by Therese Horvat
Special to The Leaven
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — As the grandson of Mexican immigrants and as a pastor who has served multiple parishes with deep ethnic roots, Father Peter Jaramillo, SSA, has a unique perspective on the contributions of immigrant communities and their importance to the history of the archdiocesan church.
He values the “colorful kaleidoscope of the immigrant church,” he said. “The vibrant mix of language, food, culture, music, dance and joy for life has helped preserve the Catholic faith across generations.”
And now his hope is that across the country, new immigrants will be equally welcomed to this mix.
In observance of the 250th anniversary of the United States, The Leaven will honor the Catholics who came before us by exploring the rich history and traditions, tenacity, resourcefulness and devotion of a sampling of the immigrant communities that built and shaped the archdiocesan church of today.
POLISH
St. Joseph Parish, Kansas City
Growing up on Kansas City’s Polish Hill, Cathy Kolenda-Smith was raised with great pride in her ethnic identity.
“We had a strong sense of where we came from and who we are,” she said.
The lifelong Wyandotte County resident recalls the story of her maternal grandfather helping build St. Joseph Church, the city’s first church to serve Slavic immigrants.
“After working all day in the meatpacking plant, Grandpa Saracyewski went every single night up the hill to the church to do whatever was needed — construction, moving pews, painting and other odd jobs,” she said.
In 1887, on behalf of 37 Polish families and others of Slavic descent, the diocese was petitioned for permission to build a church. A year later, St. Joseph opened. Founded primarily for the Polish community, the parish served other Slavic immigrants until they built their own churches. Under the leadership of Father John Grudzinski, a respected and industrious pastor, a new church was built in the 1920s. While the parish retains Polish members, it has transitioned in recent years under the name All Saints to encompass new immigrant groups, largely from Spanish-speaking countries.
Kolenda-Smith has vivid memories of growing up Polish. Life centered around family and the church. Her parents met through a social club at the parish. Family, friends and neighbors shared common bonds of being Catholic and being Polish.
As students at St. Joseph Grade School, Kolenda-Smith and her six siblings participated in holiday church processions dressed in traditional ethnic costumes. They sang Polish lullabies and hymns and performed lively skits at the annual ice cream social, often singing in Polish without fully understanding the words. Over time, Kolenda-Smith came to appreciate the cultural and spiritual significance of these cherished traditions and the important role they played in shaping her life.
The Kolendas operated Sophie’s Deli on 5th and Central Ave. for 32 years. The deli and the family’s nearby bar were gathering places for people of all ethnicities.
From 1988 to 2020, Kolenda-Smith and many family members were instrumental in the organization of Polski Day in Kansas City. A parade, festival, music, raffles and Polish food attracted crowds to the church grounds. While there’s interest in reviving the event, Kolenda-Smith is concerned about mustering volunteer support to staff the massive undertaking.
As Polish as her life has been, Kolenda-Smith shares that she’s half Croatian. Because both of her grandmothers married Polish men, family traditions followed that lineage. Her friends jokingly refer to Kolenda-Smith as their “long-lost Croatian friend!”
