The Polish Roman Catholic Union of America was founded in the 1873 in the City of Detroit, Michigan, under the leadership of Rev. Father Theodore Gieryk at St. Albertus Parish. In Order to create a closer bond between the Poles, who immigrated to the United States. Father Gieryk, with assistance of Vincent Barzynski formed the stage that was to become the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America, one of the largest Catholic Polish fraternal organization in the country.

The Polish emigrants, strangers in this great country and possessing little or no knowledge of the English language, joined this infant organization in large numbers.

The objectives of the PRCUA, whose patron is the Sacred Heart of Jesus, are to maintain a close bond with the Roman Catholic Church and perform religious duties; to support the spirit of unity and mutual assistance of the PRCUA members; to support parishes, parochial schools and higher Polish educational institutions; to organize our youth into clubs in order to preserve the Polish language, the religious spirit and traditions of our fathers; to aid financially our Polish Catholic charitable institutions; further to cooperate with Polish organizations in patriotic, educational and religious matters; to strengthen our loyalty to America and the encourage members to support community programs and  perform their duties as American citizens.

It was with this in mind that St. Stanislaus Kostka PRCUA Society #718 was founded at St. Hedwig Parish in 1913. (Now known as St. Stan’s #718 PRCUA.) A courageous group of 25 members were granted a charter on June 17, 1913. Our charter  members included Emil Bochenek, Henryk Czajka, Ludwik Czarnecki, Marcin Czyrek, Franciszek Pas, Ignacy Dziedzic, Jan Pieszar, Piotr Galda, Jozef Jarzabek, Stanislaw Kielb, Adolf Kubek, Franciszek Kurdziel, Jozef Przebieda, Josef Sieradzki, Franciszek Walas, Ludwig Wiktor, Piotr Zywica, Antoni Chudzik, Jan Kielb, Jozef Mac, Franciszek Pawlak, August Ploch, Wojciech Poczatek, Stanislaw Przebieda and Stanislaw Sieradzki. These Charter members  made it possible for us to exist today.

With growing pains the society struggled to exist during the first four years after which WW I halted any further expansion the war took its toll of members.  Shortly after the war, however St. Stan’s #718 began to flourish once more, taking interest in local and national affairs of the organization. In the next few years, the society began to expand only to have its programs once again interrupted by another great war WW II.  It wasn’t until the late 1940’s that St. Stan’s #718 began to enlarge. In order to attract the youth, a special athletic committee was created in 1951 and a juvenile division in 1955.  It was a Detroit, sponsored by St. Stan’s # 718 that the first National PRCUA Bowling Tournament was initiated. St. Stan’s # 718 also played host to all three major national tournaments in Detroit including bowling, softball and basketball. A popular one game knockout-bowling tournament was held in March also an annual Golf tournament was hosted in September.

It hasn’t been all athletics, however, St. Stan’s #718 had its spiritual side as well; an Easter Corporate Communion Mass during the Lenten Season was attended by the members in body followed by a tasty traditional Polish dinner.

Cardinal Szoka once said, “ In the early years, the PRCUA helped the immigrants flooding America’s shores to keep alive the culture they brought with them and to strengthen their faith.  The PRCUA served an essential purpose for our forefathers and parents.  To understand our culture and to know our identity, we must also understand and know our faith. You cannot understand one without the other.”

 Bob Bielenda 073103 /Narod Polski Novenmber 24, 1988