St. Casimir Parish, South Bend facts for kids

St. Casimir Parish is a Catholic church in South Bend, Indiana, United States. It was started in 1898 by Polish immigrants. This church is part of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. It is also an important building in the St. Casimir Parish Historic District.

You can attend weekend masses here. There's an English mass on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. (on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays). On Sundays, there's an English mass at 9:30 a.m. and a Spanish mass at 11:30 a.m.

History of St. Casimir Parish

St. Casimir Parish, South Bend, Indiana.

Original St. Casimir Church and School

St. Casimir Parish was founded in 1898 by Polish immigrants. It was the second of four Polish-American churches in South Bend, Indiana. People sometimes called it "Warszawa," which means Warsaw, after the capital of Poland. The first pastor was Rev. Anthony Zubowicz, C.S.C.

The new parish began in a building that was both a church and a school. This building was officially opened in March 1899. The main hall in the school building was used as the church until the current church was built in 1924. The church is located at the corner of Dunham and Webster streets in South Bend. Priests from the Congregation of Holy Cross have served the parish since it started.

Early Days and Growth

A very important person for the Polish community in South Bend was Rev. Valentine Czyzewski, C.S.C. For 35 years, he was a leader in the religious, social, and cultural life of the Polish people. He helped start new parishes, schools, and libraries. He also helped Polish workers with their problems.

In 1893, Father Czyzewski suggested that Polish people living on the south side of the Grand Truck Railroad tracks should meet to plan a new church. By 1896, the area had grown a lot. Father Czyzewski allowed a committee to form to start the new parish. On March 2, 1896, Bishop Joseph Rademacher saw the proposed location and approved it.

Construction of the combined school and church began in April 1898. The first stone was laid then. Rev. Anthony Zubowicz, C.S.C. became the first pastor on June 11, 1898. The new church building was blessed on March 4, 1899, and the first mass was celebrated there.

St. Casimir School

3rd and 4th grades in 1908

Two Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth

The parish school opened in 1899. The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth taught at the school. By 1910, about 600 students were enrolled in grades 1 through 8. Children attended morning mass and classes during weekdays. Classes were taught in both Polish and English.

Since the children lived nearby, they walked to school. They would go home for lunch and then return for afternoon classes. On Sundays, children also attended a special children's mass. They sat with their class and were sometimes asked questions by the priest afterward.

Challenges and Rebuilding

In 1913, Rev. Czyzewski, a key Polish priest, passed away. Rev. Zubowicz moved to another parish. A new pastor, Rev. W.T. Szalewski, C.S.C., was appointed to St. Casimir. However, some parishioners were unhappy with this choice. They wanted the assistant pastor, Rev. Leon P. Szybowicz, C.S.C., to be the new leader.

Because of the disagreements, Rev. Szalewski left the parish in October 1913. Rev. Szybowicz was also moved. The parish was closed for several months.

On February 15, 1914, an event called "Krwawa Niedziela" or "Bloody Sunday" happened. When a new priest, Rev. Stanislaus Gruza, C.S.C., arrived to start his duties, a large crowd gathered. There was a big disagreement when police tried to help the priest enter the rectory. Many people were hurt, and there was some damage to the property.

After this event, the legal issues were resolved, and charges were dropped. In the summer of 1915, Rev. Gruza left the parish. Rev. Stanislaus Gorka, C.S.C., became the new pastor without any problems. The parish slowly healed and grew stronger under his leadership.

In the 1920s, a new church building was constructed. This new church became a great source of pride for the parish. It was blessed by Bishop John F. Noll, O.D., on November 15, 1925.

Community Life and Changes

Most of the men in the parish worked in factories nearby. Companies like Studebaker and Oliver Farm Equipment Company employed many people. During the difficult economic times of the 1930s, the parish faced financial challenges. Father Gorka often had to ask for small donations from local shops to help pay bills.

In 1949, the parish celebrated its 50th anniversary. Since the church's debt was paid off, it was officially consecrated on May 4, 1949. At this time, the school had 290 students. There were also more than 20 clubs and groups for church service, spiritual growth, youth activities, sports, drama, and community improvement.

