History of the Immaculate Conception Parish.

Transcription

1 History of the Immaculate Conception Parish. Pamiętnik Złotego Jubileuszu Parafii Niepokalanego Poczęcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny w Indian Orchard, MA. CAP at Orchard Lake. In the recordings of the history of the United States, we find, as early as 1608, the first handful of Polish immigrants in Jamestown, Virginia. Captain John Smith gives them credit for saving the colony, because they were carpenters, blacksmiths, and masons who cleared the woods and set up factories, sawmills and soap works. Today, the Poles among us, and the Americans of Polish extraction total six million. Yet, their essential character has never changed. Fleeing from impoverishment and oppression, most Polish immigrants have come to America endowed with two precious possessions: an astounding capacity for hard work, and flaming love for freedom, denied them in their homeland. In the American Revolution for Independence at least 1,000 Polish names can be identified. From 1880 onward, we find more and more Polish people migrating to this country, because of oppression. Deeply devoted to their religion, they began to attend the existing Roman Catholic Churches wherever they settled, but they missed the elaborate pageantry of their village churches in Poland. After some resistance, the right to set up their own churches, manned by Polish priests and following Polish customs was granted to them. Today there are more than 900 such parishes in the United States. It became the goal of almost every Polish family to live within walking distance of its own church, around which all sorts of social activities centered. Polish workers scrimped and saved to buy homes of their own with at least a back yard in which to raise their own vegetables, because Polish people love the land. And so begins our own history of the Indian Orchard Parish. The first settler in Indian Orchard was John Jerzyk in In 1893, there were in Ludlow six Polish families and in 1901 about one hundred, most of which worked in the mills of the Ludlow Associates Inc. Among the names noted are: Wojciech Motyka, John Dryjowicz, Frank Nietupski, Stephen Rapalus, Stanislaus Chmura, Joseph Haluch, Louis Haluch, Stanislaus Prokop, Anna Prokop, the families of Pasierb and Wierzbicki, Sophie Stejna, Matthew Nowak, Carl Sambor, Jez family, Sophie Soja, the Piecuch family, Joseph Rozkuszka, Walenty Borek, Adalbert Smola, Frank Janik, the Kochanek family of Ludlow, Frank Baclawski, and the Grabowski family. The housing problem was acute; therefore 1

2 these families were grouped together in a few houses. The Ludlow Company in 1902 sold them some land on Burke, Lawe, and Falmouth Streets in Indian Orchard, to where the first Polish settlements were transferred. Parker Street at that time was a mucky swamp which in time was to be the site of our Polish Parish. In 1903, the Polish people organized the Saint Michael's benefit Society and permission was obtained from the Most Reverend Bishop Beaven to have the Franciscan Fathers from Chicopee celebrate a Sunday Mass in Saint Matthew's Church. All Baptisms, however, were administered and recorded in Chicopee. The first Franciscan Fathers who served the parishoners were: Reverend Stanislaus Czelusniak, Pastor, and Reverend Joseph Kordas, assistant. After one year, the Most Reverend Bishop Beaven gave the Polish people permission to organize a new parish, so a number of families met in the Ludlow Hall where with Father Czelusniak, presiding; they agreed to tax themselves $25 per family, to finance the project of erecting a new church. The Ludlow Mfg. Associates with Mr. Sydney Stevens as president, donated the land on Parker Street on which the present parish build ings stand. The building of the church was started in 1904 by contractor Denis Murphy of Chicopee with Father George Jaskulski, the Pastor, in charge. The cornerstone was laid on Labor Day September 5, 1904 by His Excellency Most Reverend Bishop Beaven and the first Mass was celebrated in the basement of the church on October 2, The altar was consecrated on that same day by Reverend Father Czelusniak. The auditorium of the new Polish church was used for the first time on Sunday March 26, 1905 with 600 people present. St. Michael's Society attended in a body. The dedication of the Immaculate Conception Church was performed by Most Reverend Bishop Beaven; the title of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception was given on the 50th anniversary of the Papal announcement of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On November 7th, 1904, Father George Jaskulski organized the first Young Women's Society. On December 14th, 1904, St. Michael's Society had its banner blessed; at this time the Society offered $100 for a church window with an image of Saint Michael. On December 23rd, 1904, contractor, Charles Trask of Springfield installed the bell which sent forth its joyous peals on Christmas Day. Reverend George Jaskulski officiated at the blessing. From 1905 to 1907, the Franciscan Fathers were in charge of the parish they commuted back and forth from Chicopee. Since there was no resident pastor, a delegation was sent to the Bishop. Their request was granted when in two days a resident pastor was assigned in the person of a newly ordained priest, Reverend Francis Kolodziej who remained in the parish from September 29, 1907 to January 25, Being a remarkable leader, he accomplished a great deal within a very short time. His ability and fine administrative-qualities were recognized by the Bishop who transferred him to Saint Stanislaus Parish in Adams, Massachusetts, where the financial burden on the newly built church weighed heavily on the parish. The second Pastor was Reverend Ladislaus Kielbasinski who was with us from January 25th,

