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Fr. Chester Mrowka, C.M., dies two weeks after his 97th birthday

Toma — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 22:25:12 +0000

The sad news came to us from St. Joseph’s Home (nursing health center) in Enfield, CT. Today, Friday, July 5 Father CHESTER MROWKA, C.M., 97, died after 7:00 AM. He moved to that place few weeks ago, after he collapsed and his health deteriorated.
He passed away two weeks after his 97th birthday, 74th year of vocation and 66th year of priesthood. He observed 65th anniversary in late June. At the time of his death he was the oldest member of New England Province.

Fr. Chester was born on June 22, 1927 in New Haven, CT. After serving his time in the US Navy he entered the Congregation of the Mision, then in the Vice-Province of Poland in the USA on June 12, 1951. After completing his studies and formation he was ordained priest on may 23, 1959 in the Vincentian Seminary in Northampton, PA.
During the years of priestly ministry he has been very well known as teacher, educator and rector of St. John Kanty College in Erie, Pa, founded, administerd and staffed by Vincentians. He stayed there from 1960 to 1966 and again from 1967 until 1976 as its Rector and Superior.
In 1987 he was elected the fourth Provincial Superior (Visitor) of New England Province and held this position until 1996. During his term the Provincial headquarters moved from its second location (1109 Prospect Avenue, West Hartford) and another temporary one at 1155 Prospect Ave and finally he managed building and opening of the current Provincial Residence in Manchester, CT. There he has spent most of his life after his term of office as Provincial ended.

The Funeral Arrangements:
The funeral mass will take place at St. Joseph Home, 1365 Enfield Street, Enfield, CT, on Tuesday, July 9, 11:00 AM. Little Sisters of the Poor who run that home will provide a repass after the Mass.
The burial will take place around 3:00 PM at All Saints Cemetary in North Haven, CT.

Fr. Wacław A. HŁOND, C.M. has died at the age of 94

Toma — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 21:58:43 +0000

In the 69th year of priesthood, in 72nd year of vocation and in the age of 94 Fr. Wacław A. HŁOND, C.M. died in Yale New Haven Hospital on Tuesday, June 4, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. EST. Couple days earlier he was injured falling on the ground in the nursing home where was a resident.

Fr. Waclaw Hlond (pronounced: Va-tz-wa-v) was born on July 12, 1929, in the village of Brzóska, in the borough of Blachownia, in Czestochowa county, Poland. He was the son of Stanisław Hłond and Genowefa Matuszewska Hłond. He was admitted into the Congregation of the Mission on October 7, 1951. He took his final Vows on April 20, 1995, and three weeks later in the seminary church at Stradom, Krakow, he was ordained a priest on May 15, 1955, together with two other candidates by Bishop Stanisław Rospond, the Auxiliary Bishop of Krakow. Times were hard in the country during those days. The Church was persecuted. To become a priest was an act of courage and strong faith.

Six weeks after being ordained, Father Wacek came to his first pastoral assignment and the only one in Poland in Pabianice. He was a vicar and religious education teacher in the parish of Our Lady of the Rosary. The parish, erected in 1906, was handed over to the Congregation of the Mission in late 1919.

Three years later, in the Fall of 1958, he was sent to a new ministry in the Vice-Province of Poland in the United States. Fr. “Wacek” (pronounced Va-tz-ek) came to St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Parish in New Haven, Conn., as did most of those who came before him to preach the Gospel in the Vincentian Way in the North-Eastern United States. A mission established in 1905 was upgraded to a Vice-Province of the Province of Poland in 1922, and it continued growing and expanding the ministry.

A year later (1959), he was appointed a Vicar at St. Stanislaus and held this position until being sent to a new post in St. Joseph Parish, Ansonia, Conn (for the first time). After three years as Vicar there, in 1964, he was assigned to the Mission House in Whitestone, New York, which was a location of the Mission Team responsible for preaching retreats, popular missions, and providing other pastoral activities in Connecticut and in many other locations where Polish-Americans lived. Remaining a member of the team, Father was sent to Michigan University Extension in Washington, D.C. to continue his higher education. In 1967, he moved to another Mission House in Utica, NY, where he succeeded Fr. Francis Arciszewski as the superior of the community. He stayed in this position until the end of 1973.

