SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Three Rivers

SS Peter & Paul Parish (Polish: Parafia Świętych Apostołów Piotra i Pawła w Three Rivers) is a Roman Catholic parish, designated for Polish immigrants in Three Rivers, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1903, it is one of the Polish-American Roman Catholic parishes in New England in the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts.

SS Peter & Paul Parish
SS. Peter and Paul Church
Location2267 Main Street
Three Rivers, Massachusetts
CountryUnited States
DenominationRoman Catholic
WebsiteParish website
History
Founded1903 (1903)
Founder(s)Polish immigrants
DedicationSS Peter & Paul
Consecrated1905
Administration
DioceseDiocese of Springfield in Massachusetts
ProvinceBoston
DivisionRegion 8
Clergy
Bishop(s)Most Rev. Mitchell T. Rozanski

In 2010, the neighboring St. Anne Parish closed and merged with Sts. Peter and Paul Parish to form Divine Mercy Parish at Sts. Peter and Paul Church.

History

According to the record, the first Polish immigrant came to the town of Palmer in the year 1886. Through the efforts of Fr. Franciszek Chalupka, the small but respected group of Polish settlers in Three Rivers, Thorndike and Bondsville were organized the St. Joseph Men's Society of Thorndike in April 1895.

In 1899 the St. Joseph's Society chose representatives and the committee visited the Most Rev. Bishop Daniel T. Beaven and with the assistance of a young lawyer, David Dillon, they finally were granted permission to organize and to establish the SS. Peter and Paul Parish at Four Corners[1] in Three Rivers.

In July 1902, the Most Rev. Bishop Daniel T. Beaven appointed the Rev. Wacław Lenz as the first pastor for Polish descent residing in the towns at Four Corners. At the first meeting they decided to build the Church in the center of the town of Palmer and chose the present site in the village of Three Rivers opposite the Town Hall.

Pastors
  • Rev. Venceslaus (Wacław) Lenz (1902–1911)
  • Rev. Władysław Kielbasinski (1911–1913)
  • Rev. Andrew (Andrzej) Krzywda[2] (1913–1947)
  • Rev. Joseph (Józef) Szczepaniak (1947–1948)
  • Rev. Alphonse A. Skoniecki (1948–1972)
  • Rev. Robert J. Ceckowski (1972–1997)
  • Rev. Stefan J. Niemczyk (1997–)

References
  1. Named of four villages: Palmer, Three Rivers, Thorndike and Bondsville
  2. Born at Dembowiec, Poland, Rev. Andrew Krzywda came to this country at the age of seventeen to live for a time with a brother in Chicopee. He was educated at St. Mary's College in Detroit and the Grand Seminary in Montreal where he was ordained Dec. 18, 1909

Bibliography
  • A short parish history the 1955 Jubilee Book. SS Peter & Paul Parish - Three Rivers MA: the internet Polish Genealogical Source.
  • The 150th Anniversary of Polish-American Pastoral Ministry. Webster, Massachusetts: St. Joseph Basilica. September 11, 2005.
  • The Official Catholic Directory in USA
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