Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish, Boston
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Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish, which was designated for Polish immigrants at Dorchester Ave Dorchester,
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
, was founded in 1893. This is one of
Polish-American Roman Catholic parishes in New England Polish-American Roman Catholic parishes - founded by Polish immigrants in New England, United States from 1887. There are 78 Polish-American Roman Catholic parishes in 10 dioceses. Fr. Franciszek Chalupka was the founder of the first Polish-Ameri ...
in the Archdiocese of Boston.


History

Among the
immigrants Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...
of many
ethnic An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
groups, who come to the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
at the end of the nineteenth century, there was a significant number of
Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, who share a common history, culture, the Polish language and are identified with the country of Poland in Ce ...
, who for various reasons left their homeland. Relatively many of them settled in
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, especially in the southern part of the town of Dorchester. In 1893 to the Italian ''Sacred Heart Parish'' in
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, arrived Polish priest, Fr. Jan M. Chmieliński The group selected their representatives, who went to Archbishop John J. Williams, asking him to authorize Fr. Chmieliński to organize a Polish congregation. Archbishop John J. Williams has appointed Fr. Chmieliński, the pastor of the Polish Catholics of
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, Salem and elsewhere. In the meantime, a number of parish-related organizations were formed such as: *
Polish National Alliance The Polish National Alliance ( pol. ''Związek Narodowy Polski'', PNA) is the largest and one of the oldest Polish fraternal organizations in the United States. The original goal was to mobilize support among Polish Americans for the liberatio ...
( pol. ''Związek Narodowy Polski w USA''), * Polish Women's Alliance of American - PWAA ( pol. ''Związek Polek W Ameryce''), *
Polish Roman Catholic Union of America The Polish Roman Catholic Union of America ("PRCUA") (pol. ''Zjednoczenie Polskie Rzymsko-Katolickie w Ameryce'') is the oldest Polish American organization in the United States. Currently licensed to sell its products in 27 states, it is a frat ...
( pol. ''Zjednoczenie Polskie Rzymsko-Katolickie''), *
Polish Falcons The Polish Falcons of America ( pl, Sokoły Polskie Ameryki) is a nonprofit fraternal benefit society, with a strong emphasis on physical fitness. History The "falcon" movement originated after the suppression of the Polish uprising of 1863. ...
( pol. ''Polskie Towarzystwo Gimnastyczne "Sokół"'), * ( pol.) Macierz Polska, * ( pol.) Towarzystwo Bratniej Pomocy Studentów (pot. Bratniak, * St. Anne's Society ( pol. ''Towarzystwo św. Anny''), * Polish American Citizen Club ( pol. ''Polsko-Amerykański Klub Obywatelski''), * Polish Army Veterans Association in America ( pol. ''Stowarzyszenie Weteranów Armii Polskiej w Ameryce (SWAP)''), * ( pol.) Koło Dramatu i Śpiewu The architect for the 1903 building was T. Edward Sheehan of Dorchester, MA. Between 1906 and 1908 three Felician nuns from Buffalo were brought in to teach in the basement of the church. In 1911 a school was completed including a hall in the basement for parish functions. By 1926 school enrollment increased from an initial 103 students to 642. Eight nuns and two lay teachers were hired with approximately 60 students per class. After Fr. Chmielinski's death in 1937, Rev Bartula is appointed pastor followed by Rev. Naguszewski. In 1940 Cardinal William O'Connell entrusts the parish to the Franciscan fathers. Fr. Michael Cieslik. O.F.M. is the first Franciscan pastor and serves until 1942. In 1942, Fr. Stephen Musielak, O.F.M. is appointed pastor and serves as pastor until 1957. During that time, a club for teenagers and young adults was organized using the lower church hall for a meeting place. Fr. Musielak played a leading role in the settling of the post World War II wave of new Polish immigrants helping them locate family and friends in the US and finding lodging, securing employment, establishing residence and obtaining medical care. From 1943 to 1951 post WWII immigrants and non-Polish families from Old Colony Housing Project create mixed school enrollment. Classes are divided into two separate groups—1. exclusively in English and 2. Polish language as well as English. In 1957 Fr. Angelus Zator is named pastor and services until 1966. He establishes St. Mary's Drum and Bugle Corps as well as a Parent Teachers Association. In 1967 Rev. Edwin Agonis, OFM becomes pastor. In 1968 the church celebrates its 75th Diamond Jubilee with a concelebrated Mass presided over by Cardinal Richard Cushing. In 1973 Rev Manual Wolkanowski OFM is appointed pastor through 1979. Fire ravages the church causing disastrous damage. Permission is granted by Cardinal Humberto Medeiros to repair and rebuild the church. In 1978 Karol Jozef Wojtyla is elected Pope and takes the name, John Paul II. In 1983, the church celebrates its 90th Anniversary. In 1986, Cardinal
Bernard Law Bernard Francis Law (November 4, 1931 – December 20, 2017) was an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, known largely for covering up the serial rape of children by Catholic priests. He served as Archbishop of Boston, archprie ...
during
pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...
to the
shrine A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy sacred space, space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor worship, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, Daemon (mythology), daem ...
in Kraków-Łagiewniki
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
, asked the Mother General of The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy ( pol. ''Zgromadzenie Sióstr Matki Bożej Miłosierdzia''), Sr. Paulina Słomka, about the several sisters in Boston to establish a community of The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The three sisters came to Boston on September 15, 1988, where they set up temporarily at the Convent in the Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish. It was the first international house founded outside of Poland. On October 10, 1993, the sisters moved to the current convent near ''St. Ann's Parish'' at the Neponset Ave. in Dorchester.


