New England Province » Prov. New England

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.”

Easter Message from the Provincial of New England Province.

Toma — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 06:15:58 +0000

In the editorial of the current Provincial’s Newsletter we can read that the Resurrection is the crowning truth of the Christian Faith, with all basic doctrines founded on this truth and serving as the central theme of apostolic preaching. Easter guarantees our own resurrection and signifies a participation in the death and Resurrection of Christ through the Holy Spirit. Please, read the full reflection.

[Newsletter No. 3/24] Dear Confreres! When Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York was asked in an interview who the most influential person in his life is, he answered, without hesitation, “Jesus Christ, of course.” A bit perplexed, the reporter clarified, “I meant someone who is alive.” To which the Cardinal answered, with all the surety of not merely belief but first-hand experience, “You know? Jesus IS alive!” (Fr. Bill Nicholas).

Easter is the greatest and the most important feast in the Church. It marks the birthday of our eternal hope. The Resurrection of Christ is the basis of our Christian Faith, for it proves that Jesus is God. That is why St. Paul writes: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain; and your Faith is in vain. And if Christ has not been raised, then your Faith is a delusion, and you are still lost in your sins… But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (I Cor 15:14, 17, 20).

In the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC #638): “The Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our Faith in Christ, a Faith believed and lived as the central truth by the first Christian community; handed on as fundamental by Tradition; established by the documents of the New Testament; and preached as an essential part of the Paschal mystery along with the cross…”

All the basic doctrines of Christianity are founded on the truth of the Resurrection. “Jesus is Lord; He is risen!” (Rom 10:9) was the central theme of the kerygma (or “preaching”), of the apostles.

Easter is the guarantee of our own resurrection. Jesus assured Martha at the tomb of Lazarus: “I am the Resurrection and the Life; whoever believes in Me will live even though he dies” (Jn 11:25-26). Christ will raise us up on the last day, but it is also true, in a sense, that we have already risen with Christ. By virtue of the Holy Spirit, our Christian life is already a participation in the death and Resurrection of Christ (CCC #1002, #1003).

The real proof of Christ’s Resurrection is not the empty tomb but the lives of believers filled with His Spirit, then and today! The initial disbelief of Jesus’ own disciples in his Resurrection, despite his repeated apparitions, is a strong proof of his Resurrection. It explains why the apostles started preaching the Risen Christ only after receiving the anointing of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

Easter, the feast of the Resurrection, gives us the joyful message that we are a “Resurrection people.” We are expected to live a joyful and peaceful life, constantly experiencing the real Presence of the Risen Lord in all the events of our lives. “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad” (Ps 118:24).

For true Christians, especially priests, every day must be an Easter Day, lived joyfully in the close company of the Risen Lord. We are called to be transparent Christians, showing others, through our lives of love, mercy, compassion, and self-sacrificing service, that the Risen Jesus is living in our hearts. We need to live new, disciplined lives in the Risen Jesus.

“Faith is not an album of past memories; Jesus is not outdated. He is alive here and now” (Pope Francis) Father Basil Pennington, a Catholic monk, tells of an encounter he once had with a teacher of Zen. Pennington was at a retreat. Each person met privately with this Zen teacher as part of the retreat. Pennington says that at his meeting, the Zen teacher sat there before him, smiling from ear to ear and rocking gleefully back and forth. Finally, the teacher said: “I like Christianity. But I would not like Christianity without the Resurrection. I want to see your Resurrection!” Pennington notes, “With his directness, the teacher was saying what everyone else implicitly says to Christians: “You are a Christian. You are risen with Christ. Show me (what this means for you in your life), and I will believe.” (sermon archive, Marilyn Omernick)

That is how people know if the Resurrection is true or not: does it affect how we live?

Let us always be bearers of the Good News of Resurrection power. Happy Easter!

Rev. Marek Sobczak CM

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.

Celebrating fraternity in our Greenpoint communities on Maundy Thursday, the Priests’ Day

Toma — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 21:00:16 +0000

[Newsletter No. 3/24] It was a blessed and joyous occasion to come together with our fellow priests from Greenpoint parishes on Maundy Thursday. The joint midday prayer at the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius was a beautiful reminder of our unity and brotherhood in our calling.

