American Czestochowa will always be the spiritual capital of all Poles surviving in the United States. It was Poles who built this place and supported it from the very beginning. It is simply a peculiar place for all Pole surviving in the USA – emphasises Fr. Maximilian Dawid Ogar, OSPPE from American Czestochowa in an interview with PCH24.pl.
Father, erstwhile did Paulini come to America?
The arrival of Paulins to the United States, we owe our brother to Father Michal Zembrzeski. Father Michael arrives in the United States in 1951 and brings with him a copy of the Miraculous Image of Our woman of Jasna Góra, with the hope of erecting an American sanctuary on the ground like Jasna Góra in Poland. This copy was blessed by the Pope, present already, Saint John XXIII.
What were the beginnings of American Czestochowa?
The past of our sanctuary begins 2 years after Father Michael's arrival in the United States, erstwhile in 1953 Father Michael purchases a farm in Bucs County, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, with the aim of beginning a chapel and monastery. It is here that Father Michael receives the approval of the Holy See and the cardinals of the time. O’Hara of Philadelphia to establish a monastery and sanctuary.
After 2 years, Father Michael's dream is fulfilled. The solemn beginning of the chapel prepared from the barn and dedicated to the parent of God Częstochowa was made on June 26, 1955, which begins and the operation of our Sanctuary on American soil. The dedication of this chapel opens a fresh center of Marian worship, to which the first pilgrimages and organized groups begin to arrive. The first pilgrimage registered in our papers arrives from the parish of St. Lawrence of Philadelphia, on 26 June 1955 on the occasion of the dedication of the chapel.
Due to the growth of the pilgrimage movement and the pastoral improvement of the sanctuary, the tiny chapel begins to be insufficient. In 1960 o. Michael, thanks to the financial support of the faithful, buys more land. The year 1966, the Millennium Baptism of Poland, was approaching. The thought of building a larger temple was created as a votive of gratitude for a 1000 years of religion of the Polish people. The temple's appeal gained broad support among the clergy and American Polonia. The ceremony of laying the foundation stone under the future Shrine of Our woman of Czestochowa on the hill of Beacon Hill is presided over by Archbishop John King of Philadelphia. The same year, the cemetery at the sanctuary is opened and dedicated, where the first known Polish artist Adam Styka will be placed. The solemn dedication took place on 16 June with the participation of Rev. Archbishop John King of Philadelphia and president of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson, a multitude of pilgrims and many representatives of the Catholic Church and state administration.
How many pilgrims this year came on pilgrimages to American Czestochowa?
Pilgrims have been very popular for many years. For thirty-seven years, there has been a ft pilgrimage to American Czestochowa from the parish of St Peter and Paul of large Meadows, fresh Jersey. Pilgrims from large Meadows cross 4 days 57.5 miles, or about 93 kilometres with prayer and sing on my lips attest about the surviving Christ, the inhabitants of cities, for most of them, this is an different custom. Many ask, and look at us with large surprise what we're doing. Pilgrimage from large Meadows, is by far the largest pilgrimage of pilgrimages to Our woman each year and includes 3 groups, 2 Polish groups: the Salvatorian Group and our Pauline, the most numerous, and 1 American group, which is led by the sons of St. Francis, the Franciscan Brothers of Renewal, in Poland known as the Grey Angels. There is besides a smaller group of pilgrims who pilgrimage for 2 days, about 30 miles (48 km) from the parish of St. Jadwiga in Trenton, fresh Jersey, which is besides led by Paulini. This year, about 1,700 pilgrims of different nationalities arrived in pilgrimages to the American Czestochowa, not only Poland.
The Americans are a Marian nation?
Yeah, they're definitely a Marian nation. Many shrines and parishes dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary attest to this. Only in our Archdiocese can you find 48 churches dedicated to our parent and Queen. Among the most celebrated are the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – the largest church in all of North America and 1 of the 10 largest Churches in the world. Our woman as Immaculate Conception has been the chief patron of the United States since 1847. There are various services about deep love for Mary, among which there is simply a peculiar prayer, which is recited in many families, but besides in parishes before all morning Mass.
I would like to point out that the United States was the place of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Wisconsin in the 19th century. This is the only revelation approved by the Church in the United States. While walking along a way in the woods, an 8-year-old Adele Brise, saw a woman dressed in white standing between 2 trees. On Adele's question: In the name of God, who are you and what do you want from me? The Blessed parent replied: I am the Queen of Heaven who prays for the conversion of sinners, and I want you to do the same. Brise received a mission to To gather children in this chaotic country and teach them what they should know for their salvation.
What are the forms of Marian worship?
There are many. Among the most popular Marian cults are definitely rosary, Carmelite scapular, the Angel of the Lord's Prayer, Loretian Litania, Novena to Our woman Solving Nodes, Consecration Prayers, specified as the 33 Days of Consecration to Our Lady, the Marvelous Medal, the Deviation of the 5 First Saturdays and the Deviation of the 3 Hail Mary. Many American Catholics go on pilgrimages to the Marian Sanctuarys especially to Guadeloupe and Fatima.
