St. Hyacinth Catholic Parish was established on July 7, 1927 to minister to the spiritual and educational needs of the increase of Polish Americans from St. Stanislaus Parish. There were already three Polish Catholic national parishes in the area: St. Anthony (1881), St. Stanislaus (1908) and Nativity (1922). St. Hedwig (1875) and St. Adalbert (1907) Polish parishes are located in the Lagrange Street area. Catholics of Polish descent living west of the railroad tracks near Brown Ave. were encouraged to belong to this new parish. Membership in a national parish is based on belonging to a given ethnic group and St. Hyacinth was the last to be established in the Toledo Diocese for Polish Americans.
Bishop Samuel Stritch gave Fr. John F. Lubiatowski the task of organizing the parish. About 100 families comprised the membership of the new parish. Mass was offered at St. Stanislaus Church each Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for the people of this new parish until a church could be built.
In August 1927, property was purchased between Evesham and Parkside Blvd. Since the need of a school was of primary importance, a portable building was purchased from St. Ignatius Parish for $700 and the temporary school was started. Four Franciscan Sisters of Sylvania, Ohio welcomed the children on September 19, 1927. Sister M. Imelda Czubek was the first principal.
The contract for the new church was let December 7, 1927 to Leo Herman of Bowling Green, Ohio. The cost of the building was $16,000. It was of Gothic style, 110 feet long and 42 feet wide with a seating capacity of 400. On Sunday, December 18, 1927, the corner stone and bell were blessed. Unbelievable as it may seem, the contractor with his crew and men from the parish along with Fr. Lubiatowski, worked around the clock so that the church could hold the first Mass on Christmas Day 1927 on a portable altar.
The beautiful Gothic wood altar we remember from the old church was given for our use by the Ursuline Sisters of Toledo on condition that, when the parish was able to get one of its own, the altar would be returned. The altar came from their chapel on Cherry Street and was a gift from Dr. and Mrs. Francis Pilliod, major benefactors of the Ursulines. The statue of St. Hyacinth was a gift of the Holy Name Society.
Contracts were awarded in early 1928 to Aloysius Herman, architect, and Leo Herman, contractor, for a brick rectory and convent and these were soon completed. In June of the same year, more property was purchased. Leo Herman, contractor, constructed the permanent school replacing the portable at a cost of $25,955.
The 1930s and the early 1940s were financially difficult for many people. At the earnest request of many parishioners to Fr. Lubiatowski, spending was kept to a minimum. These buildings were all the physical structures of the parish until early 1953 when the rectory was enlarged and the church parking lot was paved.
Fr. John Lubiatowski died suddenly on December 6, 1954. He faithfully served this parish for over twenty-five years and left a long remembered legacy to the community.
Rev. Wenceslaus A. Czajkowski, pastor of St. Mary Magdalen in Rossford, Ohio was appointed pastor on March 24, 1955. Several problems confronted him on his arrival. The school was overcrowded as the portable was still being used for classroom space. The Sisters’ Convent needed remodeling and the church was inadequate for the increased membership of the parish which was 3,155.
Three classrooms were added to the rear of the school. Two meeting rooms and new restrooms were added in the new basement section. The windows in the older classrooms were improved with glass blocks. A wing was added onto the convent that included a chapel, office and additional sleeping rooms. The rectory was remodeled in 1957 with the addition of a wing in the back. This made room for the councilmen and a larger kitchen. A new roof was put over the entire structure.
A new place of worship was the biggest undertaking of the pastor and the parishioners. Fr. Czajkowski met with the parishioners on a Sunday afternoon in February 1957 to explain the problems with the old church building and the need for a new structure. It was decided that each employed parishioner would be asked to contribute $2.00 each Sunday until each reached a goal of $300. One dollar at this time had the purchasing power of $6.00 today. 266 families contributed that amount and 18 exceeded the goal.
The last Sunday masses were held on March 8, 1959 in the old church. The basement school hall served as the temporary church for services. The old building was torn down during Holy Week and the building of the new church began. The corner stone was blessed on September 30, 1959 by Bishop George J. Rehring. Though not yet completed, the new church was ready for services on March 24, 1960. Seating was for an estimated 700 persons.
The architect for the church was Harold Munger. The design is a combination of contemporary and 6th century basilica style. Features include bays with dormer-style windows along the sides, Italian marble wainscoting, mission tile roof and a bell tower. A fifteen-foot stained glass window of St. Hyacinth is above the entrance. The stained glass windows on the side in the nave depict the Seven Sacraments and other religious themes. The life-size marble crucifix in the sanctuary is the focal point when you enter the church. The builder was Comte Construction Company at a cost of over $325,000. The solemn blessing and mass was on Sunday, May 29, 1960, with Bishop George J. Rehring presiding.
St. Hyacinth Parish had now entered a new era with a remodeled school, convent, rectory and a beautiful new church. The parishioners were indeed grateful for their sacrifices.
