(Carl L. Bucki, Am-Pol Eagle) In its June edition, the Western New York Catholic reported the suspension of activities at St. Ann’s Church in Buffalo, due to dangerous conditions caused by deterioration and damage to the building’s structure. This sad news leads me to reflect upon the interesting relationship that the parish maintained with the Polish community of Western New York.
Catholic parishes are classified as either national or territorial. A national parish is generally established to serve the members of a particular ethnic group, whereas a territorial parish is defined by its geographic boundaries. Thus, it is possible that a national parish may operate within the area of a territorial parish.
In its edition for April 14, 1904, The Catholic Union and Times reported that, “the area covered by St. Ann’s Parish extends from Jefferson Street to Bailey Avenue, and from Howard Street to Sycamore Street.” Simultaneously, however, within those same geographic boundaries, there existed five national parishes dedicated to serve the city’s Polish community: St. Stanislaus, St. Adalbert, St. John Kanty, Transfiguration, and Corpus Christi. Therefore, at the beginning of the 20th century, one could truthfully say that the heart of Buffalo’s Polish community was located within the territorial limits of St. Ann’s Parish.
