„It came into being from the desire of Polish faithful,” said Br. Sławomir Rosiński, the spiritual guardian of the Polish Catholic Community in Vienna, during the jubilee celebrations held on March 9. What began as a grassroots initiative in 1999 has since grown into a dynamic community that has enriched parish life and built bridges between Poland and Austria for a quarter of a century.
The Polish Catholic Community in Vienna celebrated its 25th anniversary at St. Bridget’s Church in Vienna’s 20th district. “We are here today to express our gratitude to God for the 25 years of the Polish Catholic Community’s presence in this church and parish. At the same time, we thank God today for 25 years of service by the Polish Capuchin Friars,” Fr. Sławomir Rosiński OFMCap, the current spiritual leader of the community, said in his welcoming address to the gathered faithful and guests.
“Welcome to your Parish”
The Polish Catholic Community at St. Bridget’s Church was founded by lay faithful who longed for Mass, the Word of God, and a Polish priest. It is part of an Austrian parish that hosts the community within its church. “We are proud to be part of St. John Paul II Parish and to work well with our pastor, Fr. Wolfgang Seybold, as well as Austrian clergy and parishioners,” Fr. Rosiński emphasized. The jubilee was an opportunity to express gratitude to the Austrians for their warm welcome. Fr. Seybold opened his sermon with the words: “Welcome to your parish!” and highlighted that it was God who prepared this place for the Polish community.
History
The history of the Polish Catholic Community in Vienna began in the spring of 1999 when several families asked Fr. Paweł Stawarczyk to celebrate Holy Mass in Polish at St. Bridget’s Church. Initially, Masses were held sporadically, but they soon became regular, enabling the development of pastoral ministry with the support of the Capuchin Friars Minor. Over the following years, catechesis, retreats, and additional services were introduced, and the community was officially incorporated into the structures of the Archdiocese of Vienna. The 2019 restructuring of the archdiocese led to the establishment of St. John Paul II Parish, which now includes this Polish community. Since 2021, Fr. Sławomir Rosiński has served as the community’s pastor, continuing the tradition of strengthening the spiritual life of Poles in Vienna and fostering connections between Poland and Austria.
To commemorate the silver jubilee, the Polish Parish Council and Br. Sławomir decided to leave a lasting memorial – a statue of St. John Paul II. Thanks to the efforts and contributions of families from the Polish Catholic Community, the sculpture was placed near the presbytery beside a side altar containing relics of the saintly pope. Ryszard Wysocki crafted the two-meter-high Linden wood statue. Opposite it stands an earlier statue of St. Bridget. “This will be a place of prayer for the faithful visiting this church,” Br. Sławomir emphasized.
The jubilee celebration was attended by Capuchin friars, former pastors, Fr. Zygmunt Waz CR, and Fr. Wolfgang Seybold. Br. Bogumił Kusiak celebrated the Holy Mass in Polish, while Fr. Seybold delivered the sermon in German. Both priests blessed the new statue. The church, filled with worshippers, resounded with the singing of the Vienna Polish Choir’s “Gaudete.” The event was broadcast live by the Polish diaspora radio station, Radio Droga.
photo by Joanna Łukaszuk-Ritter