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Holy Name
Society - organized
in 1941 to promote devotion to Christ the Lord. Its first
President was Leo Kaczorowski. The current President, Ernie
Burzynski, has held the post since 1960. Members gather
annually for corporate communion and breakfast. When a member
or someone in his immediate family passes away, members gather
at the funeral home for rosary or a wake service. The men of
the Holy Name Society have been an active and visible presence
at St. Casimir's not only by promoting parish-wide social events
but also with their participation in Processions and by being
present for adoration during the annual 40 Hours Devotion
Meetings
are announced in the bulletin.
Ladies'
Altar/Rosary Society
- organized as the Ladies'
Altar and Rosary and Apostleship of Prayer Society in September,
1898, the ladies have been active in spiritual and social
activities since its inception. At one time there were separate
groups for Rosary, Adoration and Altar Groups. Now all these
groups are combined into one society. Besides Corporate
Communion and Breakfasts, many members may remember pilgrimages
made to near-by shrines. There are three meetings a year:
October for the Corporate Communion/Breakfast, December for a
Christmas Program and in May for a Mother's Day Program.
Married Men's
Club - on June 12,
1938 some young men of the parish met to organize a club to
promote fellowship amongst themselves and to help with various
activities in the parish. The pastor, Stanislaus Gorka, was
very supportive of the idea, realizing how helpful such a group
would be for the good of the parish. September 12, 1938 marks
the first official meeting of the group. On that day. the
constitution and by-laws were accepted. The following men were
elected as the first officers: President, Al Duszynski;
Vice-President, Wilbur Coffman; Secretary, Dennis Andrysiak;
Treasurer, Leo Markiewicz; and Sergent-At-Arms, Louis Bukowski.
After much
debate the original members decided to name the new club the
"Young Married Men's Club of St. Casimir's Parish." Over the
years the name has changed to the "Married Men's Club of St.
Casimir's Parish."
The Group
has been dedicated to the parish since its inception. They
sponsored the opening of the Kindergarten program in 1942 and
donated money for the upkeep of the room and its original
equipment. The men helped with the school's Boy Scout program.
The club also sent representatives to the ICCL
(Inter-City-Catholic League) to enter all the school's sports
clubs into the league. First coaches were Ray Jaronik and Ed
Fujawa. The men furnished recreational equipment for the youth
program sponsored by Brother Basil Thomas
In
September of 1988 the club celebrated its 50th anniversary with
a no-holds barred banquet in the Ballroom. All members and
widows of deceased members along with guests of the various
organizations of the parish attended. The evening was composed
of Mass, a dinner, a program and a dance with music by the very
popular band, Five-Of-A-Kind.
The club
still prides itself as one of the most active in the parish,
helping at all major events, sponsoring activities and events
for members, their spouses and families and being there for the
families of ill and deceased members.
The club
room is open every Wednesday evening for socializing with the
last Wednesday of the month serving as meeting night.
Senior
Citizen's Club - in
the mid 1970's many members of St. Casimir's attended Senior
Citizen or Harvest House Clubs at different parishes or
community centers on the West Side. The need for one at St.
Casimir's was apparent. On October 9, 1977, Dennis Andrysiak
held a meeting of individuals interested in organizing just such
a club. November 2, 1977 was its first social meeting. The
club is one of the most active in the parish sporting 150
members with a waiting list for others to join.
Meetings
are held the third Wednesday of every month in the annex
followed by a social hour.
Parish
Pastoral Council -
St. Casimir's was one of the first parishes in the area to
establish a working parish council. Reverend Anthony Zubowicz
organized it in 1906. Within the Council, the Finance Committee
generates a parish budget. The Council's objective is to
organize programs and events to support the budget. The Council
also works to maintain a high quality of religious and social
events for all parishioners.
The Council
meets the first Monday of every month (no meetings in the
summer).
Marian Prayer
Group - organized
in 1995 under Rev. Bill Pifher, the group meets one evening a
month in the Maximillian Kolbe Chapel.
St. Anne's
Society - St.
Anne's Society Group 129 is part of a national insurance group
whose main objective is to provide a religious base for women
of the organization. Annually in July, St. Anne's sponsors a
novena to its patron. Traditionally these prayers were recited
in Polish but are now said in English. Until 1997, the group
sponsored an annual Palm Sunday Card Party.
Meetings
are announced in the bulletin.
Ushers' Club
- was organized in March of 1929 by Rev. Stanislaus Lisewski. The
first mass ushered was Easter Sunday of that year. Prior to
World War II only single men were eligible to be ushers. But
because so many men went into the service married ushers were
allowed. After WWII, when single men returned from the service,
the married men were thanked for their help and again retired.
Another problem arose; many of the men who returned for the war
were marrying and again married men became permanent ushers.
Women are now welcomed into the group.
In April of
1979, the Usher's Club celebrated its 50th jubilee beginning
with the 11:00am Mass followed with a banquet in the annex.
Meetings
are announced in the bulletin.
St. Theresa
Society
- The St. Theresa Society of St. Stephen Parish meets for mass at St.
Casimir Church periodically a month and for breakfast
afterwards. This society is dedicated to St. Theresa of Lisieux,
the Little Flower. Irene Ziolkowski is President.
Cephas
Society - the
Cephas Society of St. Casimir Parish is composed of benefactors
who include the parish in their wills. Cephas is Aramaic for
rock and is the name that Christ gave to St. Peter.
Grupo
Carismatico de Oracion
- Grupo Carismatico de Oracion
is a Spanish language group that meets every Wednesday evening
in St. Casimir School for charismatic prayer and fellowship.
Estela Rodriguez is the group leader.
Ministerio de
Matrimonios -
Ministerio de Matrimonios is a Spanish language group that
supports marriage. Its members include both married couples and
those preparing for marriage. Max and Angelica Montalvo are the
group leaders |