St. Casimir’s Parish celebrated its 80th anniversary last fall, and the celebrations continued this year with the parish’s Polish Parish Days, an annual tribute to faith, heritage, and community.
A key figure behind the annual June festival’s success was honoured during last October’s anniversary celebrations. For more than a decade, Władysław Olesiak has played a leading role in organizing Polish Parish Days, a labour of love rooted in Polish Catholic tradition.
In recognition of Olesiak’s longstanding service to the Polish community in Vancouver, Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Vancouver Aleksandra Kucy presented him with the Bronze Cross of Merit from Polish President Andrzej Duda. The award also recognized his dedication to preserving Polish customs and his tireless work in preparing the annual celebration.
From its origin in 1944, St. Casimir’s has been more than a place of worship, said parishioner Liz Narodowski. As waves of Polish veterans and newcomers arrived after the Second World War, often with just a suitcase in hand, the church became a spiritual and cultural anchor,
The parish was founded by Father Francis “Frank” Kosakiewicz, who had been invited by Archbishop William Mark Duke to explore the possibility of establishing a Polish Catholic church. While walking through Vancouver, Father Frank came upon a six-lot property at Inverness and 27th Avenue. Remarkably, the owners had just decided to sell. He purchased the property for $6,500 on Nov. 13, 1944.
The house became the rectory, with a chapel in the basement. A new church was built next door, where the first Mass was celebrated on July 18, 1948. Archbishop Duke blessed the church that September.
The church basement hosted banquets, dances, and festivals, while upstairs witnessed generations of sacraments. “A new generation of Polish Canadians was conceived and has continued to this day,” Narodowski said, highlighting the parish’s role in fostering a lasting Polish-Canadian community.
A Mass marking the 80th anniversary was held on Oct. 20, 2024, celebrated by Father Jacek Nosowicz, Provincial of the Assumption Province, with Father Alfred Grempa (current pastor), former pastors Father Roman Majek and Father Slawomir Oblak, Deacon Richard Podgorski, and Father Arkadiusz Sedzielowski from Poland concelebrating. About 200 guests then gathered in the parish school gym for a banquet featuring food, speeches, and a slideshow highlighting eight decades of parish life.
Narodowski said Polish Parish Days continue to keep Polish traditions and Catholic faith alive while carrying forward the vision Father Frank set in motion eight decades ago.
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