St. Joseph Parish, Webster
Encyclopedia
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
.
In 1998, the parish church was raised to the dignity of a minor basilica
by Pope John Paul II
.
of 1863. New immigrants initially attend the Mass in the St. Louis Church in Webster, assisted by the Polish clergy of New York. As the number of immigrants continued to increase, with the consent of the Bishop of Springfield, Massachusetts, a new St. Joseph Parish was established in 1887.
The first pastor was a graduate of SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary
in Orchard Lake
, Fr. Franciszek Chalupka
. Thanks to the generosity and hard work of these first immigrants Fr. Franciszek Chalupka
was able not only to repay the debt of the parish, but also to acquire land for the construction of a parochial school, which opened in September 1892,
administered by the Felician Sisters
. Recognizing the need to have a final resting place of the earth, land was purchased in 1903 at Worcester Rd for the parish cemetery.
, whose main task was education, were invited as a Polish school personnel. It was their first missionary establishment in New England
, where it continues to this day.
In the first year, 90 children attended to St. Joseph School and their number increased in 1906 to 500, indicating the rapid growth of the parish within a decade. In 1924, fire destroyed a school building, leaving 1100 children without classrooms. Under the leadership of the parish priest, Fr. Anthony Cyran, a new, 20 classes school was built and opened in 1925. Number of students in the St. Joseph School grew steadily, reaching its peak, 1105 students and 18 teachers in 1928. But in 1992, at 100th anniversary of the parish, there were only 197 registered children.
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 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:...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Founded 1887. It is one of the first Polish-American Roman Catholic parishes in New England
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# # # # # # # # # # # # # #...
in the Diocese of Worcester
Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. The geographic boundaries of the diocese are the same as those of Worcester County, Massachusetts, the geographically largest county of the...
.
In 1998, the parish church was raised to the dignity of a minor basilica
Minor basilica
Minor basilica is a title given to some Roman Catholic churches. By canon law no Catholic church can be honoured with the title of basilica unless by apostolic grant or from immemorial custom....
by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
.
History
Polish immigrants came to this part of the United States after the country failed to win its independence in the January UprisingJanuary Uprising
The January Uprising was an uprising in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against the Russian Empire...
of 1863. New immigrants initially attend the Mass in the St. Louis Church in Webster, assisted by the Polish clergy of New York. As the number of immigrants continued to increase, with the consent of the Bishop of Springfield, Massachusetts, a new St. Joseph Parish was established in 1887.
The first pastor was a graduate of SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary
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...
in Orchard Lake
Orchard Lake
Orchard Lake is a medium-sized inland lake, 795 acres . It has a 110 feet maximum depth and is in the city of Orchard Lake Village, Oakland County, in Michigan, USA. It is the second-largest lake in Oakland County after Cass Lake....
, 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....
. Thanks to the generosity and hard work of these first immigrants 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....
was able not only to repay the debt of the parish, but also to acquire land for the construction of a parochial school, which opened in September 1892,
administered by the Felician Sisters
Felician Sisters
The Sisters of St. Felix of Cantalice, or Felician Sisters, are one branch of the Third Order of St. Francis. The active-contemplative order was founded in Warsaw, Poland, in 1855, by Sophia Truszkowska, and named for a shrine of St. Felix, a 16th century Franciscan saint especially devoted to...
. Recognizing the need to have a final resting place of the earth, land was purchased in 1903 at Worcester Rd for the parish cemetery.
Pastors
- Fr. Franciszek Chałupka (1887-1908)
- Fr. Stanisław Łączyński
- Fr. Wacław Lenz
- Fr. Tarnowski OFM ConvConventual FranciscansThe Order of Friars Minor Conventual , commonly known as the Conventual Franciscans, is a branch of the order of Catholic Friars founded by Francis of Assisi in 1209.-History:...
- Fr. Czeluśniak OFM ConvConventual FranciscansThe Order of Friars Minor Conventual , commonly known as the Conventual Franciscans, is a branch of the order of Catholic Friars founded by Francis of Assisi in 1209.-History:...
- Fr. Bok OFM ConvConventual FranciscansThe Order of Friars Minor Conventual , commonly known as the Conventual Franciscans, is a branch of the order of Catholic Friars founded by Francis of Assisi in 1209.-History:...
- Fr. Jaskulski OFM ConvConventual FranciscansThe Order of Friars Minor Conventual , commonly known as the Conventual Franciscans, is a branch of the order of Catholic Friars founded by Francis of Assisi in 1209.-History:...
- Rev. Msgr. PrelatePrelateA prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
Anthony Cyran (1910-1935) - Rev. Msgr. dr. PrelatePrelateA prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
Andrew Lekarczyk (1935-1965) - Rev. Msgr. Stanislaus Kubik (1935-1983)
- Fr. Thaddeus Stachura (1983-1993)
- Rev. Msgr. PrelatePrelateA prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
Anthony Czarnecki (1993- )
School
St. Joseph School was founded in 1892. Congregation of the Felician SistersFelician Sisters
The Sisters of St. Felix of Cantalice, or Felician Sisters, are one branch of the Third Order of St. Francis. The active-contemplative order was founded in Warsaw, Poland, in 1855, by Sophia Truszkowska, and named for a shrine of St. Felix, a 16th century Franciscan saint especially devoted to...
, whose main task was education, were invited as a Polish school personnel. It was their first missionary establishment in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, where it continues to this day.
In the first year, 90 children attended to St. Joseph School and their number increased in 1906 to 500, indicating the rapid growth of the parish within a decade. In 1924, fire destroyed a school building, leaving 1100 children without classrooms. Under the leadership of the parish priest, Fr. Anthony Cyran, a new, 20 classes school was built and opened in 1925. Number of students in the St. Joseph School grew steadily, reaching its peak, 1105 students and 18 teachers in 1928. But in 1992, at 100th anniversary of the parish, there were only 197 registered children.
External links
- St. Joseph Parish - ParishesOnline.com
- St. Joseph Parish - TheCatholicDirectory.com
- Diocese of Worcester