...last update 22 January 2004
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The parish of St. Stanislaus Kostka Polish Church was canonically established by the Rt. Rev Patrck A. Ludden, then bishop of Syracuse, on June 15, 1914. Thus he formally recognized the desire of Binghamtonians of Polish extraction to worship in their native tongue and support a nationalist church
The movement had been growing since the arrival of the first Pole in Binghamton in 1885. In 1897 the community organized a branch of the fraternal Polish National Alliance here.
Canvassers who worked with Mr. Wiktorek included: Stanislaus Gaska, Alexander Lipka, Adam Serowik, Stanislaus Stolarczyk and John Zembek, all of whom are living today.
As the fund grew, the organizers decided th name their church "Holy Rosary Church." When the parish was established, however, it received its present designation in honor of St. Stanislaus Kostka, Polish saint and patron of youth.
The Rev. Francis Rusin, pastor of the Polish church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Syracuse, helped the committee during the formative years of the parish here and his assistant, the Rev. Michael J. Dzialuk became St. Stanislaus ' first pastor.
Before Father Dzialuk officially assumed the pastorate, he had conducted services in the homes of the parish on numerous occasions. When his appointment was announced, parishioners hastened to build a place of worship in a field above Sowden Street between Richards and Glenwood avenues. This temporary wooden structure was completed in two days. Here Father Dzialuk conducted Masses for about two years.
Meanwhile, he supervised the construction of a building at 370-374 Prospect st., to serve as a church and parochial school of eight grades. The cornerstone of this building, the present edifice, was dedicated by the Rt. Rev. John Grimes, then bishop of Syracuse, on July 9, 1915. It was completed in one year and the first Mass was celebrated in the new church on July 4, 1916.
A year later, on June 2, 1917, the present rectory, just east of the church and school, was blessed. Father Dzialuk commenced construction of the convent for the Felician sisters, who have taught at the school since 1915.
On Oct. 24, 1920, Father Dzialuk was named pastor of Holy Trinity parish, Utica, and was succeeded at St. Stanislaus by the Rev. John Sciskalski. Father Sciskalski served the parish until June 30, 1927. During his pastorate the convent was completed. He removed to there pastorate of St. Stephen's church, Oswego.
The Rev. Thomas Kellett was administrator of the church until Nov. 17, 1927, when the Rev. Casimir S. Piejda was appointed pastor. During his pastorate, a Polish mission church was established in Endicott. The mission was organized as a separate church in 1936 as St. Casimir's. Its first resident pastor was the Rev. John A. Kociela and its present pastor, the Rev. Francis S. Holocinski, was Father Piejda's first assistant at St Stanislaus Church.
On Sept. 15, 1939, Father Piejda was transferred to Sacred Heart Church, Syracuse. During his pastorate in Binghamton, he had considerably reduced the church's in debtedness from an original $89,000.
The Rev. George Guzewicz, the present pastor of St. Stanislaus, succeeded Father Piejda, coming here form the Church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, Syracuse. During his pastorate, the church debt has been entirely liquidated and numerous improvements in the parish property have been made.
The church has a fund of $119,000 already raised toward the construction of a church edifice at Prospect and Pulaski streets. Plans call for a Gothic structure in brick with sandstone ornaments. When the new church is completed, the present church will be remodeled for a larger school building. The school at present, with an enrollment of 215 children, is conducted by 10 Felician Sisters.
This parish of 450 families sent 585 men into the armed forces. Sixteen failed to return. For the first of them to fall in battle, the new Chester A. Jaskiewicz Post, American Legion, has been named.