On February 1, 1974, he took the position of pastor of St. Stanislaus Parish in New Haven, CT. It was his second assignment there. Parishioners welcomed him warmly as an old friend. During his tenure as pastor, the happy event took place at 9 Eld Street. On April 23, 1975, the Vice-Province of Poland (also known as Vice-Province of Utica) was upgraded to an autonomous Vincentian Province of New England. The community house in New Haven was established as the first Provincial Residence with Fr. Henry Sawicki as the first superior of the new province.

As a pastor, Fr. Hlond’s first major activity in New Haven was to supervise the actual construction of a new four-car garage (blueprints were prepared by the previous pastor Fr. Julian Szumilo). Another accomplishment was the continuation of repainting of the church by Anthony Amato in 1974, furnishing the sanctuary with a new chair for the celebrant, concelebrants, and a new lectern. In 1975, he supervised the redecoration and renovation of the auditorium and had Anthony Amato repaint the convent chapel, all in preparation for the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of the parish (1976). Through his efforts, the fine Diamond Jubilee Souvenir Book described the accomplishments of the past 75 years. Fr. Hlond additionally became the superior of the house.

Between 1973 and 1975, Father was a member of the Vice-Provincial Council. Between 1979 and 1981, he was a Provincial Councilor again. In 1976, the Provincial offices were transferred to a new location – the former residence of Archbishop Henry O’Brien in West Hartford (1109 Prospect Ave.). On September 8, 1981, Fr. Hłond was elected the third Visitor (Provincial Superior) of the New England Province succeeding Fr. Julian Szumilo. Re-elected for the second term in 1984. Fr. Chester Mrowka succeeded him as Provincial in 1987, but Fr. Wacek stayed in the Provincial House for another year. Next, in 1988, he came to Ansonia, CT for the second time. This time he served as the superior (until 1994) and pastor (till 1996). In 1996, he returned to New Haven for the third time, again as the superior and pastor.

Since 2006, he retired and has moved to St. Joseph in Ansonia for the third and final time as a resident. Despite the age and deteriorating health, Fr. Hłond continued to be active in parish ministry, deeply involved in administering the parish as the closest collaborator of Fr. Mitch Wanat.

At the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fr. Wacek’s health got significantly worse. He demanded qualified assistance and care. After falling in his room and not being able to climb stairs, he was taken to Griffin Hospital. After a few days, he was sent to Lord Chamberlain Short Term Rehab Center in Shelton, CT., where he spent three weeks. In the middle of February 2022, FR. Wcław Hlond, C.M., was transported from Lord Chamberlain Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Stratford, CT to: Apple Rehab Hewitt Health & Rehabilitation Center, Shelton, CT to stay permanently there due to his health condition and an older age. Fr. Mitch Want was visiting and assisting him daily. He took him to doctor appointments, shopping, rides, and walks, and took care of his medical needs, getting special creams for Fr. Hlond’s feet and helping him with hearing aids.

In the middle of May, right at the time of his 69th priesthood anniversary, Fr. Hłond collapsed again in the Apple Rehab Hewitt. His injuries, including broken ribs and internal hemorrhage, were very serious. At first, he was taken to Griffin Hospital in Derby. He got necessary treatment there. After a couple of days, doctors decided to transfer him to a more specialized medical center. Hemopneumothorax caused by broken ribs couldn’t be treated at Griffin properly. Therefore, he was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital, the second largest hospital in the United States (about 1,540 beds) and the primary teaching hospital for the Yale School of Medicine and the Yale School of Nursing. He was admitted to the intensive care department (ICU). Unfortunately, Fr. Wacek’s condition didn’t get better. He had strong breathing problems, but he wasn’t intubated. Finally, at 5:00 PM, June 4, 2022, Fr. Wacław Hłond, C.M. died in the Yale New Haven Hospital.

