Between the years of 1870 to 1914, nearly two million Polish
immigrants arrived in the United States. Many of these immigrants
settled in Chelsea during the city’s industrial growth years. The
Polish immigrant proved to be family oriented, devoutly adherent to
the church and full of patriotic love for the adopted land. Being
very industrious, they worked at the hardest and most ill paying
jobs, still believing life here was better than the one they left.
A mass meeting of the Polish residents was held on October 20,
1903 at which plans were formulated for a Polish parish. In an act of
consolidation, the Chestnut Street Congregational Church, one of
three Congregational Churches in Chelsea, was put up for sale. On
July 2, 1905 the church building was purchased by the Polish
residents of Chelsea. The first mass was celebrated by Rev. William
Power, pastor of the St. Rose Church. One week later, Rev. George
Jaskolski, OFM, was installed as the first Pastor for the Polish
parish of Chelsea.
April 12, 1908, the devastating Chelsea Fire, swept through the
city leveling everything in it’s path. All parish property, including
the church and rectory, was destroyed. The massive steeple that acted
like a beacon, toppled to the ground in a mass of flames. All the
labor of the past few months, was lost in a matter of minutes. After
the fire mass was held at the Scenic Temple on Second Street, corner
of Chestnut Street. Fr. Jaskolski worked tirelessly, to rebuild the
church, damaging his health in the process. During this time Fr.
Jaskolski was living in the basement of 72 Broadway, and later 4
Chestnut Street. By 1910 Fr. Jaskolski’s health had deteriorated so
badly he had to leave the parish. Rev. George Jaskolski passed away,
a very young man.
St. Stanislaus Church 1905 – Originally the
Chestnut St. Congregational Church.
Rev. Alphonse Figlewski succeeded Fr. Jaskolski, and in 1912 the
new church was dedicated. Fr. Cyprian Adamski took over as pastor in
1914, remaining until his death, May 31, 1939. During his span of
forty five years as pastor, he built a school in 1919, and a new
convent in 1922. Fr. Adamski created many organizations within the
church. One of these organizations was instrumental in the dedication
of a park in Chelsea Square. In 1931, the park in Chelsea Square was
dedicated to a hero of the American Revolution, General Casimir
Pulaski. The “Father Adamski Memorial Highway,” a section
of the Northeast Expressway running through Chelsea, was dedicated to
the pastor’s memory.
St. Stanislaus Church reconstructed after the
1908 fire.
Fr. Adamski was succeeded by Rev. Marcel Szymanski OFM. Fr.
Szymanski passed away, four years after taking over from Fr. Adamski.
Rev. Callistus Szpara OFM served as pastor for the next seventeen
years. Succeeding Rev. Szpara as pastor, Rev. Jerome A. Holubowitz,
built a recreational area for children near the church. Through the
efforts of a dedicated and faithful Polish parish community the St.
Stanislaus Church continues to celebrate weekly masses. The St.
Stanislaus community successfully emerged through an archdiocesan
reorganization and potential closing. The school was rented for a
time to the City of Chelsea as the Williams School Annex. The school
is closed today, but the church continues to function as an integral
part of the Chelsea Polish community.
St. Stanislaus Parish, School, Convent and Rectory.