3 to February 24, He built the present school and paid the debt on the church. The third Pastor was Reverend Leo Kwasniewski who came from St. Joseph's Home in New York. He was a young but sickly man who paid some debt on the school and built the new parish rectory in which he never lived. Father Kwasniewski died April 9, He was so loved by the parishioners that they carried his body on their shoulders, from the church to Saint Aloysius Cemetery. The fourth Pastor was Reverend Joseph Tomikowski who came from St. Mary's Worcester, as a young man, being a priest for only five years. He cleared the debt on the school, built a new convent for the Sisters in 1916, developed the land and made such wonderful improvements that today the parish can be proud of the fine grounds. There is a spacious playground for the children and ample room for a social center in the future. Father Joseph Tomikowski found the parish with a $38,000 debt. As administrator and a hard worker, he gained the confidence of his parishioners. He increased the parish property and in 1916 built a new convent for $12,000. It is a large, brick, threestory building, enough to house twenty Sisters. By 1924, the Parish was out of debt and the improvements were noteworthy. The elementary school building can accommodate 500 children. In all the years of its existence, tuition was free. It enjoys a good reputation and a high, scholastic standing; so much so, that 90 percent of the pupils enter Cathedral High School. The parish pays the expenses. In addition to his parish work and duties, Monsignor Tomikowski sacrificed much of his time and gave wise counsel wherever the cause of a free Poland arose. He helped out in all activities for its independence by buying Bonds and furnishing ambulances for the wounded. For three years Msgr. Tomikowski was incapacitated and so during that time the parish had an Administrator in the person of Fr. Ladislaus Szymczyk, who did a great work in keeping the parish together and also did make some improvements that were needed. Father Joseph Tomikowski was Pastor for forty-one years. In 1950, in recognition of his outstanding services to the diocese as a Diocesan Consultor and Examiner of the Junior Clergy for many years, he was made a Domestic Prelate of the Holy Father. He was a Scholar of high rank, a well read man of a brilliant mind, a good Administrator and wise organizer. It was through his efforts that a new parish was established for the Polish people of Springfield. In 1916, four men from John Sobieski's Society of Springfield, later the St. Joseph Society, were chosen to request the establishment of a permanent parish in Springfield, where the number of Polish people reached 700. Reverend Joseph Tomikowski was assigned to minister to our people and so for one and a half years a Sunday Mass was celebrated in the Syrian Church in Liberty Street. On July 15, 1917, Reverend Stanislaus Orlemanski, the present Pastor of Holy Rosary, who at that time was an Assistant at the Immaculate Conception Parish in Indian Orchard, was ordered by the Bishop to commence the establishment of a new parish. Again, in 1948, the need for a new parish was felt. Rt. Rev. Monsignor Tomikowski organized and established a separate unit in Ludlow, where a new church, Christ the King, was built, a temporary rectory bought, and land given for future developments. The new Pastor, Rev. John Mieczkowski received a sum of $11,000 and a new parish, free from debt began to flourish. 3

