Dear Editor:
The building that houses Our Lady of Czestochowa Church in Jersey City is the oldest house of worship (1831) in Hudson County and is in its second life. It used to house St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church until Polish immigrants settled in the Paulus Hook neighborhood. It could have stayed here and died. Its leaders chose to relocate uptown, and it survived another 85 years.
Our Lady of Czestochowa faces the same dilemma; stay here and die Polish or welcome the new residents of Paulus Hook and grow. The current pastor has been fashioning one community since he came here six years ago. And the good thing about his decision is that no one has to leave or move.
It’s unfortunate that some people resist change or take a narrow view. A pastor has to look out for the entire community and Fr. Tom Iwanowski has made decisions that will strengthen OLC into the 21st century.
Rev. Alexander M. Santora,
Priest-in Residence
Our Lady of Czestochowa Church