Our Lady Queen of Apostles Church

Our Parish was the second Polish Catholic Church in the city of Hamtramck, and was established to serve the rapidly growing Polish Catholic Community. This was the start of a large Polish community which exceeded the populations of many cities in Poland at the time.

                Authorization to establish Our Lady Queen of Apostles parish was given during World War I in a letter dated April 24th, 1917.

                “The Rev. Roman Klafkowski is hereby appointed first Pastor of the Polish Parish, which will be established in Hamtramck by cutting off the north-eastern portion of the present Parish of St. Florian. …”

(Signed) John S. Foley, Bishop of Detroit

                During its almost 100 year existence, Our Lady Queen of Apostles has had nine pastors:

Rev. Roman Klafkowski  1917-1922

Rev. Zygmunt Dziatkiewicz 1922-1925

Rev. Stanislaw Wasielewski 1925-1940

Rev. Ladislaus Szok 1940-1967

Rev. Alphonse Madeja 1967-1969

Rev. Thaddeus Blaszczyk 1970-1993

Rev. Gary Michalik 1993-1998

Rev. Bogdan Milosz 1998-2013

Rev. Janusz Iwan 2013-Present

                Assisting these pastors over the years were 37 associate pastors, as well as many visiting priests and missionaries.

                The parish began with a mere 25 families, and its first mass was celebrated on the Feast of the Pentecost in a two-story house on Prescott Street. In October of the same year (1917) Felician Sisters began teaching in two private homes. By May of 1918, a school building with eight classrooms was standing and in use. It began in a district of fields and unpaved roads.

                Thirty-two parcels of real estate were purchased during Fr. Klafkowski’s pastorate. He was instrumental in supervising construction of the first grade school, a convent for the Sisters, a temporary church and rectory.

                The present school building dates back to the pastorate of Fr. Wasilewski, who in 1927 was responsible for its construction, together with the temporary church.

                During Fr. Szok’s pastorate, the rectory was completed, the Sister’s Convent was built, and major repairs were made to the school. His Major accomplishment was the construction of the present, beautiful church building, which cost $750,000 and took two years to complete. The new church was blessed by Edward Cardinal Mooney on November 23, 1952.

                The interior of the church was highlighted by a $20,000 sanctuary screen behind the main altar; mosaic work was done in the sanctuary, at the side altars, chapels and other portions of the interior at a cost of $38,000. One of the finest pipe organs in the Detroit area – a Casavant – with 2187 pipes – was installed in the choir loft.

                The Sisters of the Felician Order staffed the Grade School from 1917 until its closing in 2003. During their stay in the parish, and with assistance of lay teachers in later years, over 58,400 students were educated in our Parochial School. During the Depression years (1929-1930) the school enrollment peaked with 1,566 students.

                From the graduated of our school, we were blessed with:

15 Priestly vocations

1 Missionary vocatation

19 Nun vocations

                Our school had many activities and extracurricular activities to further enchance our students. Our Boy Scout Troop #101 had 21 Boy Scouts earning the rank of “Eagle Scout”, the highest rank attainable by a scout, making it a popular activity with the students.

                Organizations in the parish have worked devoted for the spiritual development of their members and for the material advancement of the parish. The oldest is the Third Order of St. Francis, Also continuing service are the Rosary Society, Christian Mothers, Arch Confraternity of the Sacred Heart, Altar Society, Holy Name Society, Choir, Ushers’ Club, an our Senior Citizens Club. Religious Education also continues for pre-schoolers and public school students.

                Spiritually, the parish is equally active. Sunday and weekday masses are attended by a joyful, participating congregation. Additional church services such as Novenas, Lenten and Marian Devotions, Forty Hour Devotions, First Communions, Confirmations, Easter and Christmas celebrations still retain much of the old fervor and style that the earliest founders brought with them from Poland. But, time goes on and the parish has participated in many new and progressive venues such as synods, discussions and adult education courses, conferences, folk masses, retreats and Bible Studies.