Tuesday, October 5, 2010

The History of the Parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Part 6

Continued from The History of the Parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Part 5

Various games and bazaars were held for the purpose of reducing the debt, they were more and more frequent. And what happened was almost unbelievable. In September 1930, Father Wojciech Żądała, with the help of the noble, willing, and dedicated parishoners, finally paid the last penny of the debt. Amidst the total happiness, the mortgage papers were formally burned.

In the years of the Great Depression, so well of every well-known, large parish not only, that it could not confidently pay off the amount of their debts, not even the interest , and instead of reducing their debt, they increased it more and more. Thanks to the frugality of the manager of the parish, Father Wojciech Żądały, the Parish of the Assumption didn't feel any financial difficulty during these years of economic stagnation. The Parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of few parishes in Detroit that are free from debt. It is because it is completely paid off.

Besides the apartments for the Sisters, the current pastor Father Wojciech Żądała built a large and suitable entry in the front of the church and school. The cost of this addition, which was completed in 1935, amounted to $12,000.00. The old entrance was too narrow and inconvenient, and in winter even dangerous. In this current year of 1937, the year of the silver jubilee celebrations of the establishment of the parish, the Reverend pastor made various improvements and repairs. The exteriors of all parish buildings, and both the interiors and exteriors of the church and school were painted.

In August, in the place of the old main altar, a new and splendid altar was constructed, and in the extended sanctuary, a new banister. These improvements cost over $10,000.00. The jubilee celebration deserves improvements and additions, which is why the parish spared no money, which was lying in the bank, for the improvements. The priestly vicar at the Parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Because the parish was rapidly growing, the same Reverend pastor managed to be of service to the parish, the Reverend Bishop marked the priestly vicar to help the Reverend pastor. From the beginning, with a lack of priestly help of Polish descent in the Detroit diocese, priestly professors from the Polish Seminary at Orchard Lake came with priestly help on Saturdays and Sundays. Later, when a number of young priests grew up in the diocese, the Reverend Bishop appointed priests on a permanent curate.

From "Silver Jubilee Souvenir Booklet of the Church of the Assumption 1912-1937", Detroit, Michigan. Translation from Polish to English by Stephen Danko, 2007.

To Be Continued...

1 comment:

  1. I began school at Assumption BVM in 1959 Through 1968 seems like yesterday.It was an old polish neighborhood with great people, Assumption was a strict and disciplined school, with great love and strong catholic teachings.
    I remember when my step father died I carried the Cross at his funeral, And then Sister Mary Janet seen to it that we had food during that time.
    The schools no longer there, But will always be in our hearts
    Mike Daniels and the Piaskowski Family

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