Saint Casimir Church () is a Catholic parish church in Cleveland, Ohio, and part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. It is designated "a personal parish for those Catholics of the Latin Rite of Polish descent" in Cleveland. A personal parish is designated under Canon 518 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law. It is located at the north-east corner of intersection of East 82nd St. and Sowiniski Ave., in a part of the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood previously known in Polish as .
Both the church building and the school building are GNIS named features. The church building is listed as a Cleveland Designated Landmark.
History
To provide properly for the large and steadily increasing number of Poles in the north-eastern part of Cleveland it was necessary to organize them into the third Polish congregation within the limits of the city. They lived too far away from St. Stanislaus Church, with which they had been affiliated, for them to conveniently either attend Mass or for their children to attend the parish school. They therefore petitioned Bishop Richard Gilmour for permission to form a new parish and build a church for their own use. In December 1891, Monsignor Felix Boff, V.G., administrator of the diocese, granted the required permission. Those parishioners left to form St. Casimir Church in 1891.
Founding
The parish was founded in 1891—about 44 years after the Diocese of Cleveland was erected by Pope Pius IX.
Nineteenth century
In December, 1891, Boff appointed Father Benedict Rosinski, pastor of St. Adalbert's, Berea, Ohio, to take charge of the mission.
On January 7, 1892-01-07, Mr. Joseph Hoffman, a Catholic, and a large property owner in that part of Cleveland, donated for church purposes a parcel of land, by , bounded by Pulaski St., Kossuth (East 82nd St.), and Sowinski St. At the intersection of Pulaski St. and East 82nd St., the foundation for a combination brick church and school was begun in April, 1892, and on May 15, Boff was delegated by Bishop Ignatius Frederick Horstmann to lay the cornerstone. The ceremony was attended by a large multitude, who braved the very inclement weather on that day. Boff preached the English language sermon and Rosinski addressed the congregation in the Polish language.
Cerveny labored faithfully, even in the face of financial difficulties and a somewhat unruly element. At his request he was transferred to St. Ladislas' Church, Cleveland, and was succeeded on September 16, 1894, by Father Sigmund Wozny, who had just then come to the diocese. During 1895 Wozny had the church property enclosed by a fence, and replaced the chairs with pews, besides making other necessary improvements. Like his immediate predecessor, he found an unruly element to deal with, which, with the comparatively large parish debt, about $17,000, discouraged him, and hence he asked to be relieved from his unpleasant pastoral charge. His wish was granted, and he left the diocese in February, 1896 and was at once succeeded by Father Francis X. Fremel, who set courageously to work to put men and things to rights. He too met with opposition at the start, but with prudence and firmness he soon succeeded in surmounting the difficulties that beset him. Under his direction, seconded by the generosity of the people, the interior of the church was ornamented quite neatly, and all the requisites for divine service procured. At the same time he did not lose sight of the funded debt, but strained every nerve to have it reduced.
Because of ill health (tuberculosis of the throat). Fremel was obliged to resign his pastorate and move to California. He left in April, 1899, after a faithful service of a little over three years. On May 10, 1899, he was succeeded by Father Casimir Lazinski, who at once made many necessary improvements in and around the church property, at an outlay of about $2,000.
Owing to lack of a sewer the basement of St. Casimir's Church became filled with surface water, which remained stagnant. The Board of Health, in 1896, ordered the school closed and checked for sickness among the children. The school remained closed for two years, until the sewer was built by the city.
Twentieth century
As of 1903, the school was operated by three Felician Sisters, of Detroit, and had an attendance of over 200 children.
On July 5, 1973, Father Leon Telesz was appointed pastor.
The school closed in 1976.
Twenty-first century
Vibrant Parish Life
Pope John Paul II's 1999 states that, the institution of the parish, while it retains its importance, is facing difficulties, especially in large urban areas, in fulfilling its mission and needs constant renewal to be effective.