Polish Churches in New York City — Masses in Polish, Parishes, Institutions

NYC Polonia — Catholic Landscape

New York City and its surroundings have some of the oldest Polish parishes in the USA, dating back to the late 19th century. First immigration from Galicia (Austrian part of Poland), then the post-WWII wave, followed by Solidarity, and then the post-2000 economic migration.

Polish masses are available in:

• Brooklyn (Greenpoint is the largest hub)
• Queens (Maspeth, Ridgewood, Glendale)
• Manhattan (limited but historic presence)
• Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk counties)
• NJ (separate — see Polish parishes in NJ)

Greenpoint, Brooklyn — Historic Heart of NY Polonia

Greenpoint is "Little Poland" in NYC. Manhattan Avenue + surrounding area.

St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish (Greenpoint)

• Location: 607 Humboldt Street, Brooklyn NY 11222
• Historic Polish parish since 1896
• Polish masses on Sundays + holidays
• Polish sanctuary of the Black Madonna
• Polish elementary school
• Polish Saturday school
• Sister congregation Felician Sisters

St. Cyril & Methodius / Holy Family — Greenpoint

• Another historic Polish parish in the Greenpoint area
• Polish masses

Practical Info Greenpoint

• G train (Greenpoint Av, Nassau Av) — best public transit
• Parking is difficult — early arrival recommended
• Surrounded by Polish bakeries, shops, restaurants
• Coffee/breakfast available in Polish after mass

Queens — Maspeth, Ridgewood, Glendale

After Greenpoint, Queens is the second largest Polish community in NYC.

Holy Cross Parish — Maspeth

• Location: Maspeth, Queens
• Polish masses
• Polish school
• Active Polish community

Transfiguration of Our Lord — Maspeth/Ridgewood area

• Polish parish
• Polish liturgical services

St. Adalbert Parish — Elmhurst/Forest Hills

• Historic Polish parish founded in 1894
• Polish services available

Other Polish Parishes in Queens

• Resurrection Ascension (Rego Park)
• Local Polish missions in other Queens neighborhoods

Manhattan

St. Stanislaus B. M. Parish — Manhattan (East Village)

• Location: 101 East 7th Street, Manhattan
• Historic since 1875 (oldest Polish parish in the USA outside Pennsylvania)
• Polish masses on Sundays
• Salesians order
• Small but historic community

The Polish community in Manhattan is smaller than in Brooklyn/Queens, but St. Stanislaus is a historic landmark.

Long Island

Growing Polish community in the suburbs:

• Riverhead, Mastic, Patchogue — Suffolk County Polish presence
• Nassau County — Hicksville, Glen Cove (Polish Falcons history)

Some Polish missions in local parishes — check local diocese.

Bronx, Staten Island

• Smaller Polish presence
• Some Polish missions in local parishes
• Polish elderly community from the older generation

Religious Orders in NY Area

Pallotines (Pallotyni)

Polish Pallotines are active in the US — some NYC parishes are served by Pallotine fathers.

Salesians (Salesians of Don Bosco)

St. Stanislaus Kostka in Manhattan is run by Salesians.

Franciscans (Franciszkanie)

Polish Franciscan friars are present in some parishes.

Salvatorians (Salwatorianie)

Polish Salvatorians in the US — some parishes are associated.

Paulines / Jasna Góra Brotherhood

Some US Polish parishes maintain a spiritual connection with Jasna Góra.

Felician Sisters (Siostry Felicjanki)

Active in Greenpoint and other Polish parishes — teachers, healthcare, social services.

Sercanki, Niepokalanki

Other Polish female congregations in the US — community work.

Polish Catholic Life — What You Get

Sunday Masses

Most Polish parishes in NYC have several Polish masses on Sunday:

• Early (7:30-8:00) — for the older generation
• 10:00-11:00 — main Polish mass
• 12:00-13:00 — second Polish mass
• 17:00-18:00 — evening Polish mass
• Plus English masses for the mixed population

Traditional Polish Holidays

• Christmas/Wigilia — Polish midnight mass (Pasterka), shared opłatek
• Easter/Wielkanoc — Holy Saturday basket blessing, Polish Easter Mass
• Boże Ciało (Corpus Christi) — Polish procession with four altars
• Matka Boża Częstochowska (August 26) — major Polish Marian feast
• November 11 (Independence Day) — Polish patriotic mass
• May 3 Constitution Day — Polish constitution day mass
• All Saints — often with Polish traditions
• Andrzejki, New Year's Eve — special events

Sacraments in Polish

• Baptisms
• First Holy Communion
• Confirmation
• Polish weddings
• Funerals (Polish funerals)
• Confession in Polish

Religious Education

• Polish CCD (Sunday school)
• Polish First Communion preparation
• Polish Confirmation preparation
• Polish Catholic adult education

Polish Schools Attached to Parishes

Polish Elementary Schools (Daily)

Some Polish parishes run Catholic schools with a Polish-American character. They do not teach in Polish as the primary language, but have a Polish heritage curriculum.

