Bishop joins Polish Catholic community to celebrate 60th anniversary of Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish

 

The faith of parishioners past and present was highlighted during a 60th anniversary celebration for Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish in Saskatoon on Sept. 7, 2025.

The parish was established by Polish Catholics in Saskatoon under the patronage of Our Lady of Czestochowa after the events of the Second World War in the midst of the sufferings under Soviet reign, and has been nurtured and cared for ever since, noted Bishop Mark Hagemoen, who celebrated Eucharist with the community to mark the anniversary. Concelebrants were pastor and diocesan Judicial Vicar Fr. Marvin Lischchynsky, and diocesan Vicar General Fr. Kevin McGee, as well as former parish administrator Fr. Richard Philiposki, SChr., and visitor Fr.  Karol Twarowski, SChr, of Regina.

Readings, prayers, and hymns were offered in Polish during the celebration, along with some English — including proclamation of the Gospel, and the bishop’s homily.

Hagemoen spoke about the profound devotion of the Polish people to the Blessed Mother as “Our Lady of Czestochowa” and the images of that icon of the parish patron saint. The scars on the face of the ancient icon are a reflection of all the suffering that Mary endured, “but also how she is in solidarity with the suffering of all of God’s people,” he said.

He also reflected on the witness of St John Henry Newman who will soon be declared a Doctor of the Church, according to a recent announcement by Pope Leo XIV. Cardinal Newman’s pursuit of truth without filters or compromise is an example for all of us, Hagemoen said.

In the midst of changing circumstances — including in times of relative security and prosperity — that search for truth remains paramount. “What is the new kind of faithfulness we are called to live,” challenged Hagemoen, reflecting on the Sunday Gospel in which Jesus call his disciples  “to go all the way… showing us and challenging us, as to what our ultimate goal really is.”

As part of the anniversary celebration, a newly-built altar created by members of the community was dedicated and blessed, followed by celebration of the Eucharistic rite.

History

The diocesan history “Building the Church, Living the Gospel” by diocesan archivist Margaret Sanche records how Mass for Saskatoon Polish Catholics was celebrated once month in various churches beginning in 1950 under the auspices of St. Mary Parish in Saskatoon. In 1964, the Catholic chapel of the RCAF Station in Saskatoon was purchased and moved to the present location at 20th Street West and Avenue Y, with the first Mass in the new chapel celebrated by Fr. Stan Urbanoski at Easter, 1965.

On July 22, 1965, the national parish for Polish-speaking Catholics was officially established under the patronage of Our Lady of Czestochowa, the name given an ancient and revered icon of the Virgin Mary enshrined at the Jasna Gore Monastery in Poland.

Additions and renovations wot the worship space were undertaken by Fr. Joseph Chiefly, OMI, while he served a pastor during the period 1967-1983.

In an article about the parish’s 50th anniversary for the Diocesan Newsletter in 2015, Edward Karpinski recorded the history of the parish:

“As survivors of World War II were coming to Canada, the Polish people among them felt a need and desire for a Polish church where language issues would not hold them back in their religious and cultural life. When Polish-speaking priests came to sporadically minister to the people, the desire began to seem achievable. On the inspiration of Father Józef Smyczek, the Polish Catholic Association of Saskatoon was formed.”

“Within weeks $20,000 was raised and permission obtained to build a church. Building committee members were K. Baraniecki, B. Danko, J. and S. Pronkiewicz, P. Sapieha, J. Sławinski, M. Tuczyński and K. Źródłowski. The association purchased a lot,” wrote Karpinski

“A basement was constructed and the wooden church, purchased from the Canadian Air Force, was moved onto the site. Bishop Francis Klein consecrated the church on July 22, 1965, dedicating it to Our Lady of Częstochowa…. This achievement by the 60 families was possible due to the determination, generosity and personal physical work of people who felt a deep need to maintain their faith and to enhance its expression,” he said.

Traditions of the Polish Catholic culture have been preserved and honoured over the past six decades in Saskatoon, including “feast days, days of observance, (and) a rhythm of devotions that bound them to their faith and nourished it,” wrote Karpinski.  “They followed the rhythm of the Church calendar: the Christmas home visits by the pastor, children on a caroling route, the communal Opłatek gathering and meal, the Candle Mass of the Virgin, the blessing of Easter food, the parish patron saint celebrations and festivities.

Among the visitors attending the 60th anniversary celebration were Lech and Grazyna Galezowski of Calgary, authors of “Footsteps of Polish Pioneers on the Canadian Prairies: Exploring Churches and Chapels 1899-1914” and “Footsteps of Polish Settlers in Western Canada.”

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Kiply Lukan Yaworski is the communications coordinator for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon: rcdos.ca.

Communications and Catholic Saskatoon News are supported by gifts to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal: dscf.ca/baa.