Franciszek Chalupka

Who was Franciszek Chalupka?

Fr. Franciszek Chalupka - founder of the first Polish-American parishes in New England.

Chalupka was born in Austria-Hungary. He completed his classical studies in Poland and on March 25, 1884 arrived in the United States.

He studied theology at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland and then in the Seminary in Orchard Lake.

Ordained by Bishop Patrick O'Reilly in St. Michael's Cathedral in Springfield, Massachusetts, on May 20, 1888. He became the first priest of Polish descent to be ordained in Hampden County.

To obtain the services of a priest with a knowledge of Polish language, the parishioners of St. Joseph Parish, Webster, sent a demand to Fr. Joseph Dabrowski, founder and rector of the Polish Seminary St. Cyril and Methodius University in Detroit. This person was Fr. Franciszek Chalupka, though a sum of $600 had to be paid for his tuition at the Seminary. The money was collected within two weeks, and among the largest offerings $100 was a gift of three Americans: Messers G. Tracey, John W. Dobbie and Louis E. Pattison. After removing the financial obstacles, April 1, 1889, Fr. Franciszek Chalupka came to the parish of St.