The Polish Ancestry of Reading and Berks County

The story of Polish Americans in Reading and Berks County begins around 1850, when the first Polish immigrants arrived seeking work in the region’s thriving iron foundries. Unlike the German settlers who had already established themselves as the dominant cultural force in Berks County for over a century, these newcomers from the partitioned lands of Poland brought a distinct identity that would eventually leave an indelible mark on the community.

The majority of these early Polish immigrants hailed from Poznan, a region of Poland that had been under German control for decades. This geographical circumstance proved fortuitous—most residents of Poznan spoke German as well as Polish, allowing them to navigate the predominantly German-speaking Reading community with relative ease. They initially worshipped at St. Paul’s Church, a German Catholic parish, while dreaming of one day having a church of their own.

Poznań, Poland

By 1900, Reading had become home to 1,005 individuals from Poland, making it the largest Polish population center per capita in all of Pennsylvania at that time. This remarkable statistic speaks to the appeal that Reading’s industries held for ambitious immigrants seeking a new life in America.

A Church of Their Own: St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church

As the Polish community expanded through the 1870s and 1880s, the desire for their own parish grew stronger. In 1885, a committee was formed with the ambitious goal of establishing Reading’s first Polish Catholic parish.

Original Interior of St Mary’s Catholic Church, Reading, Pennsylvania

The journey toward this goal was marked by both triumph and tragedy. In 1878, Father Emil Kattein, a Polish-speaking priest from Silesia, was assigned to assist at St. Paul’s Church. Though he would later leave to found St. Laurentius, the first Polish-speaking parish in Philadelphia in 1882, Father Kattein continued to support Reading’s Polish community, sending priests to minister to their spiritual needs.

In January 1888, Father Victor M. Lebiecki, a native of Russian Poland who had fled the 1863 uprising against Tsarist rule, was assigned to establish the new parish. Tragedy struck during the cornerstone-laying ceremony when a woman named Catherine Kluczewicz was killed in an accident, and Father Lebiecki departed shortly thereafter.

Despite this setback, the Polish community persevered. St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church was officially opened on April 28, 1889, with Father Mark Januszkiewicz, a native of Przemyśl in southeastern Poland, serving as the first resident pastor. The first baptism recorded was that of Francis Casimir Przybylski, son of Casimir Victoria Ziolkowska—a moment that marked the beginning of generations of Polish-American families who would call St. Mary’s their spiritual home.

The parish truly flourished under Father Adalbert Malusecki, who served as pastor from 1895 to 1937—an extraordinary 42-year tenure. Born in Wadowice, Poland (the same town that would later give the world Pope John Paul II), Father Malusecki became the first priest of Polish descent ordained in the Philadelphia Archdiocese on May 29, 1887. Under his leadership, St. Mary’s grew from 150 families to an astounding 1,100 families, with 6,000 to 7,000 attending services by 1937.

Growth and Expansion: A Community Takes Root

The explosive growth of Reading’s Polish population necessitated expansion. In 1914, a second Polish parish, St. Anthony of Padua, was founded in Reading’s 18th Ward specifically for Polish families living west of the Schuylkill River.

Polish immigrants also established vibrant community organizations that helped preserve their cultural identity while providing mutual aid and fellowship:

Notable Polish Organizations in Reading:

• Stanislaus Polish Lodge – One of the earliest fraternal organizations
• Mary’s Queen of Poland Lodge – Named in honor of the Blessed Virgin
• Polish Knights of St. Casimir – A Catholic fraternal society
• Polish Riflemen of Reading – A patriotic and social organization
• Queen of Poland Society – A women’s organization
• Joseph’s Polish Society – A benevolent association
• White Eagle (Polish) Band – Musical ensemble that performed at community events

These organizations participated prominently in civic celebrations, including elaborate parades for church dedications and cornerstone layings. The 1906 cornerstone ceremony and 1914 dedication parade for SS. Cyril and Methodius RC Church (a Slovak parish) featured strong Polish participation, demonstrating the solidarity among Slavic immigrant communities.

The Polish National Catholic Church: St. Stephen the Martyr

Not all Polish immigrants found their spiritual home within the Roman Catholic tradition. In February 1927, a group of Polish Roman Catholics in Reading, dissatisfied with certain practices, reached out to Bishop Francis Hodur of Scranton, founder of the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC).

The PNCC had been established in 1897 by Father Hodur and faithful Catholics who sought greater lay involvement in church governance, including parishioner ownership of church property and input in the selection of clergy. This movement resonated deeply with Polish immigrants who valued self-determination.

