Holy Family Parish, Pittsfield
Encyclopedia
Holy Family Parish ,designated for Polish immigrants
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 Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, was founded in 1912. It is one of the 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 Springfield in Massachusetts
Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts
The 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...

. The parish closed in 2008.

History

In 1912 the Polish people of Pittsfield
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...

 sent a special three man delegation to Bishop of Springfield
Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts
The 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...

, Thomas Bevan.
The delegation (Joseph Ziemak, Joseph Zaorski and Stanley Pisiewski) requested for a Polish priest to be sent as a founder of a new Polish parish in Pittsfield.

Since the matter was resolved immediately and positively, a few months later Fr. Francis Wheeler, pastor of the Adams, Massachusetts
Adams, Massachusetts
Adams is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 8,485 at the 2010 census.-History:...

, wrote a letter to the Bishop of Springfield
Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts
The 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...

on behalf of the delegation, stressing the need to establish a Polish parish in Pittsfield. In response to the petition and delegates, Bishop Fr. Kolodziej appointed Reverend Boleslaw Bojanowski, a Polish priest, to be pastor of the Polish community in Pittsfield. On January 18, 1913, Rev. Boleslaw Bojanowski arrived in Pittsfield, as the minister of all Poles in the city and its surroundings. Upon him was placed the obligation to organize the life of the Church, in its territory and create a new parish. In a short time arose a new Polish parish under the name of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. Since then Poles have had their own devotion led by a Polish priest. Not having its own church, however, able to hear Mass at the St. Charles Church, courtesy of the local priest. Father Bojanowski performed the duties of pastor for three months, in his newly created parish of the Immaculate Conception in the chapel of St. Linden.

In 1921, the bishop sent Fr. Joseph Stanczyk as the new pastor. The new pastor inherited a particularly difficult situation. However, after some time, thanks to his goodness and simplicity, Fr. Stanczyk received the full support of his parishioners, who were very willing to work together for the benefit and development of the parish. The present chapel of St. Linden. was insufficient to meet the needs of growing populations and plans to build a new church began. Nearby a large building called the Old Car Barn was put up for sale. After consulting with parishioners, Fr. Stanczyk purchased the building on Seymour Street for $8500. Parishioners willingly undertook the soliciting of funds to pay for acquiring the building and the costs of re-construction and renovation into a church edifice. The cost of rebuilding, repair and equipment amounted to approximately $60,000. In 1924, Pittsfield witnessed the consecration of new church, which acquired a new name of the Holy Family Parish. The lower part of the building was converted into a school. Classes began in 1922 and were held three times a week.

Pastors

  • Rev. Bolesław Bojanowski (1912-1912)
  • Rev. Victor Zarek (1912-1917)
  • Rev. Waclaw Maleniewski (1917-1921)
  • Rev. Józef Stanczyk (1921-1929)
  • Rev. Walenty Teclaw (1929-1955)
  • Rev. Ladislaus Rys (1955-1960)
  • Rev. John Klekotka (1960-)

External links

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