CHURCHES IN KASZEBE CANADA

 The Kashubs built three Parishes. The first was in Wilno in the year 1875 and was called Saint Stanislaus Kostka . In 1936 the church was destroyed by fire and a new church was built and named St. Mary’s Church. The second parish built was in Barry’s Bay in 1896 called the Mission Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. The parishioners outgrew this church and decided to build a new one called St. Hedwig’s in the year 1915. The third parish built by the Kashubs was in Round Lake in the year 1925. It was named St. Bronislaus. They outgrew the church, and in 1930 they built a new church and they call it St. Casimir’s Church.

There were many changes to all the parishes and their churches, but one thing that unites them all is the Blessed Mother of Sianwo, Queen of the Kashubs “ Matka Boska Sianowsko Krolowa Kaszub “ 

Many of the Canadian Kashubs did not know too much about their heritage until Father Al Rekowski journeyed to the homeland and wrote a book about the Kashubs in Canada, the U.S. and in Poland called “the Saga of the Kashub people “

Most people did not know about their roots. Kashubs were told by their spiritual leaders that they were Polish and later to find out that they were not, but they were Kashubs. With many Canadian Kashubs travelling to the old country, they found out that they are part of a very unique Slavic group called the Kashubs. Everytime they go to Kaszebe, they find themselves at the place of their Queen and patron Saint.

Saint Casimir’s received a picture of the lady from the Parish of Sianowo in the year 2008 part of their 150 years of Kashubian heritage.

As part of the 150th Anniversary a procession with our Blessed Lady took place and she found her permanent home at St. Casmir’s Church in Round Lake Centre Father Jamie Utronkie stands proudly with the Holy Icon on the day of the celebration of his first Mass following his ordination.

In 2009, Saint Hedwig’s received their picture from the Parish of Sianowo.

This Icon has become very close to all the Canadian Kashub just like for the Kaszubs in Kaszebe Poland.

Faith was a big part of the Kashubs heritage back in 1858 and still is today. 

Another tradition we have in Kaszebe Canada are roadside crosses. In the beginning, there were no churches and even when there were, it was hard to make it sometimes because of the harsh condition of the roads and sometimes bad weather. The Kashubs would install a cross on each crossroad. This would give everyone only a few miles to walk to the nearest cross. Sometimes to worship, sometimes just to meet and talk. Today there are approx. 20 roadside crosses you can see dotting the landscape of Canada’s Kaszebe. There is one cross that still stands that is over a century old on the corner Wilno North Road and Cranberry Creek Road. This corner is also known as Kashub Corner in the settlement of Kalisz and is taken care by David & Diana Shulist. David is a Kashubian activist, promoter & preserver of the Kashubian culture in Canada.

Martin Shulist - a builder of crosses.

A gift to Prime Minister Donald Tusk from Mayor David Shulist and his family along with Senator Kazimierz Kleina (on the left).

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