Another Catholic church in New Bedford closing. This time it's Our Lady of Perpetual Help

NEW BEDFORD — For all her 99 years, Cecelia Cowell has considered Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on North Front Street a big part of her life.

It was where she received all of the Holy Sacraments, and it was where she married in 1950.

Sadly, the church will be closing at the end of the month.

“I hope it’s not demolished,” said Stacy Clougherty, Cowell’s granddaughter. Both were on a three-way phone call with the Standard-Times for this story. Clougherty calls Cowell “Babci” (pronounced bob-chee) which means grandma in Polish.

“The decision to close is based primarily on diminishing participation at Mass and within the parish’s spiritual ministries,” said John Kearns, spokesperson for the Diocese of Fall River.

“At a recent Saturday Mass there were less than 20 in attendance and less than 30 on Sunday,” Kearns said.

Kearns noted the church has been ministered by priests of the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor Conventual.

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The most recent pastor, the Rev. Conrad Salach, died unexpectedly in October, and the Franciscans were not able to replace him, so a retired priest of the Fall River Diocese has been filling in until the church closes on Jan. 30, Kearns said.

First Roman Catholic Polish Church in New Bedford

Built in 1905, Our Lady of Perpetual Help was constructed at a contract price of $17,200 by then local contractor John B. Sullivan & Son. Reverend Edward A. Uminski first organized the Polish parish and would lead the church until 1912.

According to an essay on the church’s history posted on the Our Lady of Perpetual Help website, the blessing of the cornerstone took place on September 1, 1905, and the Most Rev. William Stang, first Bishop of the Fall River Diocese, solemnly blessed the church on December 31st of that year. On the same day, the painting of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was hung in the church. The painting was imported from Rome and was endowed with many privileges by the Holy Father, Pius X, on the 20th of November 1905.

The church also had a school for the Polish children of the city.

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The church almost went bankrupt in 1932 because of the Depression and Father Stanislaus J. Ryczek took the bold step of approaching the Most Rev. Bishop Feehan with the idea of inviting a religious order to take over the parish. Feehan agreed and the church was given over to the Polish Franciscan Fathers of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual of the Province of Saint Anthony of Padua.

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A noticeable decline was detected in weekly Mass attendance and concerns were developing regarding the properties and the future viability of the parish, the church history essay noted. Parishioners were becoming older. Funerals were increasing, and newer parishioners were fewer. Notable parishioners who put some serious dollars into the church’s offering plate were also beginning to die off.

Beloved 'Father Roman'

The Rev. Roman Chwaliszewski led the church beginning in 1982 and was its longest-serving pastor and the one most modern-day members of the congregation knew, including Cowell.

“He’s the one I remember most,” Cowell said.

It was during Father Roman’s time that the social side of church flourished. Bingo, seasonal bazaars, food sales, and the annual church Polish festival continued to draw people from all over the SouthCoast for the culinary specialties, popular polka music, or just the chance to take a moment and reminisce about times past.

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“I made pierogies and galumpkis,” Cowell said. Pierogies are a Polish dumpling stuffed with potatoes and cheese. Galumpkis are meat and rice wrapped in boiled cabbage leaves and baked in the oven. Cowell made the traditional Polish delights along with the other ladies of the church in preparation for the church’s food sales.

“It was a lot of work, but we managed somehow,” Cowell recalled fondly.

What will happen when the church closes?

Clougherty’s favorite time at church was on Christmas Eve because it was a time to see older parishioners, or those who didn’t regularly attend, come out for the service.

It was kind of a shock when parishioners were told in December the church would be closing.

“They were in the middle of fixing the kitchens,” Clougherty said.

Kearns said it is hoped that other churches will reach out to parishioners and welcome them into their fold.

If parishioners want to continue going to Mass at a Polish Roman Catholic church, they can choose to attend St. Stanislaus in Fall River, Kearns said.

Standard-Times digital producer Linda Roy can be reached at lroy@s-t.com. You can follow her on Twitter at @LindaRoy_SCT. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford's first Polish Catholic church closing at end of January