About Our Lady of Czestochowa · Boston, Massachusetts
Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish is a historic Polish-American Catholic parish located at 655 Dorchester Avenue in South Boston, Massachusetts. Founded on October 2, 1893 by Polish immigrants as the first Polish Catholic parish in Eastern New England, it has been served by Conventual Franciscan friars (OFM Conv) since 1940 and today continues its bilingual (English and Polish) ministry to Dorchester/South Boston under the Archdiocese of Boston. The current pastor is Rev. Jerzy Żebrowski OFM Conv, who is supported by a vicar, parish staff, and a faithful community that still celebrates its Polish heritage through weekly Polish-language Masses.
- Established
- 1893
- Patron
- Our Lady of Częstochowa (the Black Madonna of Częstochowa)
- Rector
- Rev. Jerzy Żebrowski OFM Conv
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston (Vicariate II, Central Pastoral Region)
Why belong here
A parish visitor will find a community steeped in more than 130 years of Polish-American Catholic heritage, where the same Conventual Franciscan family has served continuously since 1940. Mass is offered daily in both English and Polish (with three Polish Sunday Masses and a Saturday evening Polish Mass), making it a true bilingual home for Polish immigrants and English-speaking neighbors alike. The parish runs the John Paul II Polish Saturday School, ongoing faith formation for children, an OLC choir tradition going back to 1936, and ministries that have served Polish newcomers to Dorchester for generations.
Mass times at Our Lady of Czestochowa
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Half hour before every Mass (Sun–Sat), in English and Polish
Parish Identity
Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish at 655 Dorchester Avenue in South Boston is the first Polish Catholic parish in Eastern New England, founded October 2, 1893 by Polish immigrants who asked Archbishop John J. Williams for their own church. Today it remains a bilingual Polish–English Catholic community within the Archdiocese of Boston, served by Conventual Franciscans from the Polish Province.
- Founded October 2, 1893
- Dedicated November 18, 1894
- Vicariate II, Central Pastoral Region, Archdiocese of Boston
- Staffed by Conventual Franciscans (OFM Conv) since 1940
Parish History
From its 1893 founding by Fr. Jan M. Chmieliński through the 1940 transfer to the Conventual Franciscans, and onward through the post-war immigrant waves and the 1988 arrival of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, the parish has served as the spiritual home for generations of Boston's Polish community. A parish school was completed in 1911, a devastating fire required full rebuilding under Cardinal Medeiros in the 1970s, and the parish celebrated its 90th anniversary in 1983 and centennial in 1992.
- 1893: Founded by Polish immigrants
- 1899: Church physically rotated to face Dorchester Avenue
- 1911: Parish school completed
- 1940: Entrusted to Conventual Franciscans
- 1973–79: Major fire and rebuilding
- 1988: Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy arrive from Poland
- 1992: Centennial Jubilee with Cardinal Law
- 1994: Reassigned to Polish Province OFM Conv
Pastor Succession
The parish has had a remarkable line of pastors beginning with founder Fr. Jan M. Chmieliński (1893–1937), followed by Fr. Peter Bartula and Fr. Edward B. Naguszewski. Since 1940 there have been seventeen Conventual Franciscan pastors, from Fr. Michael Cieślik (1940–1942) to the current Rev. Jerzy Żebrowski OFM Conv (2015–present). The full succession is published on the parish history website.
- Fr. Jan M. Chmieliński (1893–1937) — founder
- Fr. Peter Bartula (1935–1938)
- Fr. Michael Cieślik OFM Conv (1940–1942) — first Franciscan pastor
- Fr. Stephen Musielak OFM Conv (1942–1957) — longest Franciscan tenure
- Rev. Jerzy Żebrowski OFM Conv (2015–present) — current pastor
Faith Formation and Polish Saturday School
The Faith Formation office, directed by Ms. Monika Danek, provides religious education for parish children. The John Paul II Polish Saturday School, founded in 1988 by Fr. Andrew Skiba, offers Polish-language and cultural instruction to newly arrived Polish children and to children of Polish parents, integrating them into parish life.
