St. Mary Polish American Society

David Swedkowski is organizing this fundraiser.

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The Schuylkill River corridor in Montgomery and Chester Counties in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA has been home to a vibrant Polish population for more than 100 years. Four communities had strong Polish concentrations that were centered around the Catholic churches in their locality. These included- St. Mary’s Church in Conshohocken, Sacred Heart Church in Swedesburg and Bridgeport, Holy Trinity Church in Phoenixville, and Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Pottstown. In recent years, each of these communities have been impacted by changing neighborhood demographics, a diminishing supply of priests, and fewer people practicing their faith; resulting in a wave of parish mergers, making it difficult for Montgomery County’s Polish Catholics to observe the beautiful customs and traditions which are so near and dear to so many people and have served to unite generations of families.

St. Mary’s Catholic Church served as a landmark for the Conshohocken community for more than 100 years, as the first Polish parish in Montgomery County. It was lovingly built and nurtured by Polish immigrants and their descendants for generations, serving the spiritual and cultural needs of parishioners and visitors alike. The architectural beauty of St. Mary’s Church building represents the tremendous love for and devotion to the Catholic faith of the Polish people.

In July 2014, after 109 years of service to Conshohocken’s Polish community, St. Mary’s was merged into a single consolidated St. Matthew’s Parish, along with Sts. Cosmos and Damien and St. Gertrude Parishes. With nowhere to formally celebrate Polish heritage in Montgomery County and since St. Mary’s Church was no longer used by St. Matthew's Parish, a group of Polish Americans from throughout Montgomery County and former parishioners of St. Mary’s Church formed St. Mary Polish American Society, under the patronage of Mary, Our Lady of Częstochowa, Queen of the Polish Nation. St. Mary Polish American Society is an official 501(c)(3) tax exempt non-profit corporation dedicated to the two-pronged mission of promoting awareness and appreciation of our Polish history and cultural heritage and raising funds for the upkeep and maintenance of St. Mary’s Church. For two years, St. Mary Polish American Society paid all the bills at St. Mary's Church by holding fundraising events and seeking donations.

On April 8, 2018, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia formally announced the formation of a quasi-parish at St. Mary’s Church to serve the community throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia interested in celebrating the Mass in the Extraordinary Form effective in August 2018. This new parish, which retains the name St. Mary’s is staffed by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. The Fraternity is an order of priests that celebrate Mass and the sacraments in Latin, using the traditional liturgy present before the Second Vatican Council. St. Mary Polish American Society strives to work with the Fraternity to restore St. Mary's Church and ensure that St. Mary’s can remain a strong faith community for generations to come, while also continuing to promote Polish heritage and culture in Montgomery County.

On Sunday September 9th, 2018, Father Carl Gismondi, the newly appointed pastor from the Fraternity of St. Peter celebrated an opening High Mass at St. Mary’s Church, officially marking St. Mary’s rebirth as the home for the Traditional Latin Mass in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The Mass schedule for St. Mary’s will be as follows:

Sunday- 8 am Low Mass and 11 am High Mass
Monday-Thursday- 7:15 am Low Mass
Friday- 6:30 pm Low Mass
Saturday- 7:15 am Low Mass

Within the context of our mission, St. Mary Polish American Society seeks to:

• To raise funds to assist the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter in financing the regular upkeep and maintenance, and restoration of St. Mary’s Church

• To pay homage to the legacy of St. Mary’s Church as the original Polish parish in Montgomery County

• To carry out a calendar of events that will integrate programs of social, civic, and cultural enrichment of Polish customs and traditions which are deeply rooted in our Catholic faith

• To hold meetings and socials

• To sponsor activities that will recognize the contributions of Polish Americans and thereby enhance a sense of ethnic identity and pride

• To inspire the next generation of Polish Americans to be more mindful and respectful of their ethnic and Catholic heritage as having practical and real value in their lives

St. Mary Polish American Society humbly strives to serve St. Mary’s Church, out of love for our Catholic faith and Polish heritage, and respect for the sacrifices and achievements of our ancestors. All are welcome to attend our events and to volunteer their time, talents, or treasure in any way they can to help us achieve our mission and goals.

Through the intercession of the Blessed Mary under the title Our Lady of Częstochowa, Patroness and Queen of Poland, we pray that our efforts will continue to be successful in celebrating the Catholic faith as a beautiful and integral part of our Polish heritage in Montgomery County and the surrounding area with St. Mary’s Church as our home.