The festive lunch celebrating Priests’ Day was a heartwarming gesture. The Superior of the House, Father Eugene Kotlinski, shared his kind words, Easter wishes, and blessings with us. Then greetings, wishes, and the Blessing from Superior General Father Tomaž Mavrič were conveyed by Father Rafal Kopystynski, Assistant General, who came from Rome to participate in the liturgies of Holy Week and to help the priests fulfill their liturgical and sacramental duties at St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish.

This story was first published in the Provincial's Newsletter March 2024
edition which you can find in our Library along with all previous Newsletters.

Among various pastoral activities held during the time of Lent the unique Way of the Cross along the streets of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, N.Y. was the most remarkable. The event was a testament to our community’s faith and unity. Read more in the story below.

[Newsletter No. 3/24] Lent, a time of dedicated services for priests in our Vincentian parishes, was marked by unique activities. The liturgical calendar was enriched with Lenten services and local traditions, creating a vibrant daily liturgical program. Notably, stations of the Cross services were held every Friday of Lent in both Polish and English across all four parishes. St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish in Brooklyn even had a special Stations of the Cross conducted in both languages for schoolchildren. The poignant Bitter Lamentations (Gorzkie Żale) were sung every Sunday, accompanied by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Lenten retreats, led by Fr. Hipolit Brożek, a Bernardine Franciscan friar and exorcist from Poland, and our confrere Fr. Matthew Aneesh Chittadiyil, from CM India-South Province and currently a faculty member of St. John’s University, Queens, NY, were held in both Polish and English. St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish also hosted Lenten adorations, concerts of Lenten sacred music, and an exhibition of sacred art related to the passion and sufferings of Christ.

This significant event was a testament to our community’s faith and unity. Commencing after the evening Mass at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, the Stations saw a remarkable turnout. More than a thousand people united in their devotion, marching through Greenpoint’s streets to the Church of St. Cyril and Methodius, 1.5 miles away. The faithful, shouldering a giant wooden cross, paused to reflect on the Passion of Christ and sang penitential songs, creating a powerful and moving atmosphere.

Among the daily activities of priests in our parishes is the Sacrament of Penance. Many faithful make great use of this sacrament, coming to our churches even from very distant places. But during Lent, the number of those using the sacrament of reconciliation is always much higher. No wonder confession hours were extended each day, and in the second half of Lent, there were long lines for confessions despite the 3-to-4 priests present. It is worth being tired for such moments.

It should also be noted that throughout the Lent, donations were collected for the poor and needy in the area and for the needs of the poorest.

This story was first published in the Provincial's Newsletter March 2024
edition which you can find in our Library along with all previous Newsletters.

Inside you can find updates on our Confreres whereabouts, jubilees, assignments and other news regarding our Province .

Click on the link below to read/download it.

Father Roman Kmieć, was born on October 10, 1961 in Szarwark, a village near Dabrowa Tarnowska and Tarnow, South Eastern Poland as one of the ten children of the local organist. As a child he inherited a lot of his father’s music skill who taught him to play piano, saxophone and accordion. As long as he was able to do it, on various occasions, Father was seen and heard playing accordion.

After completing secondary education he was admitted to the Congregation of the MIssion in the Province of Poland in Krakow on December 8, 1980. Vincentians are very much recognized in his native area. Besides the Holy Family in parish in Tarnow where they are present as long as they were in New Haven, they also take care of the local Marian Shrine in Odporyszow. He studied philosophy and theology at the Vincentian Fathers Institute of Theology (ITKM),  which he graduated with Master of  Theology diploma. On December 8, 1984 he took his vows and finally on may 24, 1986 he was ordained priest.

His first and the only assignment in Poland was the ministry of parochial vicar at the  Our Lady of Rosary Parish in Pabianice in central Poland. A year later, in September 1987, he moved to the New England Province in the United States.

His first steps on American soil lead him to St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, Brooklyn, NY. This location was chosen to let him improve his English and become engrossed in the large concentration of Polish immigrants. After spending one year at Greenpoint in 1988 he was assigned to St. Michael’s Parish in Derby, CT as vicar. His administrative and leadership talents were quickly recognized by superiors and in 1991, being only five years as a priest, he became Superior of the Community House there (replacing Fr. Ronald Wiktor CM) and held this responsibility until 1993.

Then he moved again to St. Stanislaus Kostka in Brooklynwhere he stayed as vicar until 1995. Next Father was assignment to St. Peter’s Parish, Concord, NH where he was vicar until 1997. On that year he moved to St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Parish in New Haven, CT as vicar, too. He held this ministry until 2003.

In 1996 Vincentians took over St. Cyril & Methodius Parish in Upper Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY with Fr. Joseph Mietelski CM as the first Vincentian pastor of the church at 150 Dupont Street. After sudden death of Fr. Mietelski, his vicar Fr. Rafal Kopystynski became administrator of the parish. In 2003 Fr. Roman Kmiec was appointed second Vincentian pastor of SS. Cyril & Methodius assisted by Fr. Joseph Wisniewski CM. When Fr. Tadeusz Maciejewski CM replaced him in 2006 Father Roman has returned to New Haven. This time as pastor and superior. And again, Fr. Tadeusz Maciejewski replaced him as superior and pastor of the parish St. Stanislaus in New Haven in 2015. At that time neither of them realized the two of them will be the last two Vincentian pastors in the history of the parish. Vincentians left New Haven at Christmas of 2021. The church was handed over to priests of Archdiocese of Hartford.

