Greenpoint mourns – Sunday Mass at St. Stanislaus Church

Polish Sunday Mass at 11:30 AM gathered crowds of people in the St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. It was a mass like no other. The church was packed up completely by Parishioners and faithful coming from other parts of Brooklyn and New York. Some standing room was left only. Many Polish-Americans gathered in the church because religion living deeply in their heart lead them to the temple where they could feel the sense of loss which reached Poland.

Representatives of many Polish-American institutions and organizations were present in the Church – Polish and Slavic Federal Credit Union, Polish-Slavic Center, Pulaski Association of Business and Professional Men, Polish American Congress, Dom Narodowy of Greenpoint. Attending were also scouts and flag bearers of Maritime League. Marty Markowitz, President of Brooklyn was present, too. Outside the church, Police guarded and managed order. Numerous media teams came to do some recording and reports.

“I believe for all the people here in Greenpoint it is a very difficult time we come, people come to church to find some piece of heart and mind and this is all we can do at this moment,” said Father Marek Sobczak CM, Pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church who presided at the Eucharist. Father Joseph Szpilski CM preached and Fr John Urbaniak was concelebrating too.

Later in interviews for local TV channel Fr. Sobczak added: “I see the picture, I hear the words about him, but I still cannot comprehend… I still think it’s just a dream,”

Mr and Mrs Lech Kaczynski were visiting St. Stanislaus Kostka church in 2007 during theor visit to New York. Mr President left the chalice with and inscription saying it was a gift of Polish President and Government.

There will be another Mass in the intension of President of Poland, his wife and all those killed in the plane crash in Smolensk, on Wednesday, April 14, at 7:00 PM at St Stanislaus Kostka.

Read some media stories about Sunday events:

• www.ny1.com – Polish Community Turns To Prayer In Wake Of Deadly Plane Crash
• My Fix New York – Poles Grieve For Their President
• WPIX.com – Greenpoint Parish Unites To Mourn Polish President
• ABC local news – Local Polish communities mourn plane crash
• Nowy Dziennik (New Daily) – Polonia żegna prezydenta Lecha Kaczyńskiego (in Polish)