06/09/2026
A Word From PAC President James L. Ławicki II:
I was recently asked if St. Stanislaus Church is more Polish or more important than other area Churches. Here is my response.
In sum, St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Church is unique among Buffalo's Polish churches because it is not simply another ethnic parish—it is the Mother Church of Polonia in Western New York.
Founded in 1873 as Buffalo's first Polish parish, St. Stanislaus serves as the spiritual, cultural, and social center from which much of Polish-American life in the region has developed.
Unlike other Polish churches established later to serve growing neighborhoods, St. Stanislaus was the pioneering institution that welcomed the earliest waves of Polish immigrants, helped them establish roots in America, and became the birthplace of numerous Polish organizations, schools, societies, and community initiatives. Its history is intertwined with the leadership of figures such as Rev. Jan Pitass, one of the most influential Polish-American clergy in the nation.
Architecturally, St. Stanislaus stands as one of the most significant and recognizable examples of Polish sacred architecture in the United States.
Its prominence, historical significance, and enduring role in preserving Polish faith, language, culture, and traditions distinguish it from other area parishes.
For these reasons, St. Stanislaus is not merely one of Buffalo's Polish churches—it is the historic foundation upon which Buffalo's Polish-American community was built.
Without it, the other churches in the community would not have come to exist. So it is different and stands as the most important Polish place in all of Western New York.
