Parafia Świętego Patryka w Warszawie-Gocławiu

“This is the only one in all of Poland,” the old woman whispered, clutching her rosary beads a little tighter. We stood before the Parafia Świętego Patryka w Warszawie-Gocławiu, a relatively new church with a surprisingly rich history. Established as recently as January 15th, 1991, by Cardinal Józef Glemp, it was named after a visit he made to the Primate of Ireland. He suggested the name, and as the old woman said, this makes it the only church with this dedication in the entire country. The story of the Parafia Świętego Patryka w Warszawie-Gocławiu actually began a few years earlier, in June of 1988. The church we see today wasn’t there then. A young vicar named Wojciech Zdziebłowski had been given the task of establishing a new parish in the Gocław-Lotnisko neighborhood. By March of 1990, a cross marked the proposed site for the church. An existing garden gazebo served as a makeshift chapel until a wooden structure, a gift from the Pallottine Fathers of Ożarów Mazowiecki, was erected. This chapel, consecrated in November of 1990, served the growing congregation until the new church was ready. The new church, however, took time. The cornerstone was laid in 1991, the roof completed in 1998, and finally, the consecration took place in June of 2002. Although a modern edifice, Parafia Świętego Patryka w Warszawie-Gocławiu is rich in relics, housing those of Saint Faustina Kowalska, Padre Pio, and Saint Gianna Beretta Molla. The church also boasts stunning stained glass windows and intricate mosaics, a testament to the dedication of its parishioners.