FR. ANDRZEJ KRZYWDA

 

Fr. Andrzej (Andrew) S. Krzywda, a native of Poland, was born on November 18, 1878 in Dębowiec, Poland.  Fr. Krzywda came to this country at the age of seventeen to live for a time with a brother in Chicopee. He was edu­cated at St. Mary's College in Detroit and the Grand Seminary in Montreal where he was ordained Dec. 18, 1909. Before coming to Three Rivers, he had assignments at St. Mary's in Clinton, St. Joseph's in Webster and St. Joseph's in Gardner.

 

He became the third pastor of Sts. Peter & Paul Parish in 1913, after the resignation due to ill health of Fr. Władysław Kiełbasiński. Some highlights of Fr. Krzywda's pastorate of 34 years (the longest yet in parish history) include: the establishment of the Sacred Heart Society (1913); the building of St. Adalbert Church, Bondsville (1916); the celebration of the parish Silver Jubilee (1927); the priestly ordinations of native sons (1922; 1935; 1944); the purchase of land for the parish cemetery in Bondsville (1946).

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Fr. Krzywda's greatest accomplishment was the creation of our parochial grammar school, Sts. Peter & Paul School whose building was completed in 1921. He also purchased a home for the Sisters' Convent across the street from the school and secured the services of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph (Hamburg, N.Y.) to staff the school. Classes began in Sept. 1921 and the first 8th grade graduations took place in June 1923. For 52 years, children of the parish received a solid Catholic education in grades 1-8.

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After laboring faithfully in the Lord's vineyard, Fr. Krzywda died on Dec. 18, 1947 at age 67.

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