"A local connection with St. Pius X -- The First Polish Pope"

Snippet from Carol Baas Sowa's fascinating article in Today's Catholic. Friday, October 7, 2011.

"SAN ANTONIO -- Patricia Szalwinski recalls the big buzz made in the media when it was discovered that Pope John Paul II had a cousin living in America.

"To her and other members of the Krawietz family in South Texas, it was no big deal.

"After all, there were hundreds of Krawietzs here and they were related to a pope too -- the first Polish pope, St. Pius X.

"As a grade school student in Falls City, Szalwinski whose paternal grandmother was a Krawietz, remembers all the commotion that was made when her Aunt Gladys Szalwinski Collins traveled to Rome for the canonization of Pope Pius X on May 29, 1954, because she was related to him.

"It was as Giovanni Sarto that Jan Krawiec began a new life in Italy, first in Godero, near Treviso, and finally in Riese where he delivered the town mail.

"Three sons were born to Sarto and his wife: Giuseppe, Marco and Angelo.

"Giuseppe's younger brother, Angelo, remained in Italy, where his great - grandson, Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, became Pope Pius X, rising from humble beginnings as a country curate and village pastor to the throne of St. Peter...

"With Giuseppe Sarto ascending to the papacy as Pope Pius X, a frantic and very thorough cover - up began, according to Szalwinski's research, in a political effort to wipe out any semblance of Polish glory, leading to the destruction or changing of all records involving the Krawiec connection ...

"None - the less, the relationship between Pope Pius X and his Polish Texas relatives did surface in time for his beatification and canonization allowing U.S. family members to bask in the glow of his sainthood..."

Good story, yea! :)