Franciszek Chalupka
Encyclopedia
Fr. Franciszek Chalupka - founder of the first Polish-American parishes in New England
.
Chalupka was born in (Czech) Austria-Hungary
. He completed his classical studies in Poland
and on March 25, 1884 arrived in the United States.
He studied theology at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore
, Maryland
and then in the Seminary in Orchard Lake
.
Ordained by Bishop Patrick O'Reilly in St. Michael's Cathedral
in Springfield, Massachusetts
, on May 20, 1888. He became the first priest of Polish descent to be ordained in Hampden County
.
To obtain the services of a priest with a knowledge of Polish language, the parishioners of St. Joseph Parish, Webster
, sent a demand to Fr. Joseph Dabrowski, founder and rector of the Polish Seminary St. Cyril and Methodius University in Detroit. This person was Fr. Franciszek Chalupka, though a sum of $600 had to be paid for his tuition at the Seminary. The money was collected within two weeks, and among the largest offerings $100 was a gift of three Americans: Messers G. Tracey, John W. Dobbie and Louis E. Pattison. After removing the financial obstacles, April 1, 1889, Fr. Franciszek Chalupka came to the parish of St. Joseph in Webster, where he celebrated the first Mass in the new church.
St. Joseph Parish in Webster was the first Polish-American parish in New England.
Franciszek Chalupka quickly repaid the debts of the parish, bought land for a parish cemetery on Worcester Rd, and the land for the parish school, which was opened in September 1892 with four Felician Sisters as teachers.
In 1890, Bishop Patrick O'Reilly appointed Chalupka spiritual adviser to the group responsible for organizing the new parishes and entrusted him with organizing a new Polish St. Stanislaus Parish in Chicopee
, Massachusetts
. On December 25, 1891, Fr. Chalupka celebrated their first midnight Mass in the newly built, as yet unfinished, wooden church. Construction of this church had taken 12 years, and the cost was $17,000.
When the church was under construction, the United States were hit by the hardest, although short-term Depression in American history. The whole industry collapsed during the panic on the stock exchange in 1893
. There was high unemployment among immigrants, which meant that many Poles in Chicopee resulting in starvation condition. During those hard times, young Fr. Chalupka, visited the homes of wealthy people, begging for financial assistance. Money he collected, were used to pay for food and coal. The efforts of the young priest earned him legendary status in the community of Polish immigrants.
In 1902 he returned to Webster, Massachusetts
.
At that time, the parish St. Joseph's Society numbered 450 members. As a result of some misunderstanding, the Society was divided into three groups, and one of them broke away, to organize its own National Church in 1903, while the other two groups remained with the parish and adopted the name St. Joseph's Society and the Society of King John Sobieski. As a result of this Fr. Chalupka resigned from the parish and in 1908, moved to Turners Falls
, where he began overseeing the construction of the new church.
Died in 1909 in Webster, Massachusetts.
Polish-American Roman Catholic parishes in New England
- Resources :# Dolores A. Liptak, "The Bishops of Hartford and the New Immigrants ", U.S. Catholic Historian, Vol. 1, No. 2 , pp. 37-53.# The Official Catholic Directory in USA# # # # # # # # # # # # # #...
.
Chalupka was born in (Czech) Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
. He completed his classical studies in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and on March 25, 1884 arrived in the United States.
He studied theology at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
and then in the Seminary in Orchard Lake
SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary
SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary is a four-year private Polish seminary in Orchard Lake, Michigan. The seminary, taking its name from Saints Cyril and Methodius, was founded in 1885 in Detroit, Michigan, to prepare candidates for the Roman Catholic priesthood primarily to serve Polish American...
.
Ordained by Bishop Patrick O'Reilly in St. Michael's Cathedral
St. Michael's Cathedral, Springfield
St. Michael's Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts, United States.Located on State Street in Springfield, Massachusetts, the cathedral was built in the 1860s based on plans from noted architect Patrick Keely of Brooklyn, New York.It was...
in Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
, on May 20, 1888. He became the first priest of Polish descent to be ordained in Hampden County
Hampden County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2004, there were 461,228 people, 175,288 households, and 115,690 families residing in the county. The population density was 738 people per square mile . There were 185,876 housing units at an average density of 301 per square mile...
.
To obtain the services of a priest with a knowledge of Polish language, the parishioners of St. Joseph Parish, Webster
St. Joseph Parish, Webster
St. Joseph Parish - designated for Polish immigrants in Webster, Massachusetts, United States.Founded 1887. It is one of the first Polish-American Roman Catholic parishes in New England in the Diocese of Worcester....
, sent a demand to Fr. Joseph Dabrowski, founder and rector of the Polish Seminary St. Cyril and Methodius University in Detroit. This person was Fr. Franciszek Chalupka, though a sum of $600 had to be paid for his tuition at the Seminary. The money was collected within two weeks, and among the largest offerings $100 was a gift of three Americans: Messers G. Tracey, John W. Dobbie and Louis E. Pattison. After removing the financial obstacles, April 1, 1889, Fr. Franciszek Chalupka came to the parish of St. Joseph in Webster, where he celebrated the first Mass in the new church.
St. Joseph Parish in Webster was the first Polish-American parish in New England.
Franciszek Chalupka quickly repaid the debts of the parish, bought land for a parish cemetery on Worcester Rd, and the land for the parish school, which was opened in September 1892 with four Felician Sisters as teachers.
In 1890, Bishop Patrick O'Reilly appointed Chalupka spiritual adviser to the group responsible for organizing the new parishes and entrusted him with organizing a new Polish St. Stanislaus Parish in Chicopee
St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr's Parish, Chicopee
St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr's Parish - designated for Polish immigrants in Chicopee, Massachusetts, United States.- History :In 1890 the Bishop Patrick O'Reilly appointed Fr. Franciszek Chalupka spiritual adviser to the group responsible for organizing the new parishes and entrusted him with...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. On December 25, 1891, Fr. Chalupka celebrated their first midnight Mass in the newly built, as yet unfinished, wooden church. Construction of this church had taken 12 years, and the cost was $17,000.
When the church was under construction, the United States were hit by the hardest, although short-term Depression in American history. The whole industry collapsed during the panic on the stock exchange in 1893
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...
. There was high unemployment among immigrants, which meant that many Poles in Chicopee resulting in starvation condition. During those hard times, young Fr. Chalupka, visited the homes of wealthy people, begging for financial assistance. Money he collected, were used to pay for food and coal. The efforts of the young priest earned him legendary status in the community of Polish immigrants.
In 1902 he returned to Webster, Massachusetts
Webster, Massachusetts
-Media:* Worcester Telegram & Gazette * Webster Times, published every Friday* The Patriot, published every Wednesday* WGFP-AM 940, a country music station* Boston Globe* Boston Herald-Library:...
.
At that time, the parish St. Joseph's Society numbered 450 members. As a result of some misunderstanding, the Society was divided into three groups, and one of them broke away, to organize its own National Church in 1903, while the other two groups remained with the parish and adopted the name St. Joseph's Society and the Society of King John Sobieski. As a result of this Fr. Chalupka resigned from the parish and in 1908, moved to Turners Falls
Turners Falls, Massachusetts
Turners Falls is an unincorporated village and census-designated place in the town of Montague in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,441 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, where he began overseeing the construction of the new church.
Died in 1909 in Webster, Massachusetts.