- Faith Formation for children (Ms. Monika Danek)
- John Paul II Polish Saturday School (since 1988)
Music and Liturgy
Liturgy and Music is led by Ms. Marta Saletnik. The parish has a long choral tradition: the OLC choir was organized in 1936 by William Grynkiewicz, a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music, who also founded the Annual Polish Choirs Conventions. Polish hymns and traditional repertoire remain a hallmark of the parish's liturgical life.
- OLC Choir (since 1936)
- Annual Polish Choirs Conventions (begun 1936)
- Liturgy/Music led by Ms. Marta Saletnik
Pastoral Care and Community Life
Beyond the Mass schedule, the parish supports Bible study for adults (begun by Fr. Paul Miśkiewicz in 1992), a long-running Vision Fund to help blind children from Poland who travel to Boston for surgery, and a Parish Council formed in 1970. Historic youth ministries include St. Mary's Club (1940s) and the St. Mary's Drum and Bugle Corps (founded 1957).
- Adult Bible Study Group (since 1992)
- Vision Fund for blind children from Poland (since 1992)
- Parish Council (since 1970)
- St. Mary's Drum and Bugle Corps (since 1957)
Special Devotions and Holy Days
The parish marks the August 26 Feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa with a special pilgrimage of the icon of the Black Madonna. In 1991, with the guidance of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and the Felician Sisters, Fr. Paul Miśkiewicz reintroduced the Corpus Christi procession with four outside altars.
- August 26 — Feast Day Mass and pilgrimage of the icon
- Corpus Christi procession with four outside altars
Visiting and Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the rectory at 655 Dorchester Avenue, South Boston, MA 02127 (phone 617-268-4355). The parish is near MBTA's Andrew Square stop on the Red Line and along Dorchester Avenue bus routes. A bilingual parish bulletin is published weekly and archived on the Boston Pilot website.
- Address: 655 Dorchester Avenue, South Boston, MA 02127
- Phone: 617-268-4355
- Website: ourladyofczestochowa.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/OLCBoston
- Parish bulletins archived on TheBostonPilot.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Jan M. Chmieliński1893–1937
Founder and first pastor; came to Boston from Sacred Heart (Italian) Parish; organized the Polish congregation at Archbishop Williams's direction.
- Fr. Peter Bartula1935–1938
Successor to Fr. Chmieliński after his death in February 1937.
- Fr. Edward B. Naguszewski1936–1940
Served during the transition to the Conventual Franciscans.
- Fr. Michael Cieślik OFM Conv1940–1942
First Conventual Franciscan pastor after Cardinal O'Connell entrusted the parish to the order.
- Fr. Stephen Musielak OFM Conv1942–1957
Long-tenured pastor; led resettlement of post-WWII Polish immigrants; founded St. Mary's Club.
- Fr. Angelus Zator OFM Conv1957–1966
Founded St. Mary's Drum and Bugle Corps and the Parish Teachers Association.
- Fr. Alfred Stopyra OFM Conv1966–1967
Brief pastorate.
- Fr. Edwin Agonis OFM Conv1967–1973
Led major interior renovations and the 1968 Diamond Jubilee with Cardinal Cushing.
- Fr. Manual Wolkanowski OFM Conv1973–1979
Pastorate marked by the church fire and full rebuilding under Cardinal Medeiros.
- Fr. John Bambol OFM Conv1979–1985
Continued property improvements; parish celebrated 90th anniversary in 1983.
- Fr. Andrew Skiba OFM Conv1985–1991
Continued church and property improvements.
- Fr. Paul Miśkiewicz OFM Conv1991–1994
Led the 1992 Centennial with Cardinal Law; reintroduced Children's Mass; revived Corpus Christi procession (1991).
- Fr. Andrzej Sujka OFM Conv1994–2000
First Polish-province Conventual Franciscan pastor after the parish was reassigned to the Polish Province in 1994.
- Fr. Mirosław Podymniak OFM Conv2001–2006
Served the Polish-speaking community during a period of new immigration.
- Fr. Jerzy Auguścik OFM Conv2006–2008
- Fr. Andrzej Urbaniak OFM Conv2008–2012
Suspended in 2012.
- Fr. Jan Łempicki OFM Conv2013–2015
- Fr. Jerzy Żebrowski OFM Conv2015–present
Current pastor.