Saint Mary's Polish Church

The first step by the Polish immigrants in Sydney in organizing their own, ethnically oriented, place of worship was the formation of St. Michael's Benefit Society in 1909.  The Society provided insurance for members who might be injured at the Sydney Steel Plant and strived to provide the polish community with a social and religious base. In 1911, the Diocese of Antigonish responded to a request by the Polish community of Sydney by providing a Polish Priest, Reverend Antoni Plucinski. Two years later, the Polish community acquired four lots of land on which they planned to build a church and glebe house. Work proceeded quickly and by September of 1913 the church basement was completed and consecrated by Bishop Morrison of Antigonish.

While the Parish celebrated Mass in the basement of the church for about four years, the congregation raised money for the completion of the church. The church was completed in 1918, largely through the dedication, volunteer labour and generous donations of the Polish community.

The role of the church as the focus of the polish community in Sydney has been underlined by the use of the church hall in the basement for meetings of various organizations and the use of the large yard for social events. The use of the Polish liturgy has also been an important factor in the recognition of this church as the center of an ethnic community.

St. Mary's Polish Church is the only Church currently serving a Polish community in Canada east of Montreal.