St. Adalbert's Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
St. Adalbert's Church referred to in Polish
as 'Kościół Świętego Wojciecha', is a Roman Catholic Parish located at 1923 W. Becher St on Milwaukee's South Side, and one of Milwaukee's 'Polish Cathedral's.
was laid and blessed under the guidance of Rev. Michael Domachowski was also named as the first parish priest.
On February 28, 1909, the church and its adjoining school
were blessed and completed later that year. The students were taught by the School Sisters of Notre Dame
. On September 18, 1909 Domachowski was followed by another priest Wacław (Wenceslaus) Kruszka fresh from his extensive “exile” in Ripon
. He was elated to finally have a Milwaukee parish, which had been brokered by the Polish bishop in Chicago
, Auxiliary Bishop Paul Peter Rhode
.
Father Kruszka brought love and passion to his parish. The adjoining school
reached its peak enrollment by 1924, when 1,585 pupils were taught by 23 sisters. Due to growing attendance and the popularity of the pastor, the parish decided to build a new church at a cost of $252,000 on land donated by St. Hyacinth’s parish. On April 23, 1931 the church was completed and blessed.
During the time, Father Kruszka was also instrumental in organizing the new Blessed Sacrament Parish on 41st and Oklahoma Streets.
on the northwest corner of the church was built to resemble that of Wawel Cathedral
in Cracow, Poland
. The copper
clad belfry
holds four bells
with the names of St. Adalbert
, Jesus
, Mary
, and the Angel
inscribed on them. The church became well known in the Milwaukee area for its beautiful stained glass windows
.
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
as 'Kościół Świętego Wojciecha', is a Roman Catholic Parish located at 1923 W. Becher St on Milwaukee's South Side, and one of Milwaukee's 'Polish Cathedral's.
Dedication
- See Adalbert of PragueAdalbert of PragueThis article is about St Adalbert of Prague. For other uses, see Adalbert .Saint Adalbert, Czech: ; , , Czech Roman Catholic saint, a Bishop of Prague and a missionary, was martyred in his efforts to convert the Baltic Prussians. He evangelized Poles and Hungarians. St...
, Czech / Polish martyr and saint of the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
.
History
With the need for additional churches exploding on Milwaukee's South Side, five lots were purchased on the corner of Becher and South 19th street on June 23, 1908. Two months later the cornerstoneCornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
was laid and blessed under the guidance of Rev. Michael Domachowski was also named as the first parish priest.
On February 28, 1909, the church and its adjoining school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
were blessed and completed later that year. The students were taught by the School Sisters of Notre Dame
School Sisters of Notre Dame
School Sisters of Notre Dame is a worldwide order of Roman Catholic nuns devoted to primary, secondary, and post-secondary education. Their life in mission centers on prayer, community life and ministry...
. On September 18, 1909 Domachowski was followed by another priest Wacław (Wenceslaus) Kruszka fresh from his extensive “exile” in Ripon
Ripon, Wisconsin
Ripon is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,828. The City of Ripon's official website claims the city's current population to be 7,701. The city is surrounded by the Town of Ripon....
. He was elated to finally have a Milwaukee parish, which had been brokered by the Polish bishop in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Auxiliary Bishop Paul Peter Rhode
Paul Peter Rhode
Paul Peter Rhode was a Polish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Green Bay from 1915 until his death in 1945.-Biography:...
.
Father Kruszka brought love and passion to his parish. The adjoining school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
reached its peak enrollment by 1924, when 1,585 pupils were taught by 23 sisters. Due to growing attendance and the popularity of the pastor, the parish decided to build a new church at a cost of $252,000 on land donated by St. Hyacinth’s parish. On April 23, 1931 the church was completed and blessed.
During the time, Father Kruszka was also instrumental in organizing the new Blessed Sacrament Parish on 41st and Oklahoma Streets.
Architecture
The church is the city’s only example of Polish-inspired Romanesque Revival architecture. The tall towerTower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
on the northwest corner of the church was built to resemble that of Wawel Cathedral
Wawel Cathedral
The Wawel Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Stanisław and Vaclav, is a church located on Wawel Hill in Kraków–Poland's national sanctuary. It has a 1,000-year history and was the traditional coronation site of Polish monarchs. It is the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Kraków...
in Cracow, 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...
. The copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
clad belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
holds four bells
Church bell
A church bell is a bell which is rung in a church either to signify the hour or the time for worshippers to go to church, perhaps to attend a wedding, funeral, or other service...
with the names of St. Adalbert
Adalbert of Prague
This article is about St Adalbert of Prague. For other uses, see Adalbert .Saint Adalbert, Czech: ; , , Czech Roman Catholic saint, a Bishop of Prague and a missionary, was martyred in his efforts to convert the Baltic Prussians. He evangelized Poles and Hungarians. St...
, Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
, and the Angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
inscribed on them. The church became well known in the Milwaukee area for its beautiful stained glass windows
Stained Glass Windows
Stained Glass Windows was an early broadcast television program, broadcast on early Sunday evenings on the ABC network. The program was a religious broadcast, hosted by the Reverend Everett Parker....
.