At the time of his death, Fr. Hłond was the second oldest Confrere (94) of the New England Province right after Fr. Chester Mrowka (97 this month) and followed by Fr. Stanley Miekinia (92).

Funeral Mass will be celebrated at noon, June 7 (Friday), 2024 in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Ansonia, CT (36 Jewett Street), the church he loved so much and cared so much of as the minister. The body of Fr. Hłond will be exposed for viewing between 11AM and 12PM followed by the liturgy. After the Mass he will be buried in the Vincentian Fathers Plot at St. Michaels Cemetery, Ansonia (28 Silver Hill Road).
Condolences shall be directed to Edward F. Adzima Funeral Home website

“May the angels lead you into paradise; may the martyrs receive you at your arrival and lead you to the holy city Jerusalem. May choirs of angels receive you and with Lazarus, once a poor man, may you have eternal rest.”

The Stations of the Cross on the streets of Brooklyn and other activities during the Lent

Toma — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 20:33:57 +0000

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.

The unique Way of the Cross was held on the fifth Friday of Lent. For the first time, this celebration took place in 2018 (on the same route). Due to COVID-19 restrictions, it wasn’t possible to organize this activity in the following years until 2023 when people walked from St. Cyril & Methodius Church to St. Stanislaus Kostka Church.

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.

Happy Foundation Day Anniversary of the Congregation of the Mission.

Toma — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 22:32:11 +0000

In 1617 Madame de Gondi asked Monsieur Vincent to preach in her properties on general confession. The Feast of Conversion of Saint Paul, January 25 was the opportunity to preach such a sermon in the village of Folleville in northern France. Response was incredible. In next days Vincent de Paul and his associates preached in nearby churches and crowds of peasant parishioners lined up for confessions. They even asked Jesus from Amiens to come and help them.

This first mission sermon, as he called it, St. Vincent regarded as the beginning of the Company of the Priests of the Mission. However there was no formal institution founded until April 17, 1625 when the legal contract was signed to found the Congregation of the Mission.

These two dates, 1617 and 1625 are the principal milestones in the history of the Little Company as St. Vincent used to call it.

In 2025 we will celebrate 400 anniversary of the foundation of the Congregation of the Mission. Preparations began last year. This year we are moving to another step of the pre-celebration of the Jubilee which theme is: “Put on the Spirit of Jesu Christ”

If you want to learn more about preparations and the Jubilee itself we encourage you to visit specially dedicated website:

https://bit.ly/IUBILAEUM400CM

From The Provincial’s Desk – December 2023 & January 2024 Newsletters

Toma — Sun, 14 Jan 2024 22:30:18 +0000

The latest editions of our Provincial’s Newsletter – December 2023 and January 2024 – are here. Inside you can find updates on our Confreres whereabouts, assignments , music concerts, pilgrimages and other news regarding our Province and our priests .

Click on the links below to read/download it.

NEWSLETTER – December 2023

NEWSLETTER – January 2024

NEWSLETTERS of the New England Province were issued regularly until 2009. In September 2022 Provincial decided to restart this practice. We hope newsletters become regular, additional source of information about our Province and the life of our Vincentian community and our charism.

Now, Newsletters are more accessible on a dedicated page – NEWSLETTER – where you can find all issues of Provincial’s bulletin of news released in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

We invite you to give us your feedback. Please, share your opinion how do you find the newsletters in comments below or sending email to webmaster@cmnewengland.org. Give us suggestions on how we could make it better and how can we improve it. You can also send us your information which you think might be interesting for the Confreres and other readers, especially regarding the parishes where we are present.

Enjoy reading!

From The Provincial’s Desk – July, August & October 2023 Newsletters

Toma — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 21:15:53 +0000

The latest editions of the our Provincial’s Newsletter – July, August & October 2023 – are here.

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.

NEWSLETTER – July 2023

NEWSLETTER – August 2023

NEWSLETTER – October 2023

Now, Newsletters are more accessible on a dedicated page – NEWSLETTER – where you can find all recent editions of Provincial’s bulletin of news.

Enjoy reading!