Polish Saturday Schools (Polskie Szkoły Dokształcające)

Saturday afternoons:

• Polish language
• Polish history, geography
• Polish literature
• Religion (sometimes)
• Polish culture, traditions

Many Polish parishes in NYC have weekend schools. Affiliated with the Polish Saturday Schools Council of America.

Polish Parish Life — Beyond Mass

Choirs

Many Polish parishes have choirs — religious music, often performances at concerts.

Polish Scouting (ZHP)

ZHP (Polish Scouting Association) in some NY parishes:

• Scout meetings weekly
• Summer camp
• Cultural preservation
• Polish patriotic activities

Folk Dance Groups

Polish folk dance ensembles are often based at parishes — Krakowiacy, Górale, Kujawiacy.

Catholic Clubs

• Polish Knights of Columbus chapters
• Catholic women's groups
• Polish Catholic war veterans
• Charity organizations

Festivals and Fundraisers

Annual Polish festivals (often after Easter, after Christmas, summer):

• Polish food sale
• Music, dance performances
• Community gathering
• Fundraising for the parish

Practical Info for New Arrivals

How to Find Current Schedules

• Parish websites (most have them)
• Parish bulletins (free at church after mass)
• Polish-language Catholic media: Niedziela, Sunday Visitor
• Polish American Catholic newspaper
• Facebook pages of Polish parishes

Polish Religious Shopping (Devotional Items)

• Polish religious bookstores in Greenpoint, Manhattan
• Religious items: rosaries, holy images, statues, prayer books
• Some online: orderable Polish religious goods

Polish Catholic Media

• Radio Maryja USA — Polish-language Catholic radio (online + some local stations)
• Telewizja Trwam — Polish Catholic TV (satellite/online)
• Polish American Journal — Catholic newspaper
• Various Polish parish bulletins

Pilgrimages

Polish-organized pilgrimages are popular:

• Częstochowa (Poland) — by Polish travel agents
• Niagara Polish shrine (NY) — annual pilgrimage
• American Czestochowa (Doylestown, PA) — the nearest Polish shrine in the USA
• Various Marian shrines

American Czestochowa — National Shrine

Doylestown, PA — National Shrine of Our Lady of Częstochowa. ~2 hours drive from NYC.

• Replica of the Black Madonna painting
• Annual Polish pilgrimages
• August 15 (Assumption) — the most crowded
• Polish American religious center
• Visiting possible year-round

Polish Catholic Mission / Polish Diocese

Polish missions are separate structures reporting to the diocesan bishop but dedicated to Polish ministry.

• The Brooklyn Diocese has multiple Polish parishes
• The NY Archdiocese has some Polish parishes
• Polish missions were established for Polish-speaking faithful

Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC) in NY Area

Separate from the Roman Catholic Church — established in 1897 in Scranton, PA. Smaller in NY than in PA, but present.

• Some PNCC parishes in Brooklyn, Queens
• Liturgy in Polish
• Open to all, with an emphasis on Polish heritage

Practical Tips

• Greenpoint — the largest Polish center
• Maspeth/Ridgewood — the second largest
• St. Stanislaus Kostka Manhattan — historic, founded 1875
• Check current mass schedules — parishes modify them
• Polish elementary schools — some parishes
• Saturday Polish schools — for children
• Holy Saturday basket blessing — annual tradition in many parishes
• Christmas Pasterka (midnight mass) — packed events
• Easter morning mass — special, Polish traditional
• Sacraments in Polish — baptisms, weddings, funerals available
• American Czestochowa Doylestown PA — pilgrimage destination
• Polish religious shopping in Greenpoint
• Polish Catholic media — Radio Maryja, Telewizja Trwam
• Catholic clubs / scout groups attached to parishes