Filip Mazurczak is a graduate student at the George Washington University studying international affairs. Become a fan of First Things on Facebook, subscribe to First Things via RSS, and follow First Things on Twitter.

Filip Mazurczak: Prominent historians as diverse as John Lewis Gaddis and Eamon Duffy believe that Pope John Paul II played an instrumental role in the collapse of communism. How significant was his impact, in your opinion? Tomasz Pompowski: Without John

Filip Mazurczak sat down with him to discuss Fr. Popieluszko’s life and legacy. The interview transcript has been edited for length and clarity. Filip Mazurczak: Why did you decide to make a film about Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko? Paul Hensler: Since 1988 or 1989