About St. Adalbert · Providence, Rhode Island
St. Adalbert's Parish (Parafia p. w. św. Wojciecha) is a Roman Catholic parish at 866 Atwells Avenue in Providence, Rhode Island, in the Diocese of Providence. Founded in 1902 by Polish immigrants, it is the oldest Polish Roman-Catholic parish in Rhode Island and one of the oldest Polish-American Catholic parishes in New England. The parish continues to serve a bilingual community, celebrating Mass in both English and Polish, under the pastoral leadership of Fr. Marek S. Kupka, who has served as pastor since 2006. Its current church building, designed by the eminent Hartford architect Henry F. Ludorf, was blessed by Bishop William Hickey in 1926 and remains a landmark of Providence's historic Federal Hill Polish neighborhood.
- Established
- 1902
- Patron
- St. Adalbert of Prague (św. Wojciech)
- Rector
- Rev. Marek S. Kupka
- Diocese
- Diocese of Providence
Why belong here
St. Adalbert's is the oldest Polish Roman-Catholic parish in Rhode Island, with more than a century of continuous worship, catechesis and cultural life on Providence's Federal Hill. Parishioners can worship in their heritage language with a Polish Sunday Mass at 9:30 am and an English Mass at 11:30 am, daily Mass at 8:00 am, Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays, and the regular celebration of all seven sacraments. The parish sustains an active parish school tradition, the Felician Sisters' legacy, the revived Polish-American Festival, and a long tradition of devotional life — including the 1966 Millenium of Poland's Christianity Novena — making it a welcoming home for Polish-American Catholics, English-speaking neighbors and anyone drawn to a faithful bilingual community.
Mass times at St. Adalbert
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 9:00 am (before the 9:30 am Polish Mass)
- Sunday 11:00 am (before the 11:30 am English Mass)
- Saturday 4:00 pm (at Our Lady of Lourdes, Father's Day through Labor Day)
Adoration times
- Thursday 8:25 am - 10:00 am
Welcome and Parish Identity
St. Adalbert's Parish (Polish: Parafia p. w. św. Wojciecha) identifies itself as 'the oldest Polish Roman-Catholic Parish in Rhode Island.' In his welcome message on the parish website, pastor Fr. Marek S. Kupka invites visitors to explore stadalberts.us and to visit the parish at 866 Atwells Avenue in Providence. The parish website is bilingual, reflecting its continuing ministry in both English and Polish.
- Founded 1902 — oldest Polish Roman-Catholic parish in Rhode Island
- Pastor: Fr. Marek S. Kupka
- Address: 866 Atwells Avenue, Providence, RI 02909
- Webmaster: Pawel Kupka
Parish History
The parish's official timeline records 100+ years of continuous life on Providence's Federal Hill. From its 1902 incorporation under Fr. Adalbert Duczmal, through the move to Atwells Avenue in 1922 and the blessing of the new church in 1926, to the 2002 Centennial, the parish has been a center of Polish-American Catholic life in Rhode Island.
- January 23, 1902 — Small wooden church on Ridge Street ready for occupancy
- February 7, 1902 — Parish officially incorporated; Fr. Adalbert Duczmal first pastor
- March 15, 1909 — Brick church-and-school building completed
- August 1922 — New site purchased at 860 Atwells Avenue
- September 26, 1926 — Bishop William Hickey blesses the new church
- September 5, 1937 — Parish school opens; Felician Sisters of Enfield, CT on faculty
- February 25, 1952 — 50th Anniversary celebration and refurbishment
- November 30, 1969 — Bishop Russell McVinney blesses new convent
- April 24, 1977 — 75th Jubilee with Bishop Louis Gelineau presiding
- May 28, 1989 — Bishop Kenneth Angell blesses new Parish Center
- September 29, 2002 — Solemn Centennial Celebration with Bishop Robert Mulvee
- June 7-8, 2008 — Polish-American Festival resumes
Architecture and Building
The present church building on Atwells Avenue was designed by Henry F. Ludorf, an eminent architect from Hartford, Connecticut. Bishop William Hickey blessed the completed church on September 26, 1926. The building has been carefully maintained through two major modern renovations: an external renovation beginning June 28, 1993, and an interior restoration, repainting and renovation beginning April 16, 2001, completed in time for the parish's 2002 centennial.
