Through the years

St. Casimir Church, 145 Jefferson Ave., Youngstown, was founded in 1906 and marked its 100th year in 2006. The church is closing as part of the Parish Implementation Plan in the Diocese of Youngstown and is merging with St. Columba Cathedral. The final Mass will be at 4 p.m. today celebrated by Bishop George V. Murry; the Rev. John Keehner, pastor; the Rev. Edward Brienz, St. Columba associate pastor; the Rev. Joseph Rudjak, pastor of Holy Apostles Parish; and the Rev. Paul Tobin, retired. Father Rudjak and Father Tobin are sons of the parish.

Early years: St. Casimir took on its own identity in 1901. On Nov. 19, about 100 Polish people assembled at Old St. Joseph Church (now defunct) for the wedding of Franciska Jesionek and John Turowski. The Rev. Charles Ruszkowski arrived early to hear confessions in Polish and to witness the marriage. He encouraged the Poles to seek the founding of a Polish mission church from Bishop Ignatius Horstman of the Cleveland Diocese. Father Ruszkowski led the group that would develop as St. Stanislaus on the South Side and St. Casimir on the North Side in Brier Hill. Initially, they met for Mass in the basement of the old St. Columba Church. In 1907, the St. Casimir group bought an old German club and its gardens on Jefferson Street.

Dedication: While the club underwent renovations, Mass was celebrated in the home of Krogulski family, 1242 Otis St. Auxiliary Bishop Joseph M. Koudelka of Cleveland Diocese dedicated the church. The first baptism, Francis Turowski, was Oct. 20, 1907. The Altar and Rosary Society was formed.

New church: The Rev. Stanislaus Rybacki, who served 1923-25, inspired a vision of a new church and a school and started fundraising. The Rev. Ignatius Dembowski carried out construction. The old church was moved and remodeled as a convent.

Depression: The 1929 stock- market crash plunged the parish into debt. The Rev. Louis Kaszmirski, who served 1932-60, refinanced the debt and went door-to-door to collect money from parishioners. The parish was debt free in 1945; a rectory was built in 1950.

Merger: In 1959, St. Anne Church, established in 1869, was closed and demolished to make way for new industrial park and Route 422, also known as Martin Luther King Boulevard. St. Casimir became the territorial parish and absorbed the St. Anne’s parishioners, some remain.

Growth: The Rev. Aloysius Rzendarski, who served 1960-68, oversaw a growth spurt as war veterans married and had families. Sacramental records attest to many weddings and baptisms. The sanctuary was remodeled for a third time, with extensive use of marble and mosaic work. A Shrine of Mary was erected.

Transition: The Rev. William Slipski, a son of the parish who served from 1968-87, led the parish through the transitions in liturgy required by Second Vatican Council. The neighborhood around changed rapidly. Parishioners moved to the suburbs; membership declined. St. Casimir School closed in 1972.

New activities: The Rev. Robert J. Novotny, 1987-91, re-established bingo and other fundraising and social activities to defray parish expenses. A new daily Mass chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, was dedicated in a former classroom, and the church was redecorated and carpeted. A ramp was built to the parish hall.

Improvements: The Rev. Sy Kaminski, 1991-2003, continued to make improvements and updates to the parish buildings. Plexiglass was installed to protect the stained-glass windows. Father Kaminski intitiated well-attended Healing Masses with anointing of the sick. The church was among the first to celebrate a “Blue Mass” to honor police and firefighters.

Organizations: Altar and Rosary Society and a senior citizens group, St. Casey Society, met regularly. The choir had a prominent role, singing at Healing Masses, Feast Days and funerals of parishioners. The choir also sang at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in North Jackson and Youngstown Polish Day.

Changes: Monsignor Lawrence Fye, rector of St. Columba, was named administrator and the Mass schedule was changed to one weekly Mass at 4 p.m. Saturdays. In 2006, the Rev. John Keehner was named administrator of St. Casimir. The Rev. George Franko, pastor emeritus of Holy Name of Jesus, assisted in celebrating Mass for a time.

Recent history: The church celebrates its 100th year in 2006 with a Mass and dinner. In 2007, Bishop Murry appointed Father Keehner as rector of the cathedral and pastor of St. Casimir.

Future: A group from the church is exloring the possibility of creating St. Casimir Historic Center in Brier Hill to preserve the ethnic story, history and culture.

Source: 1945 mortgage-burning booklet, 90th and 100th anniversary booklets and additions by the Rev. John Keehner