christendom AND paved the way for the invention of cappuccino. Dżękuje, Jan.

It is in gratitude for Poland’s great contributions to Christian civilization that we here at Catholic Phoenix are observing Easter Monday in the Polish fashion: by celebrating Dyngus Day, also known as Lany poniedzialek, or “Wet Monday” for reasons that will become clear shortly.

Yes, it’s pronounced like “dingus,” except spelled with a Y. We are not making this up...