Dear Editor:
I am a life-long resident of Downtown, Jersey City. Our Lady of Czestochowa (OLC) holds some special memories for me.
I have been reading with interest the controversy about OLC. In my opinion, there is more at stake than just the Polish mass.
Yes, OLC is a Catholic church. But it is one rich in history and tradition. I remember an old, wooden crucifix at the entrance. The painting and the wood at the feet of the crucified Christ was worn from the large number of immigrants, the original faithful flock, who touched the image of their savior and later kissed their hand in humble veneration.
After reading that Father Iwanowski is ripping out the altar and the confessionals, I wonder if the old, wooden crucifix still hangs at the entrance. For that matter, since OLC now has a sign in front of it that reads "Our Lady of the Waterfront" I wonder if the painting of the Black Madonna still hangs in the church. And if it does, how long will it be before Father Iwanowski replaces the painting of Poland’s most sacred icon (possibly with a painting of Judas Iscariot)?
The image of the Black Madonna, "Our Lady of Czestochowa," also known as Our Lady of Jasna Gora, after the name of the monastery site where it has been kept for six centuries, has been the inspiration for Polish Christianity and freedom. Perhaps the greatest miracle attributed to Our Lady of Czestochowa is in 1655 when a small group of Polish defenders was able to drive off a much larger and more experienced Swedish Army from the sanctuary. James Michener gives an excellent account of this event in his novel, Poland.
Father Iwanowski has "unofficially" changed the name of OLC to Our Lady of the Waterfront, is replacing the old altar and confessionals and is breaking with traditions–such as the May crowning of the Virgin. It appears that Father Iwanowski wants to "collaborate" with and cater to the "new immigrants." Perhaps he wants to be associated with this new group. You know, be "in" with the "in" crowd. Maybe these "new immigrants" are a bit more affluent and persuasive than the faithful old flock.
Other writers have expressed their feelings about the changes Father Iwanowski is making at OLC. Indeed, it is a crying shame that a parish rich in history, tradition and culture has to suffer. Father Iwanowski and some of the "new immigrants" may feel that these changes are being made to accommodate and welcome all the parishioners. However, from what I have read, the drastic alterations to the church, the change from OLC to "Our Lady of the Waterfront," the cessation off traditional ceremonies, and the end of the Polish mass, suggest that Father Iwanowski is nothing more than a damned quisling.
John Di Genio