Pilgrims from all over the planet come to this Polish home of Our woman in the USA, although it is most likely very close to Poles?
Of course, American Czestochowa will always be the spiritual capital of all Poles surviving in the States. It was Poles who built this place and supported it from the very beginning. It is simply a peculiar place for all Pole surviving in the USA. The time of the pandemic was a large blessing for us on the 1 hand, as it opened our Sanctuary to people who had never heard of it before. Without a doubt, the most many group are our local residents who come to us all day and are most active in the life of the sanctuary. There are more and more groups from Haiti – speaking French and Spanish-speaking pilgrims. Eighty percent of our pastoral ministry is only English, as the Polish population is unfortunately little and less. We become a more American shrine than Polish, but we always remember our roots.
The greats of this planet besides travel to the American Czestochowa... Which event is especially crucial to you?
A peculiar crucial event is the two-time visit of our large compatriot to American Czestochowa, Karol Wojtyla. Karol Wojtyła inactive visited our sanctuary for the first time in 1969 as Archbishop of Kraków. Second visit to the card. Karol Wojtyła took place in 1976, which along with a delegation of Polish bishops arrives at 41th global Eucharistic legislature in Philadelphia, stopping at our Pauline monastery. Our sanctuary enjoyed the visit of president George H. In Bush on 13 April 1980 and president Ronald Reagan, who arrived at the end of our Polish-American festival in 1984, which this year we celebrate for the 58th time. Our sanctuary was besides enjoyed by the Polish cardinal. Józef Glemp, who in 1985 visits Polish communities scattered throughout the United States.
We are preparing for a unique event next year, June 29, 2025, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of American Czestochowa and our activities on American soil. This is simply a unique event for which 5 bishops have already confirmed their presence from Poland and Vatican. 2025 will be a peculiar year for our sanctuary, for which we want to prepare well.
We can besides not forget that the largest military cemetery outside Poland is simply a cemetery in American Czestochowa. Is this a peculiar place for Poles?
Yes, sir. This is not only a unique place, but a vast place of prayer and memory. Our cemetery is very popular among the faithful. Many of them want to be buried here – among so many Poles who have given their lives for their homeland and a place so unique and crucial to the American Polish people. The full cemetery is patronized by the modern sculpture “The Resurrection of Christ”. The graves are located in 4 sectors: 1) general- devoted to all Catholics, 2) dedicated to clergy and spiritual persons, 3) “A Avenue of the Deserved”, 4) Polish veterans. In the centre of Deserate Avenue there is simply a monument of Ignacy J. Paderewski, whose heart is in the main church, and a monument of General Anders. In the mediate of the Veteran section is simply a statue of Hussar. The first Chapel of Our woman of Czestochowa was moved from the first site and placed in the cemetery – as a reminder of the modest beginnings of our Sanctuary. A 45-foot-high cross made of stainless steel with the image of Christ stands on the front of the first chapel. This cross was dedicated on September 16, 2001 and dedicated to all victims of the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001.
It's amazing that students are active in grave-cleaning operations. Maintaining memory of ancestors is an exemplary action... Are young people willing to do grave cleaning?
Unfortunately, in many places in the United States there is not as strong a cult of the saints of the dead as we have in Poland. No 1 cares about All Saints, as our countrymen in Poland do. In many cemeteries, memory of ancestors is not always remembered. However, in our cemetery, the memory of ancestors is well-kept and many remember and frequently return to the cemetery to light the niche and pray at the grave of the nearest person. Of course, having quite a few friendly volunteers, among them the youngest of the Polish School and the group of home education, they care about keeping order at the graves.
How do you service those who come to American Czestochowa?
First of all, we service them by giving them the most important: Sacred Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and confession. We offer confession all day and all Sunday Mass. In the United States, this is an different phenomenon, a regular confession. In most parishes the sacrament of Atonement and Reconciliation is available erstwhile a week, usually an hour. This is not an perfect situation, but not unique due to the deficiency of priests in parishes. In Poland we may not see it, but we besides do not appreciate it many times. We have many confessions, 1 could say that we confess the fields of archdiocese. any parishes would envy us – specified large queues for confessionals. This shows how many people desire to experience the merciful Christ who challenged man from sin. We experienced in a peculiar way during the pandemic erstwhile many churches were closed and people were thirsty for sacraments.
We closed our doors only on the first day of the pandemic, and so through the full pandemic we did what we were called to do – giving sacraments, and people greatly appreciated it and got utilized to being able to meet with the merciful Christ in confessional. Our ministry fits profoundly into the Jasna Góra charism and the words of John Paul II: “Jansa Góra is the altar and confession of the nation.” Of course, apart from the Eucharist and confession, we offer the faithful the chance to meet Christ through regular adoration and many pastoral groups, the most popular of which is the group of young adults Częstochowa Young Adults, which was created during pandas. present there are about 80 people.
Thank you for talking.
Marta Dybińska
By parent to Son. American Czestochowa becomes the “Confession of Polonia”
