Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish, Coventry

Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish - designated for Polish immigrants in Coventry, Rhode Island (Former Quidnick village), United States.

Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish
Location445 Washington Street
Coventry, Rhode Island
CountryUnited States
DenominationRoman Catholic
History
Founded1905 (1905)
Founder(s)Polish immigrants
DedicationOur Lady of Czestochowa
DedicatedApril 21, 1907 (1907-04-21)
Administration
DioceseProvidence
ProvinceHartford
Clergy
Bishop(s)Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, D.D.
Pastor(s)Rev. Jacek Ploch

Founded in 1905, it is one of the Polish-American Roman Catholic parishes in New England in the Diocese of Providence.

History

In 1905, the Bishop of the Diocese of Providence Matthew Harkins sent Father Francis Kluger to organize the parish. On October 22, 1905, Fr. Francis Kluger began celebrating Mass in the basement of St. John's Church.
The first pastor, Fr. John M. Nowicki arrived in Quidnick on November 2, 1906.

The Gothic style edifice of the church with a seating capacity of 400 was completed in the spring of 1907. As an expression of their great love and devotion to the Mother of God, the Polish immigrants named the church Our Lady of Czestochowa, in honor of Mary's most famous shrine in Poland. The church was blessed and dedicated by Bishop Harkins on April 21, 1907. Fr. Franciszek Chalupka of Webster, Massachusetts, was also present at this solemn occasion.

Pastors
  • Rev. John M. Nowicki[1] (1905-1907)
  • Rev. Michael Dutkiewicz[2] (1907-1914)
  • Rev. Lawrence Malecki (1914-1917)
  • Rev. Kluger (1917-1921)
  • Rev. J. Olechnowicz (1921-1922)
  • Rev. Bronislaus S. Rosiak (1922-1934)
  • Rev. Joseph J. Glodzik (1934-1948)
  • Rev. Peter Narewski (1948-1950)
  • Rev. John T. Borek (1950-1955)
  • Rev. Anthony D. lwuc (1955-1972)
  • Rev. Peter Narewski (1972-1986)
  • Rev. Czesław Leon Kachel (1986-1989)
  • Rev. Kenneth J. Suibielski (1989-1990)
  • Rev. John D. Dreher (1990-1999)
  • Rev. Stephen P. Amaral (1999-2017)
  • Rev. Jacek Ploch (2017–present)

See also

References
  1. Fr. John M. Nowicki publicly he was known as Fr. John Marianski. It is conjectured that he changed his name to conceal his identity lest he be traced down by the Russians. Fr. John M. Nowicki was on the Czars black list and was afraid to return to Poland after he completed his studies in Louvain, Belgium. Therefore, when offered an opportunity to come to the United States, Father John M. Nowicki gladly accepted Bishop Matthew Harkins' invitation.
  2. Rev. Michael Dutkiewicz biography

Bibliography
  • A brief parish history from the 1957 Jubilee Book; Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish - Quidnick RI. Quidnick, Rhode Island: the internet Polish Genealogical Source. 1957.
  • Kruszka, Waclaw (1998). A History of the Poles in America to 1908; Part III: Poles in the Eastern and Southern States. Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press.
  • The 150th Anniversary of Polish-American Pastoral Ministry. Webster, Massachusetts: St. Joseph Basilica. September 11, 2005.
  • The Official Catholic Directory in USA
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