Looking back in this period of our parish’s history, there were many active organizations contributing to the spiritual and social life of our parish. Some were started during the pastorate of Fr. Lubiatowski. Councilmen, now replaced with ushers, the Altar-Rosary Society, the Holy Name Society, the St. Francis Guild and the St. Vincent de Paul Society are still active. The Parents and Teachers Club, the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Boy Scout Troop No. 161, and the Cub Scouts have disbanded, but they provided a very useful service at one time. The pastor, associate pastors and parishioners were moderators of these groups. The Parish Council, now called the Pastoral Council, was begun when Fr. Czajkowski was pastor. The St. Hyacinth Seniors Club is the newest organization that began with the suggestion and encouragement of Fr. Slominski.
St. Hyacinth Parish had two adult choirs for many years. An appeal by Fr. Czajkowski in 1960 led to the formation of the Men’s Choir. Associate pastor Fr. Zygmunt Pitula was the moderator, John Mannes was the choral music instructor and Benny Dudek was the director. About 30 men composed the early choir and their first mass was sung in Latin for the first communion class of 1960. In the 1970s, women were invited to join and the name was changed to the Mixed Choir.
The Ladies Choir was organized in 1965 by associate pastor Fr. Ralph Biernacki. When he was transferred, Joseph Jakutowicz agreed to become their director. The choir sang the Polish Mass on Sunday and for many special parish and local functions. Both choirs recorded albums. Because of declining membership, the choirs were combined in 2002. Chris Jakutowicz is the current liturgy and music director. The choir also participates in the Wieczor Koled celebrated by all Toledo Polish parishes. We are thankful for the many parishioners who were members and those who are still are.
Festivals are part of our ethnic heritage. St. Hyacinth Parish has had many over the years. They bring friends and relatives together and also raise money to defray operating costs. We were the first to have a Polish-American Festival in 1970, organized by Joseph Jakutowicz, that invited all Polish parishes and any others interested to attend. The main theme was Polish music, food and games. Bands played music for dancing and listening. Attendance grew and it was moved to the Lucas County Recreation Center. The festival is now celebrated in the Polish Village/Lagrange Street area.
The papacy of Pope Paul VI initiated extensive liturgical reform. Starting in 1969, a New Order of the Mass, a new church calendar, the use of vernacular languages in all sacramental rites, the restoration of the permanent deaconate, and new ministries for lay persons was gradually introduced. As a result, the priest faced the people during mass which was now in English or Polish. St. Hyacinth has lay Eucharistic Ministers and Lectors now and are blessed with a permanent deacon. Rev. Mr. Robert Pacholski was our first, Rev. Mr. Irvin Gonsiorowski served St. Hyacinth faithfully from 1983 until his death in 2003. Since then, Rev. Mr. Ronald Peeps had been assigned to our parish until his new assignment in March 2007 to St. Pius X Parish. His replacement is Rev. Mr. Michael Pence.
As the years went by, neighborhood demographics changed. St. Jude Parish, which was established as a territorial parish, lowered our parish and school enrollment and other parishioners moved away. By 1972, parish membership was around 2,700. Msgr. Czajkowski, who was made a papal chamberlain in 1963, retired in October 1972 and relocated to Bradenton, Florida.
Rev. Bede Slominski was appointed pastor on November 17, 1972. He continued to meet the spiritual needs and administrative concerns of the parish including the school situation. Principals, Sr. Madaleva and then Sr. Joanne along with Fr. Bede stressed the importance of keeping the school open. They incorporated the students, whenever possible and regardless of faith or race, into parish liturgies and celebrations.
In anticipation of our Golden Jubilee, the Parish Council with the guidance of Fr. Slominski inaugurated the Immediate Action Fund to raise more than $100,000 for improvements. The sanctuary was remodeled to conform to the needs of the updated liturgy with a new sacrificial altar, a reduced altar railing, new carpeting, sanctuary furnishings and interior repainting. The Holy Name Society donated a carillon that played Polish hymns.
The Golden Jubilee was opened by Bishop Albert Ottenweller in November 1976. Other events throughout the year celebrated our Polish heritage. Bishop John Donovan presided at our Mass of Thanksgiving in September 1977 with members from all organizations processing into church.
Through the efforts of Fr. Slominski, our membership in Central City Ministries of Toledo was accepted. Also, in order to help defray the cost of school operations, bingo in the school hall was held on a weekly basis. A group of regular volunteers manned the tables and called the numbers. Bingo was discontinued in the early 1990s.
Parish membership continued to decline and non-Catholic students were already enrolled in the school. A Sunday Mass in Polish was celebrated at least once a month. The position of associate pastor ended when Msgr. Czajkowski retired. Fr. Thomas O’Neill, OSFS, helped on weekends and sometimes during the week. Fr. John Hemstreet was appointed temporary administrator in 1978 when our pastor was on sick leave. Fr. Slominski returned, but his health continued to deteriorate and he died on June 16, 1983 from a massive heart attack.
