Growing Up Catholic and Polish

The Catholic Church in the 1950's and 1960's, from a kid point of view, was the place to which you went to be lectured on how to be a good person and to get the weekly dose of Latin. It was a scary place, one that our parents dragged us to every week, pulling us out of bed and making sure that we were dressed in our very best. Girls showed off their best dresses and coats...and the hat was an essential part of church attire. If you forgot your hat, a Kleenex affixed to the top of the head with a bobbypin would suffice.

We were parishioners of St Stanislaus Kostka Church, the Polish church on the corner of Hoosac and Summer Sts. St Stan's looked like a Cathedral both inside and out. There were beautiful stained glass windows, simulated marble columns, and wonderful statues. There was still an altar railing in those days and parishioners kneeled there to receive communion. The priest faced the altar and prayed the mass in Latin that one could barely hear. However, he usually made up for that at sermon time, when he spoke directly to the people and preached on how to be a good Catholic.

I was a church daydreamer, never concentrating on the task at hand and never sure I quite understood what was going on. It as more fun to check out the other people in church, to look at the latest fashions, and to think about other things.

Note: In 2009, the St Stanislaus Kostka Church was closed by the diocese of Springfield, MA. The parishioners were horrified that a church, in the black financially, with a working parochial school and convent, could be closed so quickly. The parishioners scrambled and locked themselves in the church to hold vigil until the Vatican could be petitioned for re-opening. After 3 years of holding vigil, the Vatican sided with the parishioners and allowed the church to reopen. I was at the closing and again, at the re-opening. The photos are from the re-opening mass.