10th anniversary of Polish mission

WEST MILFORD  Years ago, Polish-born Bogusia Stopka moved to West Milford, never thinking that she would ever worship at a Mass in her native language anywhere nearby until the establishment of the Polish Mission at Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish here, which celebrated its 10th anniversary on Sept. 8 with a Mass and banquet afterward.

The Polish Mission held Mass for the anniversary in Queen of Peace Church, located in the Hewitt section of West Milford. Attending were two dignitaries: Auxiliary Bishop Witold Mroziewski of the Brooklyn Diocese and Kamil Henne, deputy consul general of the Republic of Poland at the United Nations in New York City. Concele­brating the Mass were several priests, including Father Kamil Stachowiak, pastor, and Father Fred Walters, a retired diocesan priest, who was pastor here when Bishop Serratelli established the Polish Mission, which held its first Polish-language Mass on Sept. 6, 2009. The church was filled to standing room only with mission members, including the Stopka family, who helped to establish it.

“This Mass marks the 10th anniversary of the mission serving an integral part of the community: the Polish people. They are dedicated to keeping their traditions and are happy to worship in their native language,” said Father Stachowiak, a native of Poland, who has served Queen of Peace since 2016 and was named pastor of the parish by the Bishop last August. “Celebrating Masses in Polish reminds me of my childhood in Poland and the traditions I was brought up with in my family and with my friends,” the priest said.

In the past 10 years, the mission has grown to about 100 families to serve the needs of its tight-knit Polish community coming from West Milford and as far away as Wallington by offering Masses and devotions in Polish; retreats; religious formation, including religious education for children; and activities for fellowship. It holds Masses in Polish at Queen of Peace on Sundays at 9 a.m. and first Fridays and Holy Days at 7:30 p.m.; and confessions, during Advent on first Fridays, starting at 7 p.m., as well as healing Masses. Its liturgies for special Polish devotions include: the Feast of The Mother of God on Jan. 1, when the faithful light candles and pray together for God’s blessings on all of them; the sunrise Mass of Resurrection on Easter Sunday when people dress in ethnic clothing; the Virgin Queen of Poland on May 3; and All Souls Day on Nov. 2, when churchgoers place photos of their deceased loved ones in the church’s chapel, Father Stachowiak said.

Also, the mission offers members, who include people both born in Poland and the U.S., retreats during Lent and Advent, featuring priests from Poland and local clergy, which have included Father Pawel Tomczyk, diocesan director of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and Youth Ministry and chaplain of Drew University and Fairleigh Dickinson, both in Madison. Members of the mission also prepare the altar for Mass each week. In addition, the mission holds events for fellowship, such as Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve parties, the pastor said.

The funds that the mission raises from these social events help finance physical improvements to Queen of Peace Church. Many members also have donated their skills in the trades to complete stone and tile work and paint the walls in the sanctuary and spruce up landscaping on the grounds. The members have gotten involved in the ministries in the parish, including children in the Anchor youth group and as lectors, and even have staffed a station at the parish’s recent carnival — “a chance to share our food and for people to get to know us,” Father Stachowiak said.

“We — the parish and the Polish Mission — support each other. The mission shares its gifts with the rest of the Queen of Peace,” said Father Stachowiak, who was born in 1988 in Rawicz, Poland. He completed studies at Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, in 2012 and earned a master’s degree in theology from Pontifical University of John Paul II, Kraków, in 2013, before coming to the Diocese and being ordained by Bishop Serratelli in 2015.

During the 10th anniversary banquet, the Polish national anthem was played; Bishop Mroziewski was given bread and salt — a native custom of welcome; and Henne delivered words of reflection and read a letter from Andrzej Duda, president of Poland, to the Polish families.

Bishop Serratelli had established the Polish Mission at Queen of Peace in 2009 and appointed the newly ordained Father Adam Muda as parochial vicar of the parish and coordinator of the outreach. During its first Mass in 2009, the mission introduced the Image of the Mother of God in Polish, which was placed in the main altar. Father Walters and Bishop Stanislaw Dziuba of Umzimkulu in South Africa made a solemn dedication of the image. Then, the Polish community and parish was entrusted to the care of the Black Madonna, Father Stachowiak said.

Stopka helped Father Muda, who now serves as a chaplain in the U.S. Archdiocese for Military Services, set up the mission. She had visited the parish for Adoration and heard about starting the mission, so she got involved.

“I’m so happy to attend Mass in my native language. Even in the winter, I never miss Mass. I’m so proud of what Bishop Serratelli has done for our people,” said Stopka, the married mother of two and grandmother of two. She called Father Stachowiak “a young priest with a lot of energy, who has a good connection with people and knows how to get them to do things.” She added, “For the anniversary Mass, the church was filled with joy. These last 10 years have felt like a dream. We are blessed.”