Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish, Coventry
# Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish, Coventry

Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish - designated for Polish immigrants in Coventry, Rhode Island (Former Quidnick village), United States.

Founded in 1905, it is one of the Polish-American Roman Catholic parishes in New England in the Diocese of Providence.

## History

In 1905, the Bishop of the Diocese of Providence Matthew Harkins sent Father Francis Kluger to organize the parish. On October 22, 1905, Fr. Francis Kluger began celebrating Mass in the basement of St. John's Church. The first pastor, Fr. John M. Nowicki arrived in Quidnick on November 2, 1906.

The Gothic style edifice of the church with a seating capacity of 400 was completed in the spring of 1907. As an expression of their great love and devotion to the Mother of God, the Polish immigrants named the church Our Lady of Czestochowa, in honor of Mary's most famous shrine in Poland. The church was blessed and dedicated by Bishop Harkins on April 21, 1907. Fr. Franciszek Chalupka of Webster, Massachusetts, was also present at this solemn occasion.

## Pastors

* Rev. John M. Nowicki (1905-1907)
* Rev. Michael Dutkiewicz (1907-1914)
* Rev. Lawrence Malecki (1914-1917)
* Rev. Kluger (1917-1921)
* Rev. J. Olechnowicz (1921-1922)
* Rev. Bronislaus S. Rosiak (1922-1934)
* Rev. Joseph J. Glodzik (1934-1948)
* Rev. Peter Narewski (1948-1950)
* Rev. John T. Borek (1950-1955)
* Rev. Anthony D. lwuc (1955-1972)
* Rev. Peter Narewski (1972-1986)
* Rev. Czesław Leon Kachel (1986-1989)
* Rev. Kenneth J. Suibielski (1989-1990)
* Rev. John D. Dreher (1990-1999)
* Rev. Stephen P. Amaral (1999-2017)
* Rev. Jacek Ploch (2017–present)
