SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Three Rivers
Encyclopedia
SS Peter & Paul Parish - designated for Polish immigrants
in Three Rivers, Massachusetts
, United States
.
Sts. Peter and Paul Parish merged with St. Anne Parish in 2010 to form Divine Mercy Parish in Sts. Peter and Paul's facilities.
in the year 1886. Through the efforts of Fr. Franciszek Chalupka
, the small but respected group of Polish settlers in Three Rivers
, Thorndike and Bondsville
were organized the St. Joseph Men's Society of Thorndike in April of 1895.
In 1899 the St. Joseph's Society chose representatives and the committee visited the Most Rev. Bishop Daniel T. Beaven and with the assistance of a young lawyer, David Dillon, they finally were granted permission to organize and to establish the SS. Peter and Paul Parish at Four Corners in Three Rivers
.
In July 1902, the Most Rev. Bishop Daniel T. Beaven appointed the Rev. Venceslaus Lenz as the first pastor for Polish descent residing in the towns at Four Corners. At the first meeting they decided to build the Church in the center of the town of Palmer
and chose the present site in the village of Three Rivers
opposite the Town Hall.
Polish American
A Polish American , is a citizen of the United States of Polish descent. There are an estimated 10 million Polish Americans, representing about 3.2% of the population of the United States...
in Three Rivers, Massachusetts
Three Rivers, Massachusetts
Three Rivers is a village and former census-designated place in the town of Palmer in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
- Founded 1903. It is one of the Polish-American Roman Catholic parishes in New EnglandPolish-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# # # # # # # # # # # # # #...
in the Diocese of Springfield in MassachusettsRoman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in MassachusettsThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States comprising the counties of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden in the state of Massachusetts. It is led by...
.
Sts. Peter and Paul Parish merged with St. Anne Parish in 2010 to form Divine Mercy Parish in Sts. Peter and Paul's facilities.
History
According to the record, the first Polish immigrant came to the town of PalmerPalmer, Massachusetts
The Town of Palmer is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,140 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in the year 1886. Through the efforts of Fr. Franciszek Chalupka
Franciszek Chalupka
Fr. Franciszek Chalupka - founder of the first Polish-American parishes in New England.Chalupka was born in Austria-Hungary. He completed his classical studies in Poland and on March 25, 1884 arrived in the United States....
, the small but respected group of Polish settlers in Three Rivers
Three Rivers, Massachusetts
Three Rivers is a village and former census-designated place in the town of Palmer in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Thorndike and Bondsville
Bondsville, Massachusetts
Bondsville is a village and former census-designated place located primarily in the town of Palmer in Hampden County in the western part of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The CDP boundaries extend slightly into the adjacent town of Belchertown in Hampshire County. The population of the CDP was...
were organized the St. Joseph Men's Society of Thorndike in April of 1895.
In 1899 the St. Joseph's Society chose representatives and the committee visited the Most Rev. Bishop Daniel T. Beaven and with the assistance of a young lawyer, David Dillon, they finally were granted permission to organize and to establish the SS. Peter and Paul Parish at Four Corners in Three Rivers
Three Rivers, Massachusetts
Three Rivers is a village and former census-designated place in the town of Palmer in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
In July 1902, the Most Rev. Bishop Daniel T. Beaven appointed the Rev. Venceslaus Lenz as the first pastor for Polish descent residing in the towns at Four Corners. At the first meeting they decided to build the Church in the center of the town of Palmer
Palmer, Massachusetts
The Town of Palmer is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,140 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and chose the present site in the village of Three Rivers
Three Rivers, Massachusetts
Three Rivers is a village and former census-designated place in the town of Palmer in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
opposite the Town Hall.
Pastors
- Rev. Venceslaus Lenz (1902-1911)
- Rev. Wladyslaw Kielbasinski (1911-1913)
- Rev. Andrew Krzywda (1913-1947)
- Rev. Joseph Szczepaniak (1947-1948)
- Rev. Alphonse A. Skoniecki (1948-1972)
- Rev. Robert J. Ceckowski (1972-1997)
- Rev. Stefan Niemczyk (1997-2010)