Statue of St. Casimir at St. Casimir Parish, South Bend. Behind the statue, the former rectory, now convent of Felician Sisters is seen.

Starting in the 1960s, the neighborhood slowly changed. More people from different backgrounds, including Mexican and Black families, moved in. In 1975, Rev. Leo Wojciechowski, C.S.C., closed the parish school. Even though 156 students were enrolled, he believed the school did not have a strong future.

In 1994, St. Casimir Parish began sharing priests with St. Stephen Parish. This meant the same priests served both churches. From 1997 to 1998, the parish celebrated its 100th year with many events. These included parades, festivals, a school reunion, and other parties.

In 2003, St. Stephen Parish joined with St. Adalbert Parish, South Bend. Since then, St. Casimir Parish has shared its pastor and priests with St. Adalbert Parish. In 2005, a Spanish language mass was added, which has helped the parish grow and become more lively. From 2005 to 2018, the former rectory served as a home for the Felician Sisters.

Architecture and Design

Nave of St. Casimir Church. Images of St. Casimir, Christ the King, and St. Stanislaus Kostka are painted on the aspe above the main altar.

The church was designed by the architecture firm of Worthmann and Steinbach. It is built in the Polish Cathedral architectural style. It has Romanesque architecture features with Italian-style chandeliers. The church's design, with arches along the sides and a large arch around the main altar, reminds people of St. Paul's Within the Walls in Rome.

Main Altar and Sanctuary

The outside of the church is made of red brick in a traditional Polish style. Because of its beautiful and detailed design, St. Casimir church building received the highest historical architectural ranking possible from the Historic Preservation Commission. Only a few buildings in all of South Bend have this special recognition.

Culture and Traditions

St. Casimir Parish celebrates its Polish American heritage in many ways. One special event is the annual Micholaj celebration, a Polish dinner feast. On the eve of the Feast of St. Nicholas, the parish enjoys traditional foods like pierogi, noodles, roast beef, herring, paczkis (Polish doughnuts), and breads.

After the meal, parishioners sing "kolendy," which are Polish Christmas carols. Then, St. Nicholas himself visits the children, bringing them fruit, candy, and prayer cards.

A view from the choir loft into the nave and sanctuary of the church in June 2023.

St. Casimir also holds an annual Forty Hours' Devotion for the feast day of its patron saint, St. Casimir, on March 4.

Pastors of St. Casimir Parish

• Rev. Anthony Zubowicz, C.S.C. (July 1898–April 1899 and June 1902-July 1913)
• Rev. Eligius Raczynski, C.S.C. (April 1899-June 1902)
• Rev. Mieczyslaw Szalewski, C.S.C. (July 1913-August 1913 and October 1913)
• Rev. Boniface Iwaszewski, C.S.C. (August 1913-October 1913)
• Rev. Stanislaus Gruza, C.S.C. (January 1914-September 1915)
• Rev. Stanislaus Gorka, C.S.C. (September 1915-July 1931 and July 1937-August 1941)
• Rev. Anthony Rozewicz, C.S.C. (July 1931-July 1937)
• Rev. Boleslaus Sztuczko, C.S.C. (October 1941-July 1946)
• Rev. Casimir Witucki, C.S.C. (July 1946-June 1957)
• Rev. Bernard Niemier, C.S.C. (July 1957-June 1964)
• Rev. George Szymanowski, C.S.C. (July 1964-June 1975)
• Rev. Leo Wojciechowski, C.S.C. (July 1975-June 1978)
• Rev. Howard A. “Gus” Kuhns, C.S.C. (July 1978-June 1987)
• Rev. Joseph H. Fey, C.S.C. (July 1987–June 1994)
• Rev. Thomas F. Lemos, C.S.C. (July 1994–June 2001)
• Rev. David J. Porterfield, C.S.C. (July 2001–June 2004)
• Rev. Christopher W. Cox, C.S.C. (July 2004–June 2010)
• Rev. Peter J. Pacini, C.S.C. (July 2010–June 2016)
• Rev. Paul Ybarra, C.S.C. (July 2016 – June 2020)
• Rev. Ryan Pietrocarlo, CSC (July 2020 – Present)