GOOD MEMORIES OF CORPUS CHRISTI
For a second time I decided to postpone further reflections on the Polish connections to Hilbert College by “sneaking in” another column, as I did last week, when I wrote about a weekend conference trip with my wife, Annemarie, to Burlington, VT, where she attended a conference hosted by the Center for Community News Oct. 2 – 4 dealing with the fate of journalism among other relevant issues. I wrote specifically about Polish aspects of the Green Mountain State.
The Sunday after our weekend trip to Vermont, was day two of the annual Dozynki Harvest Festival at Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church on Clark Street in Buffalo. I didn’t want to miss that. My family has had close ties to Corpus Christi for over 100 years, beginning with my grandparents and aunts, Zygmunt “Cy” Smolarek, Wiktoria “Vicky” Jung-Smolarek, Mary Jung, Julia and Joe Surdej and many other East Side relatives. At the time, the church was run by the Franciscans, and my aunt Mary Jung, was long-time secretary to Father Justin Figas, OFM, Conv., director of the Father Justin Rosary Hour, the largest Polish broadcast religious radio program in the United States, located in the “Klub Panien,” (Women’s Club) building across the street from Corpus Christi.
In the late 1960s, former Am-Pol Eagle writers Stan Franczyk and Bob Pacholski presided over the dedication of a commemorative plaque to Father Justin at Corpus Christi Church before an appreciative crowd. The plaque is still on the front of the church. Eminent Polish artist Joseph Slawinski dedicated a beautiful bronze portrait of Father Figas, located at St. Francis High School in Athol Springs. I was baptized at Corpus Christi, my parents were married there, and one of my fondest memories was meeting Father Justin at his office shortly before he passed away in 1959. I was very happy when he gave me a cookie from a box he had for just such an occasion.
MEETING MANY FRIENDS AT THE DOZYNKI
Although I missed out on the Polish film festival at the Adam Mickiewicz Library and Dramatic Circle held that first weekend in October, I was happy to be able to make it to the Corpus Christi Dozynki. The weather was gorgeous that day, warm and sunny. All three floors of the Corpus Christi Social Center across the street from the church were full of people having a good time. Upstairs the Special Delivery Polka Band was entertaining the gathering while delicious Polish food was being served. Entering the hall, one floor up from ground level, there were crafts and Polish souvenirs and gifts people could buy. Across the hall, the bar was open, every bowling lane was in use, and in the north part of the building next to the bowling alley, there was a basket raffle and delectable home-made Polish pastry.
Although the pork chop dinner sold out, I was able to get homemade cheese pierogi, kielbasa, kapusta (sauerkraut) and bread. They also served golabki and BBQ hamburgers. If you went home hungry it was your fault. I also bought several Polish pastries, taking some home.
The best aspect of going to events like the Corpus Christi Dozynki, which show there is still life in East Side Polonia, is meeting so many friends, some you may not have seen in a while. As I walked into the Social Hall I bumped into Am-Pol Eagle columnist, Tom Tarapacki, and his cute granddaughter, Alice. After Tom and I agreed to meet for lunch so he could tell me about his trip to Poland, which he wrote about in the pages of this paper, he danced with Alice to the polka tunes of the Special Delivery Band performing on stage. It was good to talk to band members Mark Kohan (editor of the Polish American Journal, a monthly newspaper) and Rick Pijanowski. I saw Greg Chwojdak on stage, but didn’t get a chance to talk to him. I used to enjoy listening to Greg’s polka radio show, especially when his mother Brunia was a guest.
Among many of the other revelers at the event I said hello to or chatted with included the broadly smiling Father Mariusz Dymyk, pastor of Corpus Christi Church, and Father Cole Webster from St. Stanislaus parish. Others I talked to were Polish radio host Andy “Andrzej” Golebiowski and his mother, Helen Golebiowska, (Andy told me he’s planning a group trip to western Poland next June), Jim and Bozena Serafin, Larry Lisiecki, Tom Zawadzki, Dr. Marty Ederer, who was busy helping out in the kitchen and bussing tables and many others. I also talked with long-time East Side resident and parishioner, Tom Chrosniak, who is battling a serious health issue. A benefit for Tom with friends and family was held at the Potts banquet hall earlier this month. Despite Tom’s health issues, his spirit remains very high.
So, if you want to catch up with friends old and new in Polonia, be sure to consult the Am-Pol Eagle community calendar every week and go and have a good time. You’ll be glad you did.