Doesn’t the name “Expatriate Poland” sound intriguing? I’m about to tell you the story of St. John Cantius Church. It stands in the Bridesburg neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia. This church has a fascinating history rooted in the Polish-speaking community.
St. John Cantius Church was founded in 1892. The church building itself was completed in 1898. Polish immigrants in the area needed a place to worship in their native language. They had settled in an area known as “Expatriate Poland”. These immigrants asked St. Stanislaus Kostka for a new church. St. Stanislaus Kostka was the mother church of Polish parishes. Father Vincent Barzyński bought land at Fry and Carpenter Streets. He appointed Father John Kasprzycki as pastor.
The task of building St. John Cantius Church began. Adolphus Druiding created the design. Work started in the spring of 1893. The cornerstone was blessed in July of that year. By Christmas, the basement church was ready. The first Mass was held there on Christmas Eve in 1893.
Finances became tight due to a depression. Completing the superstructure was difficult. The parish prayed to St. Joseph for help. Soon after, on March 28, 1898, 3,000 dollars arrived. Construction successfully closed. Archbishop Patrick Feehan dedicated St. John Cantius Church on December 11, 1898. In 1918 the parish was at its peak. At that time there were about 23000 parishioners and 2500 children in the school.
Later in the 1920s Ogden Avenue’s construction disrupted the parish. In 1929 the stock market crash brought decline. By 1943 there were 5000 parishioners and 376 children in the school. The Kennedy Expressway construction in the 1950s and 1960s hurt St. John Cantius Church. Most residents left. However, many continued to attend Mass and support the parish.
In 2013 All Saints Parish and St. John Cantius Parish merged. The new parish was located at St. John Cantius. All Saints Church remained a worship site for a while.
Today St. John Cantius Church offers services in both English and Polish. Mass in Polish is celebrated on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Mass in English is celebrated on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Sunday Masses are at 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Weekday Masses are at 8:00 a.m. Monday through Friday. The chapel is next to the church on Thompson Street. Sunday Masses are celebrated in the chapel from June to September. Daily Masses are also celebrated in the chapel.
St. John Cantius Church stands as a testament to faith. It reflects the enduring spirit of Philadelphia’s Polish community. Its history is rich with stories of immigration struggle and devotion.