Sunday, October 19, 2025, was a day filled with joy and heartfelt gratitude to God and to all who have been part of the seventy-year journey of St. Mary Our Lady Queen of Poland Parish in Thunder Bay. The parishioners, friends and guests gathered to celebrate our faith and unity and to give thanks for all those — priests and parishioners — who have built and sustained this spiritual and polish home for seven decades. By a beautiful gift of God’s providence, the Platinum Jubilee of St. Mary’s Parish took place during the Year of Hope - Jubilee Year 2025. United with the Universal Church, as Pilgrims of Hope, we celebrated with deep awareness that we, too, are Pilgrims of Hope, walking together in faith.

The celebration began with a solemn Mass, presided over by the Most Reverend Alan E. Campeau, Bishop of Thunder Bay. The concelebrants were the Very Reverend Jacek Nosowicz, OMI, Provincial of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, and the pastor, Father Piotr Dudek, OMI. As the joyful hymn "Czarna Madonna" filled the church and candles flickered before the image of Our Lady, Queen of Poland, the spirit of the community was palpable. We were filled with gratitude for the countless blessings God has bestowed upon this parish through the loving intercession of Mary. In his homily, Bishop Campeau emphasized the vital role and power of prayer in the life of the parish. He explained that prayer opens our hearts and inspires us to remain a welcoming and grateful community, one that strives to bring Christ's light and hope to everyone.

The story of St. Mary’s Parish began in 1955, when Bishop Edward Q. Jennings — the first Bishop of Thunder Bay — recognized the growing Polish community in the city. He invited the Missionaries of La Salette to help establish a new parish. At that time, about 827 Polish-speaking Catholics — roughly 216 families — called Thunder Bay home. Their faith, determination, and love for their heritage shaped the heart of the parish. Bishop Jennings, in a remarkable act of trust and commitment, declared that Our Lady Queen of Poland Parish would always be entrusted to priests of Polish origin and language — a promise that continues to this day. Over the years, the parish has been guided by our beloved shepherds: the Polish-speaking La Salette Fathers for 37 years, the Franciscan Fathers for 13 years, Diocesan priests for 15 years, and since 2021, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, who now carry on the legacy of pastoral care and missionary spirit.

Following the Mass, the celebration continued at the Polish Hall transformed into a place of laughter, music, good food and heartfelt reunion. The afternoon sparkled with warmth and fellowship as generations came together — from the pioneers who helped build the parish to the youngest members of our community who will carry it forward. Between the music and joyful conversations, one could feel the heartbeat of a parish deeply alive — a family celebrating not only seventy years of history but also seventy years of faith shared, friendships formed, and lives changed. As the day drew to a close, one message shone clearly: God’s grace has always guided this parish — and always will. St. Mary’s continues to be a place where faith and culture meet, where generations gather, and where hope is renewed. With grateful hearts, we move forward, inspired by the past and strengthened by the promise of the future. Together, we remain what we have always been — a faithful, and welcoming community of Pilgrims of Hope.

(Fr. Piotr Dudek OMI - Pastor/ photos: Claudia Ochnicki )