Our Parish History

Our Parish was created back in September 1922, when a group of Polish immigrants and their children, parishioners of a Roman Catholic Church in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, decided that their parish did not fairly represent their needs. Taking as their model the strong desire for freedom and independence which had characterized the creation of the United States, their new homeland, they decided to cede from their parish and establish a spiritual home of their own. They named their parish ‘Resurrection’ , a name which has dual significance, both commemorating the resurrection of Jesus, but also alluding to the resurrection of their country of origin, Poland, which had undergone centuries of oppression and which, following World War I, was reestablishing itself as a sovereign entity. It is interesting to note the parallel here with other expatriate groups, which had settled in the Brooklyn area, particularly the Irish who also, in 1922, saw their own national independence from centuries of colonization with the creation of the Irish Free State.

With the personal input and guidance of first Prime Bishop, Francis Hodur, the parish quickly grew and Bishop Hodur consecrated the present church building on December 13th 1925. But the early years, while successful in some ways, were difficult in others as the church community had to learn the principles of democratic association, compromise and respect for other’s ideas. As a community church, with strong links to its Polish heritage the parish was badly shaken by the Nazi attack on Poland in 1939, and three members of the parish made the supreme sacrifice during World War II. The years following, however, represented a golden era for Resurrection, as returning veterans, bolstered by new immigrants fleeing Communism, reinforced by a stable and settled community allowed the church to flourish and expand its mission and its community.

But as has happened to so many of parishes, not only in Brooklyn but in many cities in America, the new generations have assimilated and many of the children and grandchildren of the émigré founders of the church have moved away from Greenpoint and settled in other parts of the country and abroad. So now, in the 21st Century, our church stands ready to welcome new individuals and communities that wish to worship with us, a beacon of God’s love and compassion, preaching the Word of God, dispensing the sacraments, fostering community and doing all things that our Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ requested of us.