WSDPAHS HOLDS SECOND ANNUAL WEST SIDE HISTORIC POLISH CHURCH PILGRIMAGE AND Święconka
The West Side Detroit Polish American Historical Society was blessed with a gloriously warm, sunny day on Saturday, April 18, as we celebrated our second annual pilgrimage and Święconka, and 153 pilgrims made the event especially memorable! Churches on the schedule this year included Detroit’s St. Hedwig, St. Francis d’Assisi, and St. Stephen, and Wyandotte’s Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and St. Stanislaus Kostka.
Historical presenters included WSDPAHS’s President, Adam Lis (St. Hedwig), Tom Rys (St. Francis d’Assisi), WSDPAHS’s board member and former St. Stephen Pastor, Rev. Gary Michalik (St. Stephen), WSDPAHS’s board member and Piast Institute President Dr. Thaddeus C. Radziłowski, along with Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Pastor, Rev. Walter J. Ptak, who is also a society member (Our Lady of Mt. Carmel), and Julie Przedworski (St. Stanislaus Kostka). Rev. Mario Haby, Pastor of St. Stephen, was also in attendance at that church.
WSDPAHS member Pamela Rupinski led us in praying the rosary. Various groups were honored with a decade of the rosary at each church, as follows: The Church in Poland (St. Hedwig), our immigrant grandparents and parents (St. Francis d’Assisi), future generations of Polonia (St. Stephen), the memory of Pope John Paul II (Our Lady of Mt. Carmel), and Polish religious sisters, priests and deacons (St. Stanislaus Kostka). We joined the parishioners of St. Stanislaus Kostka in their rosary devotion.
Hymns were sung at four of the churches, led by WSDPAHS members Curtis Posuniak (St. Hedwig and St. Francis d’Assisi) and Steve Frayer (St. Stephen), and Matt Engler at St. Stanislaus Kostka.
A fabulous, traditional Święconka was prepared for us by our hosts at Biddle Hall in Wyandotte. Sr. M. Patricia Pyszynski, CSSF, who was celebrating her 65th anniversary, honored us by blessing the eggs prior to the meal. Two gift baskets of traditional, hand-made pisanki were given away as door prizes, courtesy of our director, Dr. Alina Klin. Upon returning to Detroit, many attended optional Mass at Our Lady Queen of Angels.
A wonderful time was had by all! We thank all the participating pastors and their staffs, all our presenters and musical directors, Ms. Pamela Rupinski, the staff of Biddle Hall, Trinity Coach of Wyandotte, and all others who helped to make our event a success, and we look forward to next year!
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