About St. Hyacinth · Detroit, Michigan
St. Hyacinth Roman Catholic Parish is a historic Polish-American Catholic parish on Detroit's eastside, founded in 1907 by immigrants who had outgrown the original Polish parish of St. Albertus. Its striking Byzantine-Romanesque church on Farnsworth Avenue was built in the early 1920s and designated a Michigan state historic site in 2008. The parish remains a stronghold for Detroit's Polonia and today belongs to the Central Genesis 1 Family of Parishes within the Archdiocese of Detroit.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- St. Hyacinth of Poland (Jacek Odrowąż)
- Rector
- Rev. Ryszard Czerniak, S.Chr. (Moderator of the Central Genesis 1 Family of Parishes)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Why belong here
St. Hyacinth is one of Detroit's last remaining Polish-heritage parishes — a place where Polish Catholic tradition is preserved and practiced week after week. Sunday Mass is celebrated in English, baptisms take place during the Sunday liturgy, and the parish is part of a tight Family of Parishes that links it with Mother of Divine Mercy, St. John Paul II, Our Lady Queen of Apostles, and St. Florian parishes. Worshipping in a designated Michigan historic church building, surrounded by generations of eastside Detroit Polonia, makes belonging here feel like stepping into a living chapter of the city's Catholic story.
Mass times at St. Hyacinth
Weekly Mass schedule
Parish Identity & Mission
St. Hyacinth describes itself as a Polish-heritage Catholic parish serving all members of the community through prayer, example, and good works. Its mission statement reads: 'We, the members of Saint Hyacinth Parish, while preserving and promoting our Polish Heritage, welcome and serve all community members through prayer, example and good works. We seek to be a guiding light to all God's people through our spiritual and social activities.' The site's tagline — 'Serving God, America & Polonia since 1907' — captures that blend of Catholic, American, and Polish identity.
- Patron: St. Hyacinth of Poland
- Tagline: Serving God, America & Polonia since 1907
- Welcomes all community members while preserving Polish heritage
Founding (1905–1908)
The parish traces its origin to a 1905 petition signed by about 30 young Polish men who had worshipped at St. Albertus, married, and were moving into a new Polish neighborhood northeast of the original settlement. They asked Bishop John S. Foley for their own parish. In 1907 Bishop Foley appointed Father Sylvester Kolkiewicz to organize it, and on May 8, 1907, the parish was officially founded. In December 1907 Polish builders erected a small frame church on Frederick Street in only sixteen days; the more permanent church and school on Frederick and McDougall was dedicated on December 20, 1908, with Sister Mary Celine as the first school principal.
- Petition signed in 1905 by ~30 Polish parishioners of St. Albertus
- Bishop John S. Foley appointed Father Sylvester Kolkiewicz in 1907
- Parish officially founded May 8, 1907
- Frame church built in 16 days in December 1907
- Church and school dedicated December 20, 1908
The 1924 Church Building
On January 10, 1922, pastor Father Francis Baweja met with the parish committee to plan a larger church. After receiving Bishop Michael J. Gallagher's approval, the Detroit architectural firm Donaldson and Meier was engaged to design the new St. Hyacinth Church and Rectory. Groundbreaking was held on July 4, 1922, and Bishop Gallagher blessed the completed Byzantine-Romanesque style church on May 25, 1924. It was built at a total cost of about $300,000 over two years and stood as the pride of the surrounding Polish neighborhood.
- Architects: Donaldson and Meier of Detroit
- Groundbreaking: July 4, 1922
- Blessing by Bishop Michael J. Gallagher: May 25, 1924
- Approximate cost: $300,000
- Style: Byzantine-Romanesque
Current Clergy
According to the Archdiocese of Detroit directory, the following clergy are assigned to St. Hyacinth and the wider Central Genesis 1 Family of Parishes.