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.

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.

Message from the Provincial for the Lent 2024

Toma — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 21:32:06 +0000

In the message from the Provincial, F. Marek Sobczak for the Lent 2024 we can read: “Lent is, for us, such a reset to get rid of the devil’s presence in our lives. To get rid of our failures, weaknesses, wrongdoings, and shortcuts. It is a time to turn around and become holy as we were holy during our Baptism”.

[Newsletter No. 2/24] An Arab fable tells of a traveler startled by seeing a camel’s nose thrust in at the tent’s door where he was sleeping. “It’s frigid outside,” said the camel, “I only want to get my nose in.” The nose was allowed in, then the neck, and finally, the whole body.

Soon, the traveler began to be inconvenienced by such an ungainly companion in a room not large enough for both. “If you are inconvenienced,” said the camel, “you may leave; as for myself, I shall stay where I am.”

“Give but an inch,” says Anglican bishop Lancelot Andrews, “and the devil will take an ell; if he can get in an arm, he will makeshift to shove in his whole body.”

This happens in our lives much too often. In our busy lives, we compromise with the devil by allowing him to tempt us. And then we fall to the devil’s temptation quite often. And finally, we allow the evil spirit to enter our hearts and dwell within us. The Holy Time of Lent is an excellent opportunity to eliminate it.

How often did our cell phone or computer freeze, get stuck, or become unresponsive? What did we do in such a situation? We had to restart or even do the reset of the equipment to make it work again.

Lent is, for us, such a reset to get rid of the devil’s presence in our lives. To get rid of our failures, weaknesses, wrongdoings, and shortcuts. It is a time to turn around and become holy as we were holy during our Baptism.

You may find it hard to believe, but I remember that my grandmother did not eat meat, cold cuts, sweets, and cakes, nor drank milk, coffee, sodas, or alcohol throughout Lent. On the other hand, she prayed a lot and went to Church for Lenten services such as the Stations and Lamentations.

According to historical sources, many early Christians rejected the pleasures of this world, the comforts of life, or good food by fasting 290 days a year. Their goal was to live in God, to sacrifice themselves to increase God’s glory.

In the Old Testament Book of Daniel 9:3, we read: “So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, fasting and sackcloth and ashes.”

The author reminds us that Lent is a time of prayer, petition, fasting, and repentance. And the purpose of Lent is to get closer to God, who wants to be closer to us.

During Lent the Church tries to lead us to a metanoia or true “repentance” and renewal of life through fasting, prayer, almsgiving, self-control, and practice of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

The Superior General, Father Gregory Gay, in one of his letters writes: “The Church offers us a precious gift: the season of Lent. It is a sacred space, a time beckoning us to pause, draw back from life’s daily grind, and drink more deeply of Jesus’ story of our salvation: his life, passion, and resurrection. Simply put, Lent is a time of sabbatical for the soul.

As a people claimed by Christ and committed to the charism of St. Vincent de Paul, this holy season can help us better live out our Catholic faith and the Vincentian way. Like Vincent, our identity is rooted in Christ. These forty days of Lent are not only a time for prayer, penance, and almsgiving, but also for reflection, connection, and action”.

Referring again to modern achievements of technology in this digital age we may say that “We’re all connected” through all kinds of electronic media. How true it is. Our faith and charism challenge us to connect Jesus’ command to love God and serve our neighbor more profoundly. Lent calls us to examine the presence of the suffering Christ in the world more clearly so that we might understand their plight and be Christ to them.

Make your Lent a time for personal reflection on where you stand as a Vincentian in accepting the Gospel challenges in thought, word, and deed. Assess your relationships with the people you serve and the people who still wait for your help or services. Connect them with the love of God.

Examine whether you can make any positive contribution to other people’s lives.

Convert your Lent into a time for spiritual growth and Vincentian maturity.

Take up the fight daily against the evil within and around us, and never give up. Jesus has assured us that the Holy Spirit is with us, empowering us to achieve final victory through Jesus Christ.

In other words – get rid of your own evil and live in holiness of God’s love. This is what Lent is all about.

Marek Sobczak, C.M.

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