Dear Editor:
I write this letter in response to the slanderous propaganda that is circulating around the Paulus Hook neighborhood and beyond about the Pastor of Our Lady of Czestochowa Church, Father Thomas Iwanowski. It is true that OLC has canceled its 9 a.m. Sunday morning Polish language mass. Although the issue of the “Polish” language mass is emotional and difficult, there is no reason to destroy all the benefits that the parish has realized from its changing population. I have been a member of the parish for 13 years and am glad that OLC has a “nationality.” However, one’s nationality is different from one’s religion. OLC is a Catholic Church, and all of its members should act in a Christian way toward one another and share the same liturgy.
Paulus Hook’s population is growing due to the waterfront development and Father Tom has been there to meet the needs of this new wave of Paulus Hook “immigrants.” The changing make up of the Church community is just a product of time and no matter what anyone says or does, the clock cannot be turned back. I believe that the Polish traditions and culture, which are so cherished, can only be preserved if they are shared with the larger non-Polish portion of the congregation and the best way to share with others is to come to the same table to eat together. The unwillingness of the Polish parishioners, the majority of whom speak English, to join the rest of the Parish community to celebrate mass can be viewed as the very prejudice they accuse Father Tom of possessing.
The truth is Father Tom, who is himself of Polish decent, is not discriminating, but rather is seeking to open our Parish home to all the new members of our growing community, regardless of their nationality. Although all parishioners are affected by the change of mass schedule, it is only a small portion of OLC’s parishioners who have resorted to an outrageous and scandalous attack on the Pastor. They should realize, however, that they are not just attacking Father Tom, but rather they are harming the Church and all of their co-Parishioners by joining with the few hate-filled people who have been fueling this fire.
Since becoming Pastor of OLC six years ago, Father Tom has been a good neighbor and member of the entire Paulus Hook Community. He makes the Church Hall available for meetings of neighborhood civic associations. In connection with the Historic Paulus Hook Association, he hosts a non-denominational Thanksgiving service wherein neighbors of different faiths join together in the Church to give thanks for their blessings. He has opened the doors of Victory Hall to artists of several disciplines, allowing them to use that forum to perform plays, display art, give lessons, etc. As a result of this open door policy the Parish has grown. The Church on Sundays now includes young families, the likes of which was unheard of 10 years ago. It is Father Tom’s connection to all people, not just the parishioners, that has made this happen. The entire OLC Parish must face up to these changes and continue to seize the opportunity for growth. I pray we will work together in a Christian way, putting our Church before our personal preferences, to secure OLC for future generations of “immigrants” whoever they are and wherever they come from.
Linda Pellegrino