- Rev. Ryszard Czerniak, S.Chr. — Moderator / Priest in Solidum
- Rev. Gregory Tokarski — Priest in Solidum
- Rev. Andrew Wesley — Priest in Solidum
- Rev. Edward Traczyk, S.Chr. — Full-Time Priest Support
- Deacon Paul Stevens
- Deacon Michael McCrandall
Mass and Sacraments
Sunday Mass is celebrated at 11:15 am (the parish home page also references 11:30 am in a reminder notice). Baptisms are performed during the Sunday Mass, and marriage arrangements are coordinated through Sweetest Heart of Mary Church with a minimum of six months' notice. The parish website does not publish a confession or adoration schedule at this time.
- Sunday Mass: 11:15 am (English)
- Baptisms during 11:15 am Sunday Mass
- Marriages: contact the rectory 6+ months ahead; coordination via Sweetest Heart of Mary, (313) 831-6659
Parish School
St. Hyacinth operated a Catholic grade school from 1908 (or 1909) until June 6, 1990 — an 81-year tradition. Sister Mary Celine was its first principal. In the 1970s, parish organizations held numerous fundraisers to keep the school financially viable against the Eastside Vicariate's pressure to close it; Cardinal Dearden assured Father Skalski that the school would not be closed if it maintained a strong financial base. Enrollment decline eventually forced the decision to close the grade school, and the parish has since focused on worship, sacramental life, and parish-wide fundraising rather than school operations.
- First principal: Sister Mary Celine
- Fundraisers in the 1970s kept the school open during Detroit's parish closures
- School closed June 6, 1990 after 81 years
Historic Site Designation
In June 2008, St. Hyacinth was officially designated a historic site in the state of Michigan. A historical marker was placed and dedicated on the exterior of the church building to commemorate the recognition, joining a small group of Detroit's eastside Polish Catholic landmarks so honored.
- Designated a Michigan historic site, June 2008
- Exterior historical marker placed on the church building
Family of Parishes (Central Genesis 1)
On July 1, 2022, St. Hyacinth became a member of the Genesis Vicariate Family of Parishes. Its sister parishes are Mother of Divine Mercy Parish and St. John Paul II Parish in Detroit, and Our Lady Queen of Apostles Parish and St. Florian Parish in Hamtramck. Clergy and ministry are shared across these communities under the Central Genesis 1 family structure of the Archdiocese of Detroit.
- Mother of Divine Mercy Parish — Detroit
- St. John Paul II Parish — Detroit
- Our Lady Queen of Apostles Parish — Hamtramck
- St. Florian Parish — Hamtramck
Visit, Contact, and Giving
The parish is located at 3151 Farnsworth Avenue on Detroit's eastside, with a mailing address of P.O. Box 7578, Detroit, MI 48207. The rectory/office is open by appointment only; the parish phone is (313) 922-1507 and email is [email protected]. The parish encourages online giving via credit card or EFT, publishes a weekly bulletin online (with subscription available), and posts Archdiocese of Detroit restructuring data on its site for transparency.
- Address: 3151 Farnsworth, Detroit, MI 48211
- Mailing: P.O. Box 7578, Detroit, MI 48207
- Phone: (313) 922-1507
- Email: [email protected]
- Online giving via credit card or EFT
- Weekly bulletin online with email subscription
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Father Sylvester Kolkiewicz1907–
Appointed by Bishop John S. Foley to organize and build the new parish; accepted the assignment on May 8, 1907, the official founding date.
- Father Francis Baweja
Led the effort to build the present Byzantine-Romanesque church; presented plans to Bishop Michael J. Gallagher and presided over groundbreaking on July 4, 1922; Bishop Gallagher blessed the completed church on May 25, 1924.
- Father Frank Skalskiapprox. 1971–2006
Served as pastor for 35 years; rallied parishioners through the 1970s financial crisis to keep the grade school and parish open; retired in June 2006.
- Rev. Father Janusz Iwan2006–2023
Installed August 27, 2006; arrived from St. Stanislaus Kostka in Wyandotte; led the 100th anniversary celebration; in 2013 was also appointed pastor of Our Lady Queen of Apostles in Hamtramck; retired June 30, 2023, and returned to Poland.