For the rest of life Fr. Roman manifested his special sentiments and commitments to the community in New Haven.

Meanwhile, on January 15, 2001 Father was elected Provincial councilor for the first time. And again in 2003 and 2004. Finally, he has been elected councilor on November 25, 2008 once again.

In that time Fr. Roman’s health started to deteriorate and he moved to DePaul Residence in Manchester, CT to get some rest and treatment. He was appointed superior of the Provincial House and local treasurer. Over three years ago bad news came. He was diagnosed with pancreas cancer and more intensive treatment including chemotherapy and couple surgeries. He suffered a lot. Doctors weren’t able to kill the pain he felt. The final surgery took place at Hartford Hospital on November 7, 2022. A few days later, his body was in pain again. He went to the hospital again, but unsuccessfully. His pain came back in a few days. Fr. Roman was transferred to John Paul II Center, 33 Lincoln Ave, Danbury, CT. From there he was moved to Regional Hospice in Danbury where he died at night, December 21, 2022. His brother Jan Kmieć, who lives in Connecticut was at his presence all the time and at his death. 

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS
Friday, December 23, 2022

St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr Catholic Church,
784 State Street, New Haven, CT 06511
(crossing with Eld Street)

• 11:30 AM – viewing at the church
• 12:00 PM – funeral Mass

Burial – Vincentians’ plot, St. Michaels Cemetery,
28 Silver Hill Road, Ansonia, CT 06401

…

St. Stanislaus RC Church

GET DIRECTIONS TO:

St. Michael’s Cemetery

Father EDMUND RICHARD GUTOWSKI CMwas born November 16, 1932 in Brooklyn, NY, asthe son of the late Anthony Gutowski and Stella Jablonski Gutowski, in St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish.  Here he attended St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish School.  In 1946 he turned his steps to St. John Kanty Prep (College in those days), Erie, Penn, another Polish Vincentians staffed education institution very estimated among Polish-Americans. After graduation in 1950 he went to Niagara University, another place where he was under Vincentian tutelage. Here he recognized his vocation. In 1951 moved to St. Joseph Preparatoty Seminary, Princeton, NJ. Here he was received to the Congregation of the Mission (then Vice-Province of Poland in the USA) on June 10, 1952 and then spent another two years in Internal Seminary (Novitiate) in St. Vincent’s Seminary, Germantown, Penn. After professing temporary vows (Good Proposal) on June 11, 1954 he was transferred for rest of seminary formation to Mary Immaculate Seminary, Northampton, Penn. Here he took perpetual vows on June 11, 1957 and earned his B.A. in philosophy. On October 4, 1959 received into the Order of Deacons. Ordained priest at Mary Queen of All Saints Chapel (Mary Immaculate Seminary), Northampton,  May 26, 1960 by Msgr John A. O’Shea CM, bishop of Kanchow, China. His First Solemn Mass Fr. Gutowski sung in his home parish – St.Stanislaus Kostka, on May 29, 1960.

His first assignment, right after ordination, was in home parish – St. Stanislaus Kostka. There, he was vicar and continued his studies at College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, St.John’s University, New York.  He graduated with Master’s degree in Library Sciences (MLS).

In 1961 Fr. “Ed” was sent to St. John Kanty Prep (St. John Kanty College) in Erie, Penn as a part of the preachers (popular missions) team which was stationed there. Soon he started his career as teacher and educatorteaching Civics and Christian Doctrine IV. He was assigned as the Assistant Director of Students. In the fall of 1962, he began teaching English I and English III.In 1966, he became head of the Mass Department in Erie, PA., a post he held for 14 years. He was Director of Admissions of St. John Kanty Prep in Erie, PA. for 6 years. He stays in Erie until it’s closing on June 8, 1980. Meanwhile since 1975 to 1978 he was Provincial Assistant and Councilor.

Later, in the same year Fr. Gutowski was sent to missionary work abroad. He spent some months of 1980 in Algeria involved in the missions. And in 1981 started his work in Istanbul, Turkey. Vincentians from Province of Austria run prestigious St. Georgs-Kolleg (St. George’s Austrian High School). It was founded in 1880 and since the beginning Austrian Vincentians keep governance of the High School according to Austrian education system (Austrian education authority supervises the school).

In 1988 Fr. Edmund returned to United States being assigned as archivist in the Provincial Residence in West West Hartford, Conn. He held this position until 1991 when he returned to Istanbul again. In 1994 back in New England and sent as vicar to St. Stanislaus Parish in New Haven, Conn. In 1995 moved to his home parish (St. Stanislaus Kostka) as parochial vicar. Additionally, in 2000 – 2003 was Superior there. Since 2004 Fr. Ed stayed in DePaul Provincial Residence, Manchester, Conn. again as Provincial Archivist. Organization of the Provincial Archives was his main responsibility.

When his health deteriorated he moved to stay with his family in Brooklyn. And later he became resident in St. Mary’s Home, the nursing facility in West New Haven, CT. At the time of his death he was at DePaul Provincial Residence in Manchester, CT.