4 On November 16, 1954, Rt. Rev. Monsignor Tomikowski passed away to his heavenly reward and on February 21, 1955, the present Pastor, Rt. Rev. Monsignor John Wieloch was appointed Pastor of the Immaculate Conception Parish. He came from the Holy Rosary Parish in Hadley where he had been Pastor for nine years. The condition of this parish required immediate attention for Monsignor Tomikowski was sick and so incapacitated for a few years that repairs and improvements were, as a consequence, neglected. The new school-cafeteria in the basement of the church is outstanding; complete all around, with new equipment. The stainless steel sinks, electric dish washer, new lighting fixtures and asphalt floors in the dining hall, all add to the sanitary and clean condition of the cafeteria. The parish grounds are in the center of the Polish population of the Orchard, ninety-five percent of which own their own homes. The Polish people are thrifty, industrious and ambitious, the truth of which reveals it in their beautiful homes which are an asset to the community. They are well organized having twelve Social Civic Societies and Clubs centered on the parish and sixteen Church Societies. St. Michael's Society organized in 1904 with only 40 members was later changed to Guardia Tadeusza Kosciuszki, Group 1481, Polish National Alliance which is still in existence. It has its own club-building on Rapalus Street in the Orchard. The Polish Young Men's Alliance was organized in 1906 with twenty young men as a start; today they have their own building on Parker Street and are an asset to the community as a Civic and Social Club. Other helpful organizations of this community are: The 100 Club, The Kosciuszko Social and Civic Club, The Polish American Veterans, The Ladies' Auxiliary and The Polish Citizens Club composed of both men and women all of which help to make betted citizens here in Indian Orchard. The parish is a garden; a garden must have flowers, for what is a garden without flowers? The flowers in our garden are the priests and sisters from our parish. The Immaculate Conception Parish deserves to be called a good garden, for in its past fifty years we have had six priests and twenty five Sisters. Today we still have those who are being trained in the Seminary and in the Convent Novitiate. At present the parish has one hundred six altar boys; many of those, we hope, will someday enter the priesthood. The Polish nation has always been deeply reli gious, always faithful to God and the Church, hence, justly called the Bulwark of Christianity. The sons of Poland saved Europe twice from the barbaric hordes, once from the Turks in 1683 at Vienna and again in 1920 in Warsaw from the Bolsheviks; today, unfortunately, it is a satellite; nevertheless, Poland has a mission to fulfill and that is of converting Russia. The Polish land is saturated with the blood of martyrs. When Polish Pilgrims asked the Holy Father Pope Paul V for relics of martyrs, he said, "You don't need relics; your entire country is 4

5 saturated with the blood of martyrs. Polish people have been persecuted for the Faith like no other nation, but they withstood the persecution and today they serve as an example to the world, ready to give their lives, rather than to deny Christ. It is no wonder that Father Antoniewicz, a Polish priest, a Patriot, in the 1848 uprising of the Polish peasants, said these memorable words: "Half of heaven will be filled with Polish people". The Polish people have always been attached to their Church and to their priests; that is why their churches are beautiful and precious and they are rightly proud of them. The Polish people in the Orchard have a beautiful church, a rectory that resembles a palace, a school and convent that are their pride. We urge the Polish people to stand by and keep their Faith; to be attached to their Church and their priests, because they are the leaders for good and truth. The Polish nation always loved Mary, the Mother of God. From its earliest history, we know that the common people, the peasants, the royalty, the nobility, all, were always faithful to Mary. As a token of Her love for the Polish people, Our Lady appeared one hundred fifty times; as proof of the fact, we findi many miraculous pictures in Poland. The Blessed Virgin is called the Queen of the Polish nation. She herself requested that title, as tradition tells us. The nation has publicly and solemnly pronounced Her as Queen of Poland. It is no wonder then, that the Polish people, here in the Orchard wanted to name their church in Her honor the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is also the Patroness of the United States. She has blessed this Parish and protected it from harm and we firmly believe that She will continue to do so in the future. The Polish people love their country. In World War II, we had 875 soldiers in the services from Ludlow, Wilbraham and Indian Orchard. Out of these 35 gave their lives for the cause. In the First World War, four men made the supreme sacrifice. This testifies that our youth loves its fatherland, and is willing to give its life for it. For this reason, the good people of this parish begged God for peace and made a vow in order to obtain it. Its fulfillment is the fine Church in Ludlow dedicated to Christ the King, a monument of their love of God and Country. They had also collected $6,000 in voluntary contributions to erect a monument a living memorial to the fallen comrades. This impressive marble structure, of which we are very proud, was erected on the parish grounds in 1955 and blessed on April 29,