- Architect: Henry F. Ludorf of Hartford, CT
- Site blessed: September 26, 1926 (by Bishop William Hickey)
- External renovation: 1993
- Interior renovation and restoration: 2001
Sacraments
The parish website lists all seven sacraments of the Catholic Church and provides information for parishioners preparing to receive them. Inquiries should be directed to the parish office at (401) 351-9306 or [email protected].
- Baptism
- Reconciliation
- Holy Communion
- Confirmation
- Holy Orders
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
Religious Education and Parish School
A Religious Education program continues the parish's longstanding commitment to forming children and adults in the Catholic faith. From 1937 to 1987, that formation was anchored by the parish school, staffed by the Felician Sisters of Enfield, Connecticut. Although the school closed on June 25, 1987, the Felician Sisters' legacy is honored through a dedicated page on the parish website.
- Parish School opened September 5, 1937 (Felician Sisters of Enfield, CT)
- School closed June 25, 1987
- Religious Education program active today
- Felician Sisters ministry page featured on stadalberts.us
Community Life and Polish-American Heritage
St. Adalbert's has long nurtured the cultural and spiritual life of Providence's Polish-American community. The parish hosted its first Polish Picnic on June 25, 1972, and revived the St. Adalbert's Polish-American Festival on June 7-8, 2008. A 1966 Novena of Holy Hours marked the Millenium of Poland's Christianity, and a Parish Center (built 1988-1989) supports ongoing gatherings.
- First Polish Picnic: June 25, 1972
- Parish Center groundbreaking: August 28, 1988; blessed May 28, 1989 by Bishop Kenneth Angell
- Polish-American Festival resumed June 7-8, 2008
- 1966 Novena of Holy Hours for the Millenium of Poland's Christianity
Clergy and Pastoral Leadership
Fr. Marek S. Kupka has served as pastor since July 1, 2006. He follows a line of pastors that began with Fr. Adalbert Duczmal in 1902, continued through Fr. Peter Switala (1920-1934), Fr. Bronislaus Rosiak (Administrator 1934-1965), and Fr. Frederick Slota (Pastor 1970-2006), each of whom shaped the parish's buildings, school and devotional life.
- Fr. Adalbert Duczmal — first pastor (1902-1920)
- Fr. Peter Switala — pastor (1920-1934)
- Fr. Bronislaus Rosiak — administrator/leader (1934-1965)
- Fr. Frederick Slota — assistant, administrator, then pastor (1961-2006)
- Fr. Marek S. Kupka — current pastor (2006-present)
Contact and Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Adalbert's by mail, phone, or email, and a directions and map page is provided on the parish website for those traveling to 866 Atwells Avenue in Providence's Federal Hill.
- Address: St. Adalbert's Parish, 866 Atwells Avenue, Providence, RI 02909
- Phone: (401) 351-9306
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.stadalberts.us
- Diocese: Diocese of Providence (Province of Hartford)
- Bishop at time of last listed celebrations: Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, D.D.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Adalbert Duczmal1902-1920
First pastor; led the parish from incorporation through the early Ridge Street and brick-church years.
- Fr. Peter Switala1920-1934
Succeeded Fr. Duczmal; oversaw the move to the Atwells Avenue site and blessing of the new church in 1926; transferred to St. Joseph's, Central Falls in October 1934.
- Fr. Bronislaus Rosiak1934-1965
Appointed Administrator in October 1934; opened the parish school in 1937 with the Felician Sisters; formally retired March 10, 1965.
- Fr. Frederick Slota1961/1963-2006
Appointed Assistant in 1961, Administrator in 1963, Pastor in 1970; led the parish for 36 years including the new convent, Parish Center, church renovations and Centennial; retired July 1, 2006.
- Fr. Marek S. Kupka2006-present
Appointed pastor on July 1, 2006, succeeding Fr. Slota; current pastor.