The Polish-American mission of brothers priest Wincenty and Jan Barzynski

Abstract

The paper’s objective is to draw the reader's attention to the achievements of individuals who lived during one of the largest waves of migration from the Polish lands to America. The example of the activities of Rev. Wincenty Barzyński and his brother Jan illustrates the phenomenon of their involvement in helping thousands of compatriots to adjust to the conditions of the New World. They both raised a lot of money, occasionally and on schedule. Jan Barzyński became a wealthy man, while Rev. Wincenty Barzyński, one of the pillars of the Order of Resurrectionists, having at his disposal considerable amounts of money, with time  also had more and more organizational possibilities, including the establishment and management of parishes and schools (also schools of higher education). The Barzyński brothers’ mission was of inestimable value. It laid the foundation for the unification of the Polish community, building the Polish Roman Catholic Union, a thriving self-assistance organization.  At the same time, their activities initiated the remarkable story of the Polish press in America and introduced special values into the joint history of Americans and Poles. They also played a major role in the establishment of many Polish Catholic parishes in the US territories. The money they earned as a result of their activities served to build new organizational and social structures of the Polish-American diaspora.