Recently our attention was brought to an old Polish book (published 1907) which contains part of an unknown history of St. Hyacinth Parish. While our church was founded in 1907, the plan to build it started much earlier and was delayed significantly by the death of the priest who originally brought the plans to the bishop.

Below is a translation of the chapter of Historia Osady i Parafii Polskich w Detroit, Mich. Oraz Prewodnik Adresowy by Wincenty Smolczynski (History of the Polish Settlement and Parishes in Detroit, Michigan. as well as an Address Directory), translation by Tomasz Pietrak (Warsaw, Poland). If you speak Polish, you can just enjoy early 1900s Polish grammar for yourself.

The History of St. Hyacinth (1907)

St. Hyacinth’s Parish is still in its infancy. We can’t therefore describe its matured life, its church or its school. We can however say a few words about its humble beginnings.

Father Sylwester I. Kolkiewicz, Pastor of St. Hyacinth Parish

Even when Fr. Sajecki was still but a vicar at St. Albertus parish, he already knew that both the school and the church of St. Albertus could not contain all those wishing to take part in lessons or in the Mass. That is why he communicated with the elders of the parish’s fraternities, with Fr. Mueller, and with the Most Reverend Bishop, and decided to build a church located between Warren, Joseph Campau, Mitchell and Theodore streets. The church was to be dedicated to St. Hyacinth. The bishop visited the site in the company of Fr. Mueller, and deemed it acceptable. The church would have been constructed a long time ago, if it wasn’t for the death of Fr. Sajecki (who died on April 2 1906), which caused some delays.

It wasn’t until March 3rd of the following year (1907) that a committee was formed in the house of Mr. Jan Kuźla, 422 Grandy Ave. which decided to put into practice Fr. Sajecki’s idea. The committee’s members included Mr. Konieczny, Jan Kuzel, Józef Keschke, Jan Groot, Leon Schwarc, Marcin Wagner, Fr. [Franciszek or Franek] Sass, Albert Keschke, Antoni Gochorowski, Jan Klebba, Marcin Tesmar, Aleksy Okraj, Fr. [Franciszek or Franek] Kamowski, Józef Jurczyk, Antoni Posłuszny and Piotr Kowalski.

The committee headed to the Most Reverend Bishop on May 19, 1907 and requested a pastor for the new parish. The committee did not ask for new construction permits, since it deemed that the permission issued by the bishop once before to Fr. Sajecki was still in effect. The Most Reverend Bishop appointed Fr. Sylwester Ignacy Kolkiewicz as pastor. The committee’s next step was to warmly welcome Fr. Kolkiewicz, and continue its work under his instruction.

Fr. Kolkiewicz has assumed the difficult job of pastor, and as can be expected, in spite of recent intrigues, will complete the great undertaking which the construction of the church entails.

On July 14th Fr. Kolkiewicz held his first parish Mass at the house of Mr. Tesmar at 1168 McDougall Street. A new fraternity of St. Hyacinth was formed by the parish, which consists of almost 70 members. There is hope therefore, that the new parish will soon rival other parishes which also had difficult/humble beginnings.

The life of Fr. S. I. Kolkiewicz

Fr. Sylwester Kolkiewicz was born in the Grand Duchy of Posen, and was first educated at a Prussian gymnasium, after which he went to study theology in Rome. After taking holy orders he deepened his theological knowledge in Wurzburg, Bavaria, following which he left for America. For some time he worked as a parish priest in Port Austin, Mich. From there he was appointed by the Most Reverend Bishop as vicar of St. Josephat’s parish, and eventually he was appointed as the pastor of the newly formed St. Hyacinth’s parish.