VATICAN II AND POLAND 163Two years later almost to the day, Zawieyski had another pri-
vate papal audience—this time, with Paul VI. Before leaving for
Rome, he met with Gomułka, asking what if anything he should
convey to the pope on the Communist’s behalf. The ensuing mes-
sage was much more strained than two years earlier.
Nonetheless, with Gomułka’s blessing, Zawieyski initiated
a conversation with Paul VI about whether or not he would be
willing to take the step of normalizing relations with Commu-
nist Poland. In response to Zawieyski’s suggestion that Gomułka
might be ready, the pope stretched out his hands to the Polish
writer and replied, “As are we.”109 The pope continued, “We would
also like for there no longer to be any internal conflicts [between
church and state], so that Poland might develop freely and do its
part in safeguarding peace in the world. That is the most impor-
tant matter.”110
The pope exuded warmth in this conversation, both toward
Zawieyski personally and toward Polish Catholic activism more
generally. The conversation had literally begun with the Holy Fa-
ther declaring, “It is an honor to meet you.” And then, “We always
think with great appreciation of Poland, with admiration for its
religiosity. We want for Poland to have the best possible outcome.
I know how important your position is there, how great the re-
sponsibilities and the work that you carry out.”111
The pontiff ’s words point to the substantive nature of the role
that Zawieyski and his fellow ZNAK activists saw themselves play-
ing. Both his diary and the diary of his junior colleague Janusz
Zabłocki are full of details of backroom meetings during Council
sessions with the Vatican insiders most directly responsible for
shaping Paul VI’s Ostpolitik: Archbishop Antonio Samorè, Rev. Lu-
igi Poggi, and Rev. Agostino Casaroli.112 The ZNAK activists asked
- Zawieyski, Dzienniki, 2:389. 11 0. Ibid., 2:388.
- Ibid., 2:389.
- Cerny-Werner, Vatikanische Ostpolitik und die DDR.