St. Hedwig Catholic Church 129 29th Ave NE Minneapolis, MN 55418 Phone 612-789-4830 Fax 612-789-1985

St. Hedwig's Church

A WARM AND COZY CHURCH; A PEOPLE'S CHURCH

In a 1959 interview Fr. Maximillian Klesmit said that because of it's geographic isolation and its small size St. Hedwig's was a warm and cozy place where people felt a spiritual unity. It can also be called a people's church.

In was the people's church because it would be one of the few parishes in the diocese initiated totally on the part of the lay people. On December 15, 1912, Izydor Job called a meeting of the Polish/Americans living in the area from 25th Avenue N.E. (now Lowry Avenue) to Anoka County line (now 37th Avenue N.E.). The meeting ws held at 2723 Grand St. NE, the home of Andrzeja Majka. Those assembled asked Izydor Job to approach the pastor of the Church of Holy Cross, Fr. Ambrose Kryjewski, and inform him of a desire to establish another Polish parish in N.E. Minneapolis. He was also to ask for Fr. Kryjewki's cooperation. Meanwhile the neightbor got together and purchased six lots in the Northtown Addition of Minneapolis, in the area of 29th Avenue and Randolph St. NE. The property was purchased from Nettie Hopkins, "a widow from the City fo London, the kingdom of Great Britain."

In an act of real hope Izydor and Anna Job, Leon and Anne Jedlinski, Jakub and Marta Myczyk, Francis and Victoria Myslajek, Jan and Kataryn Cizon, Thomas nad Maryanna Kuduk, Jan Sledz, Wojciech and Zofia Grabski, Kanty Matuczak, and Joseph Duda bought the property in the name of their neighbors.

On February 7, 1913, the earnest money for the six lots was paid. Buying the property, however, was not enough to establish a parish. For several months the group recruited helpers to go door to door in the neighborhood. First, they wanted to judge how many people were interested in establishing a church more convenient for the neighbors. Secondly, as an anonymous recorder states, they had to take up a collection to meet the payments on the lots.

After the purchase of the six lots, the group pressed on with the project. They sought to organize a public religious event. The contacted Fr. Kryjewski, and with his cooperation they celebrated a Mass, September 13, 1914, In the Holy Cross School. Fr. Kryjewski was the celebrant.

Between January 1914, when the lots were purchased and September 1914 when the Mass was celebrated, the young congregation was helped by Fr. Stanislaus Meyer and Fr. Maximilian Klesmit to take up another collection from door to door in the hope of a new parish. Archbishop John Ireland was evidently pleased with their effort. The parish was incorporated May 26, 1914. The first officers were Archbishop Ireland, Vicar general Fr. John Lawler, Pastor Ambrose Kryjewski, Trustees Izydor Job and Leon Jedlinski.

The first church was the frame building which served as the first church of St. Clement's parish. It was moved to the Northeast corner of Randolph and 29th Avenue NE. The parish paid $500.00 for the church and $800.00 to have it moved.

Christmas morning at 6:00am the first Mass was celebrated in the church by Fr. Klesmit, then an assistant at Holy Cross. Two days later the first child, Albin Garbacz, son of Joseph Garbacz and Marie Halberg was baptized.

Christmas week of 1914, was not all pleasant. December 22, 1914, Attorney Thomas Salmon threatened to sue the parish. Mr. C.M. Bowen who agreed to move the church building for $800.00 had only been paid $500.00. The problem was settled out of court January 2, 1915.

Fr. Anthony Szcukowski was assigned to the parish January 6, and first meeting of parish offiers took place January 31, 1915. After completing his account of all these events, the early recorder states, "There were only about 48 families in the parish in 1915." Before the end of the year Fr. Klesmit was assigned as pastor. The pastor rented a house across the street until a new rectory was built in 1918.

Fire damage teh church in August, 1918. "There was no roof over the sanctuary for awhile. We had Mass with snow fluttering down on the altar." Within six months the combination church/school was completed. Christmas of 1919 the first Mass was said in the new complex.

The Fransiscan Sisters of Sylvania were asked to staff the elementary school. A convent to house them was built in 1925.

From then on the parish continued to grow. It suffered as others did the same financial problems in the 1930's. The mortgage was renegotiated twice. A kitchen was added to the church/school complex in 1950.

1964 was a year of some joy for the parish. A newspaper story of that year included: "A joint celebration and probably the only one of its kind in the history of the diocese of St. Paul. One pastor served one church from its beginning 50 years ago." Both Fr. Klesmit and the parish celebrated a joint 50th anniversary.

The 1960's were a period of great change in the churhes and the city. The Vatican Council introduced great changes in the church. In the city young families moved out of the city. St. Hedwig's school closed in 1969 to become a part of the NorthEast Regional Catholic School.

During the 1970's most inner city parishes experienced declining populations. St. Hedwig's shared that problem. Throughout Northeast Minneapolis declining incomes, declining populations, and rumors of church closings caused serious concern. Once again St. Hedwig's revived its heritage as a people's church. The parishioners, this time about 80 families strong, Roofs were replaced and the heating systems was upgraded. The parish slowly began to grow again.

By the mid 1980's serious thought was given to an expansion and upgrading of the parish plant. July 23, 1989, ground was broken for the renovation and expansion of the parish facilities. Over a period of five years a renovated and expanded church, a new church hall with commercial kitchen, new restrooms, and elevator, and extensive landscaping were completed.

The parish, in light of changing demographics and urban needs, looks forward to a new parish center and a collaborative project with Catholci Eldercare to expand the parish to include the care of the frail elderly. Over all these years the parishioners have met every new challenge with a common effort to preserve the people's church as a warm and cozy place welcoming new parishioners to share a unity of faith and purpose.

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