St. Joseph Parish, Ansonia
Encyclopedia
St. Joseph Parish is a church 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 Ansonia, Connecticut
Ansonia, Connecticut
Ansonia is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, on the Naugatuck River, immediately north of Derby and about northwest of New Haven. The population was 19,249 at the 2010 census. The ZIP code for Ansonia is 06401. The city is serviced by the Metro North railroad...

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

.

Founded in 1925, 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 Archdiocese of Hartford
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford is a particular church of the Latin Rite in Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut. The archdiocese includes about 700,000 Catholics, more than 500 priests, 216 parishes and almost 300 deacons. This is roughly one-half the population of...

.

History

In June 1925, Bishop John J. Nilan appointed Vincentian
Vincentian Family
Vincentian Family refers to organizations that are inspired by the life and work of St. Vincent de Paul, a 17th century priest who "transformed the face of France."...

 Fr. Aloysius Zielenznik, C.M., as pastor of the new St. Joseph Parish. The priest's first Mass for the Polish congregation was celebrated on July 12, 1925, at a Central St. hall rented from an Italian society.
The church was dedicated on September 6, 1926. Ten days later, St. Joseph school opened, staffed by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth are a Roman Catholic religious order which was founded in Rome in 1875 by Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd . The Sisters of the Holy Family are an apostolic, international congregation, located on four continents and in thirteen countries. There are...

.

The parish had long felt the need of a church bell which would summon the faithful to church services. Their desires to have a church bell were realized in 1950 when Fr. Casimir Kwiatkowski passed through Winchester, New Hampshire
Winchester, New Hampshire
Winchester is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,341 at the 2010 census. The primary settlement in the town, where 1,733 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as the Winchester census-designated place...

, and noticed a bell for sale in front of a Protestant church. He made inquiry and purchased the bell, valued at $3,000, for $495. On the occasion of administering the sacrament of Confirmation in the parish, October 14, 1950, Bishop Henry J. O'Brien, D.D.
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....

 blessed the century old bell and named it Casimir. The bell was rung for the first time on November 1, 1950, the day the dogma of the Assumption
Assumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...

 was solemnly proclaimed in Rome by Pope Pius XII.

Pastors

  • Fr. Aloysius Zielenznik C.M. (1925-1929)
  • Fr. Joseph Janowski C.M. (1929-1936)
  • Fr. Casimir Kwiatkowski C.M. (1936-)
  • ...

External links

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