FIFTH ANNUAL BLESSING OF THE POLISH AMERICAN DANCE ENSEMBLES.
MARCH 18, 2007

In a holy, but festive mass on March 18, 2007, St, Hyacinth Parish celebrated the contributions of the various Detroit area Polish American Dance Ensembles.

Highlights included the offering of symbolic gifts by the many ensembles present in full dance regalia, which included many items that represented both Poland and the Catholic faith.  Among the offerings were bread and salt (the traditional Polish greeting gift), beautiful renditions of Pope John Paul II and symbolic fruit baskets.  Following this, Reverend Janusz Iwan offered a rousing sermon in which he enjoined parishioners to remain proud of their Polish heritage, and reminded the young people of the ensembles that education was the single greatest opportunity they had for success.

Father Iwan then blessed the dance groups with Holy Water.

Set to celebrate their 100th anniversary in May, St. Hyacinth is located on the eastside of Detroit in an area commonly known as Poletown. When the Parish was founded in 1907, the Polish population in the Detroit area was growing rapidly.  Faced with an ever-increasing number of Poles north and east of Saint Albertus Parish, Bishop John Foley was prompted to establish a new Polish parish. Bishop Foley challenged the Rev. Father Sylvester Kolkiewicz to build a new parish to serve the growing Polish population of this area and Father Kolkiewicz accepted this tremendous challenge.

For more information:

Saint Hyacinth Roman Catholic Church
3151 Farnsworth Ave.
Detroit, MI 48211
Parish Rectory Phone:
(313) 922-1507
Office Hours:
10:00 AM till 3:00 PM    -    Monday through Friday