Joseph Stajkowski and Francis Szaj contacted Bishop Hodur, who sent Rev. Stanley Cybulski to organize the new parish. Initially, services were held in the Stajkowski family home and garden. By 1936, the congregation had acquired a property consisting of a church, rectory, auditorium, and youth club—St. Stephen the Martyr Polish National Catholic Church had firmly established itself in Reading’s religious landscape.

St. Stephen the Martyr Polish National Catholic Church, Reading, Pennsylvania

Cultural Traditions: Preserving Heritage Across Generations

The Pierogi Tradition

Perhaps no culinary tradition better exemplifies the Polish heritage of Berks County than the beloved pierogi. These filled dumplings, brought to America by Polish, Ukrainian, and Slovak immigrants, became a cherished symbol of the region’s rich immigrant heritage.

At St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, pierogi-making has been a multi-generational tradition, particularly during the Lenten season. Each Lent, the parish prepares vast quantities of pierogi using hundreds of pounds of flour, potatoes, sauerkraut, and cheese. The pierogies are sold every Friday leading up to Holy Week, offering a meat-free meal option that connects the present generation to their ancestors’ culinary traditions.

The process of making pierogi—rolling, cutting, filling, sealing, and cooking—has become more than just food preparation; it is a cultural practice that strengthens community bonds and passes down heritage from grandmother to grandchild.

Polish Saints and Symbols

The interior of St. Mary’s Church stands as a visual testament to Polish faith and heritage. During 1938 renovations, murals depicting Polish saints were added to the sanctuary:

• Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr – Patron saint of Poland
• Andrew Bobola – Polish Jesuit martyr
• Casimir – Patron saint of Poland and Lithuania
• Stanislaus Kostka – Young Polish Jesuit saint
• Adalbert – Bishop and missionary to Poland

Below these murals, the Coats of Arms of various Polish cities were painted, further solidifying the church’s connection to the homeland.

Gorzkie Żale: The Lenten Devotion

The traditional Polish Lenten devotion known as Gorzkie Żale (“Bitter Lamentations”) was revived at St. Mary’s during the pastorate of Father Marion Paskowicz in the 1970s. This 18th-century devotional practice, featuring hymns that meditate on Christ’s passion, remains a distinctive element of Polish Catholic spirituality that continues to be observed in Reading.

Honoring Polish Heroes

When St. Mary’s parish built a new school and recreational center in 1927 (cornerstone laid July 4, 1928), they chose to dedicate it to Thaddeus Kosciuszko, the Polish military leader who aided the American Revolutionary War. His name inscribed above the entrance serves as a permanent reminder of the connection between Polish patriotism and American freedom—values that Polish immigrants held dear.

St. Mary’s school and recreational center

Prominent Polish-American Figures

The Polish community produced numerous civic leaders, including Joseph P. Kuzminski, who served as Mayor of Reading, and Eugene F. Wisniewski, who served as executive director of the Reading Redevelopment Authority. Names like Anthony E. Bukowski, Mark J. Smolkowicz, and Stella Dombrowski appear throughout Reading’s civic records, evidence of the Polish community’s integration into the broader fabric of local society.

The Legacy Continues

By the 1970s and 1980s, the primary language of most Polish-American parishioners had shifted to English as assimilation took its natural course. However, the story did not end there. Following the Centennial celebration of St. Mary’s in 1988, a new wave of Polish immigrants arrived, reinvigorating the community’s connection to its heritage.

Father Leo S. Stajkowski, a native son of the parish who served as pastor from 1984 to 2015, worked diligently to restore the Polish heritage of St. Mary’s. He introduced monthly Polish-language Masses to serve recent immigrants and ensured that the traditions of the ancestors would not be forgotten.

The murals of Polish saints still gaze down upon the faithful. The descendants of those first immigrants from Poznan—now intermarried with Irish, Italian, German, and other American families—still bear names that end in “-ski” and “-wicz,” living reminders of the sturdy foundation their ancestors built.

A Heritage Worth Remembering

The Polish ancestry of Reading and Berks County represents more than just a footnote in local history. It is the story of people who crossed an ocean with little more than their faith, their work ethic, and their determination to build a better life. They established churches that still stand, organizations that fostered community, and traditions that continue to bring families together.

From the iron foundries of the 1850s to the pierogi kitchens of today, the Polish heritage of Berks County endures—a testament to the immigrant spirit that helped build America, one pierogi at a time.