Our Parish

Our History

St. Casimir Polish Roman Catholic Church was established in 1908 to serve Polish speaking people who lived in the Ironbound section of Newark.

Before this time there was only one Roman Catholic Church for the Polish people living in the city of Newark. The rapid growth of the city and the large Polish immigration prompted Fr. Vitus Maśnicki, pastor of St. Stanislaus Church, Irvine Turner Blvd. (High St.), to make plans for a Polish parish in the Ironbound.

The first Mass was celebrated in the neighboring St. Benedict’s School Hall on Sunday, September 6, 1908. Immediately after this Mass, a parish meeting was held. Fr. Julius Manteuffel, the first pastor, proposed St. Casimir as the patron of the new parish. The parishioners agreed. Within months, blueprints for the new Church and school building combination were drawn. Ground was broken for a new and separate Church building in 1917 and construction was completed in 1920. The new edifice was blessed by the Most Reverend Bishop O’Connor, Bishop of the Newark Diocese, on July 4, 1920.

With the strong spirit of Polish immigrants as its driving force, St. Casimir’s quickly grew into the impressive parish complex we enjoy today including our magnificent church, the newly renovated and updated Ironbound Catholic Academy, the rectory and convent buildings.

St. Casimir’s Church is a vibrant parish. For over 100 years, Polish customs and traditions, such as Pasterka (Christmas Midnight Mass), Kolęda (Blessing of the Homes), Easter, and May Crowning have been and continue to be celebrated. Our parish offers a Saturday Polish Supplementary School for grades kindergarten through eighth grade, CCD religion classes in English and in Polish, a Youth Ministry Program, and association with The General Pulaski Parade Committee, Newark Division. Our parish has devotional groups, The Holy Rosary Society and Legion of Mary. Further, St. Casimir’s Church offers Pre-Cana Marriage Preparation programs in Polish and in English.

St. Casimir’s Church has a strong parish family and is most gracious to its parishioners, friends and volunteers. Their support and dedication have allowed St. Casimir’s Church to exist, to be strong, and to prosper.

The parish celebrated its Centennial and proudly looks upon the past and its history of service to its original Polish-American parishioners; upon its present service to their descendents, to new Polish immigrants and to the community-at-large, and anticipates future service to the People of God.

The Church is located at 91 Pulaski Street, between E. Kinney and Nichols Streets. The mailing address is 164 Nichols Street, Newark, NJ 07105.

Masses and devotions are offered in English as well as in Polish.