About St. Louis (St. Louis Parish) · Portland, Maine
St. Louis Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the West End of Portland, Maine, that was founded in 1915 to serve the city's growing Polish immigrant community. It is the only Polish-American parish in the Diocese of Portland and remains a bilingual (English/Polish) worshipping community at 279 Danforth Street. Today the parish is part of the collaborative Portland Peninsula & Island Parishes and welcomes Polish-rooted Catholics, cruise-ship visitors, and neighborhood residents into its 1924 red-brick church.
- Established
- 1915
- Patron
- St. Louis (King Louis IX of France)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Seamus Griesbach
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland in Maine
Why belong here
St. Louis is the only Polish-American parish in the Diocese of Portland, and for a hundred years it has been a place where Polish traditions — Wigilia, Pisanki, the Easter basket blessing, the Corpus Christi procession, and Polish hymns — continue alongside English liturgy. Parishioners describe it as 'a family' and 'a small parish and more homey,' where people know each other by name and welcome newcomers, from neighborhood residents to cruise-ship visitors. Bilingual Mass, Polish reconciliation with visiting Fr. Robert Będziński, and a music ministry that blends Polish and English traditions make it a living bridge between cultures.
Mass times at St. Louis (St. Louis Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 6:00 PM until 7:00 PM (with Rosary and Benediction)
- Reconciliation in Polish available when Fr. Robert Będziński visits
Adoration times
- Thursday 6:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
History of St. Louis Parish
St. Louis Parish was founded in 1915 to serve roughly 250 Polish families living in Portland. Bishop Louis Walsh asked Father John J. Sciskalski, who was leading a mission for the community, to stay and organize the new parish. Masses were first celebrated in the basement of St. Dominic's Church on Gray Street; the Polish Catholics then pooled their resources to purchase land on Danforth Street in the West End and build their own church, which opened in 1924 with Father Peter Pojnar as the first pastor of the new building. Father Pojnar served for 35 years, until his death in 1959.
- Founded 1915 for about 250 Polish families in Portland
- Bishop Louis Walsh invited Father John J. Sciskalski to organize the parish
- First worshipped in the basement of St. Dominic's Church on Gray Street
- Red-brick church on Danforth Street opened in 1924 with Father Peter Pojnar as pastor
- In 2009, a plaque honoring the founders and builders of the church was unveiled
- Centennial Mass with Bishop Robert Deeley was celebrated in September 2015
Polish Heritage and Immigration
St. Louis remains the only Polish-American parish in the Diocese of Portland. It was built by immigrants who arrived during the late 19th century and World War I, and later waves came during World War II and in the 1980s with the rise of the Solidarity movement and the fall of communism in Poland. Today people of many cultures worship there, but the parish continues to be a place where Polish language, hymns, and customs are kept alive.
- Only Polish-American parish in the Diocese of Portland
- Three main waves of Polish immigration shaped the parish: late 1800s/WWI, WWII, and the 1980s Solidarity era
- Hymns and readings are shared in both English and Polish for major celebrations
Clergy and Staff
The parish is currently served by Very Rev. Seamus Griesbach as Pastor, with Parochial Vicars Rev. Paul R. Marquis and Rev. Sylvester Nwaokolo, OP, and Deacon Michael B. Augustino. The parish also welcomes visiting priests such as Fr. Robert Będziński, who offers the sacrament of reconciliation in Polish.
- V. Rev. Seamus Griesbach — Pastor
- Rev. Paul R. Marquis — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Sylvester Nwaokolo, OP — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Michael B. Augustino
- Fr. Robert Będziński — visiting priest offering Reconciliation in Polish
Pastor History
The early pastoral succession of St. Louis Parish is tied to the Polish-American community of Portland and the broader diocese.
- Father John J. Sciskalski — invited by Bishop Louis Walsh around 1915 to organize the Polish parish
- Father Peter Pojnar — first pastor of the Danforth Street church (1924); served 35 years until his death in 1959
- Monsignor Vincent Tatarczuk — ordained 1949; first native son of the parish to be ordained; served five bishops and helped establish the forerunner of Catholic Charities Maine
Music Ministry
The Music Ministry of St. Louis Parish blends Polish and English Catholic musical traditions for the Sunday morning Mass. It is overseen by Michal Slawiec and Tamara Konczal, who lead the choir along with family and friends. There are weekly rehearsals in the Parish Hall on Sunday mornings before Mass, and newcomers are always welcome.
- Directed by Michal Slawiec and Tamara Konczal
- Leads music for the 11:00 AM (11:30 AM per the diocese article) Sunday Mass in both English and Polish
- Weekly rehearsals in the Parish Hall on Sunday mornings
Polish Customs and Traditions
St. Louis is one of the few places in Maine where traditional Polish Catholic customs are still actively practiced, particularly around the great feasts of the year. At Christmas the parish gathers for Wigilia, a meatless Christmas Eve supper where family and friends await the birth of Christ; hay or straw is placed on the table and the meal begins with the breaking and sharing of the Oplatek wafer, a moment of forgiveness and reconciliation. At Easter, parishioners create Pisanki (intricately painted eggs) and bring baskets of bread and meat to be blessed.
- Wigilia — meatless Christmas Eve supper with Oplatek
- Pisanki — intricately painted Easter eggs
- Blessing of Easter baskets
- Outdoor Corpus Christi procession
- Presentation of bread, salt, and flowers to visiting clergy (Polish symbols of welcome)
Parish Community and Life
Parishioners consistently describe St. Louis as 'a small parish and more homey,' a place where 'you can sit down next to someone and say, Hey, how are you doing?' The parish is also a familiar stop for cruise-ship visitors who attend the later Sunday Mass, and the Knights of Columbus Council 14246 is active here. As one parishioner said at the centennial, 'It's a family. We know that we're part of something longer lasting as a culture and as a faith than just today. We belong to each other.'
- Welcomes neighborhood residents, Polish-rooted Catholics, and cruise-ship visitors
- Knights of Columbus Council 14246 active in the parish
- Parish described by members as 'family' and 'small and homey'
Portland Peninsula & Island Parishes
St. Louis is one of the collaborative Portland Peninsula & Island Parishes served from a shared office. The collaborative publishes a combined Mass schedule covering the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, St. Peter, St. Christopher, Sacred Heart, Our Lady Star of the Sea, and St. Louis, offering Masses in English, Polish, Spanish, French, and bilingual combinations.
- Part of the Portland Peninsula & Island Parishes collaborative
- Shared parish office phone: (207) 773-7746
- Combined website: portlandcatholic.org
Location and Contact
St. Louis Church is located at 279 Danforth Street in the West End neighborhood of Portland, Maine, 04101. Inquiries for the parish are handled through the Portland Peninsula & Island Parishes central office.
- 279 Danforth Street, Portland, ME 04101
- Central phone: (207) 773-7746
- Diocese listing: portlanddiocese.org/parish/st-louis-portland-0
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John J. Sciskalskicirca 1915
Asked by Bishop Louis Walsh to stay and organize the new Polish parish.
- Father Peter Pojnar1924–1959
First pastor of the Danforth Street church; served the Polish community for 35 years until his death.
- Monsignor Vincent Tatarczukordained 1949
First native son of St. Louis Parish to be ordained; served five bishops and helped establish the forerunner of Catholic Charities Maine.