Rev. Paul Camp was appointed pastor in August 1983. He was confronted with many of the same problems. Many parishioners had moved away, especially those with school age children. Only 15% of the student body was Catholic. Fr. Camp brought optimism to a very changing parish community. We were already members of CCMT and with his guidance, we sought ways to reach out into our local community and embrace ethnic diversity. Sr. Mary Pius, OSF/S returned as a pastoral associate. We still had an occasional Polish Mass presided by the priest from St. Adalbert Parish. When we changed to one Mass on Sunday, the Polish Mass was discontinued.
Shortly after cleaning and repainting the church interior, tragedy struck on October 13, 1984. A fire, possibly arson, which had begun in the sacristy, caused extensive heat and smoke damage to the interior estimated at over $200,000. The saddened parish community came together to restore the damage. Weekend masses were again held in the school hall while the renovation was taking place. Joseph Jakutowicz did an excellent job of coordinating the restoration and replacement of damaged fixtures, altar cloths and vestments. Interior walls were repainted. The sacristy was redone and all woodwork was refinished. The intense heat destroyed the organ and it was replaced. On February 9, 1985, Bishop James R. Hoffman rededicated the church.
In 1989 Fr. Camp transferred to the Diocese of Cleveland and Rev. John Shiffler was appointed the fifth pastor of St. Hyacinth Parish on July 1, 1989.
Fr. Shiffler, a son of the parish, came with great enthusiasm to minister to us. He too had to deal with the problems of declining parish membership and the increased costs to operate our school. School enrollment was almost totally non-Catholic and African-American. Our first lay principal, Rita Dominick, and Fr. Shiffler urged us to continue the school as its presence was needed in the central city. Financial aid from Central City Ministries and the parish subsidy enabled us to continue the school as an outreach ministry.
Fr. Shiffler referred to our church as “the jewel of the boulevard” and started a remodeling fund raiser. All stained glass windows were reinforced. The interior was repainted and new lighting along the sides in the nave was installed. A new canopy replaced the original above the main altar. Symbols of the four evangelists were placed on the side sanctuary walls. Portraits of four saints, honoring the other Polish parishes, were placed on the ceiling in the church proper. Two ceramic murals, St. Francis and the Holy Family, were commissioned and executed by Sr. Jane Mary Sorosiak, OSF/S. They were installed next to each side altar. The Holy Family mural was a gift of Sophie Wilczynski. The church was also air-conditioned. Several pews in the back were removed and a gathering area was created with the iron grillwork recycled as dividers. Parish membership stabilized to a degree and the school continued to have a healthy enrollment.
Fr. Shiffler left our parish early in 1995 on a leave of absence. He later became chaplain for the Little Sisters of the Poor and then was appointed administrator of Our Lady of Fatima, Lyons, Ohio and Our Lady of Mercy, Fayette, Ohio. Rev. Jonathan C. Wight, associate pastor of Christ the King in Toledo, was appointed our next pastor in July 1996.
Fr. Wight was our first non-Polish pastor. He was also a part-time instructor at St. Francis de Sales High School. This would be a different era for our parish. Fr. Wight quickly familiarized himself with our needs and we are thankful for his ministry to us. With the assistance of Deacon Irv Gonsiorowski and Fr. Wight, we still celebrated Lenten, May and October devotions as well as blessing the Easter food and Forty Hours. The choir continued to sing the popular and remembered Polish hymns.
The Sisters of St. Francis from Sylvania withdrew from our parish in 1997. Over 100 Sylvania Franciscans were assigned to St. Hyacinth and gave many years of dedicated service in the classroom, care of the church sanctuary and participation in parish activities.
The Sisters of Notre Dame from Toledo offered to move into the convent. Sr. Lynda Snyder, SND also was hired as the principal of our school. We were very sad to lose the services of the Franciscan Sisters, but gladly accepted the Notre Dame Sisters as a continued presence of Sisters in the parish.
Fr. Wight saw to it that repairs to the school, convent and church would be made as needed. The convent was repainted and plumbing repaired. New restrooms were installed in the school. Roof repairs were also made. The parking lot was resurfaced and better security was installed. The Holy Spirit ceramic mural, again executed by Sr. Jane Mary, OSF/S, was placed in a side niche. It was a gift from Melvin Wilczynski. The rectory was repainted and new carpeting was installed.
The lamb, a symbol of Jesus Christ, from the center of the original altar was recently recovered. It was restored and placed in the center of the sacrificial altar during the Diamond Jubilee Mass. Thus the old and the new were combined to remind us of our beginning, the present and our hope for the future.
The bells of St. Hyacinth tolled their last sometime in April 2002. The electronic system had been working for over 40 years and was beyond repair. Fr. Wight made an appeal to the people to make a special contribution for a new system. Parishioners and others responded so well that the bells once again rang for our jubilee.