Pastors

* Fr. Jan M. Chmieliński (1893–1934) * Fr. Peter Bartula (1935–1938), * Fr. Edward B. Naguszewski (1936–1940). In 1940 Cardinal
William Henry O'Connell William Henry O'Connell (December 8, 1859 – April 22, 1944) was an American cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Boston from 1907 until his death in 1944, and was made a cardinal in 1911. Early life William O'Connell wa ...
entrusted the parish to the care of the
Conventual Franciscans The Order of Friars Minor Conventual (OFM Conv) is a male religious fraternity in the Roman Catholic Church that is a branch of the Franciscans. The friars in OFM CONV are also known as Conventual Franciscans, or Minorites. Dating back to ...
Fathers: * Fr. Michael Cieślik OFM Conv (1940–1942) * Fr. Stephen Musielak OFM Conv (1942–1957) * Fr. Angelus Zator OFM Conv (1957–1966) * Fr. Alfred Stopyra OFM Conv (1966–1967) * Fr. Edwin Agonis OFM Conv (1967–1973) * Fr. Manual Wolkanowski OFM Conv (1973–1979) * Fr. John Bambol OFM Conv (1979–1985) * Fr. Andrew Skiba OFM Conv (1985–1991) * Fr. Paul Miśkiewicz OFM Conv (1991–1994) :In 1994 the parish was taken over by
Conventual Franciscans The Order of Friars Minor Conventual (OFM Conv) is a male religious fraternity in the Roman Catholic Church that is a branch of the Franciscans. The friars in OFM CONV are also known as Conventual Franciscans, or Minorites. Dating back to ...
from Polish Prowincja Matki Bożej Niepokalanej in
Warszawa Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officiall ...
,
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
: * Fr. Andrzej Sujka OFM Conv (1994–2000) * Fr. Miroslaw Podymniak OFM Conv (2001–2006) * Fr. Jerzy Auguścik OFM Conv (2006–2008) * Fr. Andrzej UrbaniakArchdiocese of Boston Places Rev. Andrzej Urbaniak on Administrative Leave of Absence following his arrest on child pornography charges
/ref> OFM Conv (2008 - suspended in 2012) * Fr. Jan Łempicki OFM Conv (2013–2015) * Fr. Jerzy Żebrowski OFM Conv (2015–)


See also

*
List of churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston This is a list of current and former Roman Catholic churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. The archdiocese includes more than 300 churches. The cathedral church of the diocese is the Cathedral of Holy Cross. The archdiocese is divi ...


References


Bibliography

* * * The Official Catholic Directory in USA


External links


Our Lady Of Czestochowa - Diocesan information

Our Lady Of Czestochowa - ParishesOnline.com

Archdiocese of Boston





The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Boston, Massachusetts

Parish bulletins
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boston Roman Catholic parishes of Archdiocese of Boston Polish-American Roman Catholic parishes in Massachusetts