These are photos from the concert and Mass.
This video is of Emily Tworek-Helenbrook perfoming prior to Mass.
Emily Tworek-Helenbrook @ Saint Adalbert Basilica - 01/07/2012 from Christopher Byrd on Vimeo.
Thank you to all who attended and may God bless you.
Click on images for full view--->
Please join us for a special Mass of Remembrance to be held in the Oratory at St. Adalbert Basilica. Guest choir for the Mass will be Villa Maria Chorale, under the direction of Dr. Ireneusz Lukaszewski.
The musical program will begin at 5:15 P.M. Those who would like to submit names to be remembered during the Mass are asked to complete and return the form below – the names will be read and a candle will be lit in their memory (those who would like to bring forward the candle themselves during the Mass will have the opportunity to do so).
A reception will follow.
The spirit, prayers and faith of the parishioners and friends of St. Adalbert Basilica was evident on Sun., Sept. 18 during the celebration of the parish’s 125th anniversary. The faithful focused on the “beauty” of the service and the recollection of the long history of the East Side parish.
Afterwards over 300 people attended a reception at Millennium Airport, Cheektowaga. There they were greeted with an exhibit of old class photos and historic pictures from the parish’s past.
Lori Dinero, a parish trustee, said "It was beautiful. What was beautiful about it was the focus on love and faith the people of St. Adalbert have had through the years. And, it was a celebration of that.”
William and Alfreda Wasik, former parishioners married 70 years, attended the event. Their two children attended school at St. Adalbert's.
Alfreda said of the anniversary Mass, “It was very beautiful, very sweet. The Chopin choir sang very beautifully. It's a shame it's going to close.” Alfreda was a member of the Mother's Club and remembers the nuns as being “very nice.”
William said the anniversary celebration was "well planned." He was a member of the Holy Name Society and was active in Boy Scouts at the parish. He remembered all the societies being very active. He also recalled Fr. Joseph Bialek as being "very helpful, active, and pleasant.” And, he added, "He was very outspoken."
Irene Kupinski, an active parishioner, said, "The service was just beautiful and I think God heard us. He gave us a last hurrah."
Her connection with the parish goes back to her grandmother who settled on Rother St. when there was just a wooden church at the site. She noted that a century ago her grandmother was there at the beginning of the parish and a century later she was there fighting to keep it open.
Dear Bishop Kmiec,
One hundred and forty years ago, my grandparents arrived from Poland, and immediately became parishioners of St. Adalbert’s Church. This church provided them with the security and comfort they needed in adjusting to their new homeland. Illiterate and poor, with a large family to support, they sacrificed to give to the church. They were no different from other parishioners at the time. The church took priority over the basic needs of their own family and children. If alive today, they would be shocked and unbelieving that, despite the wishes of current parishioners, the church hierarchy, represented in this instance by you, Bishop Kmiec, is determined to close St. Adalbert’s Basilica.
The church edifice was built by the people, by its parishioners. Many felt it belonged to them since it was their sweat and their talents and their money that built it. The Catholic hierarchy did not agree; it was the issue of ownership of the church property, not religious differences that historically resulted in the creation of the Polish National Church.
Yes, I have heard all the excuses for closing churches, shortage of priests, shrinking Catholic population, changing neighborhoods, shortage of money, etc. None of these are valid reasons for closing this basilica, or any of the beautiful, ethnic and historic churches in the area. Change is normal. The issue is not to react by consolidating or closing churches or converting them to oratories, but to evaluate what can be done to find solutions. All the above have answers if one takes the time and has the courage to act on these.
A church binds the community. It is the heart and center of the life of that community. When it is closed, or destroyed, as has happened in too many cases to date, it impacts upon the viability of the neighborhood. It also discourages Catholics from continuing their membership in and attendance at a Catholic Church. Why? Numerous reasons among them, difficulty in getting to another church, a feeling that their church has let them down, recognition that if the church hierarchy is not committed to serving them, the Catholic religion cannot be that important, even anger.
Our Annual Parish Picnic will take place on Sunday, August 21st at Lincoln Park in the Town of Tonawanda at Noon.
Games, prizes, food and conversation.
Public pool accessible. Please bring a dish to share. Hotdogs and beverages will be supplied.
All are welcome!!!!
[click here to view bulletin - pdf]
Parish movement under attack by thieves: wivb.com
From WIVB's Anthony Congi
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - A movement to keep a Buffalo parish open is coming under attack by thieves.
The parishioners of St. Adalbert's Basilica in Buffalo have been showing their disapproval over recent decisions made by Bishop Edward Kmiec, and not everyone's happy about it.
Bishop Kmiec decided to close the Bascilica which did not sit well with the many who grew up attending mass here.
The group "Save St. Adalbert" came together and petitioned to the Vatican, which ruled that the Basilica must stay open.
Parish Trustee, Lori Dinero said, "We went to the Bishop thinking that in light of this new information, we could forge a new path. And unfortunately, the Bishop said, 'But it's still in my control, what masses I have. And you're going to be an oratory, and I'm not allowing any masses after September 18th."
The group decided to post signs around the church reading "Bishop Kmiec What Would Jesus Do?". They even hung a large banner in front of the church.
"We've been told by Diocesan that it's disrespectful to the Bishop and I guess what I would say is, this question is not a matter of disrespect, it's a matter of conscience," added Dinero.
Since the group started putting the signs up, they've been taken down or stolen.
