Parafia św.św. Piotra i Pawła w Spring Valley i jej duszpasterze w latach 1891-1920 na łamach „Dziennika Chicagoskiego”
Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Spring Valley and Its Clergy as Presented by the Daily “Dziennik Chicagoski”, 1891-1920

Summary/Abstract: Saint Apostles Peter and Paul Parish in Spring Valley, IL, was founded on September 30, 1891, and the newly built wooden church was dedicated on August 14, 1892. At first, nearly 200 Polish and Lithuanian families belonged to this parish. After a few years, however, the Lithuanians built their own church. In 1901, Poles constructed a school for children and a rectory for the parish priest. The first temple was completely estroyed by fire on December 17, 1906. Nevertheless, rectory and school survived. Throughout the year, services were held in a private building. The construction of a new brick church began in 1908. The founding priest, Fr. Hieronim W. Błażyński, suffering from illness, died the same year. As of March 13, 1909, the construction was led by Fr. Józef Cieśla. Shortly after, he was able to complete the construction and equip the church with altars, decorate it with stained glass windows and fill it with pews for five hundred people. The dedication of the new church took place on June 29, 1909. The parish had a school, where almost 200 children were taught by the Franciscan Sisters. The church was consecrated on May 31, 1920.Back then, the following priests served in the parish: Sikorski, Wałajtys, Łopatta, Tonello, Mączyński, Balcewicz. The first parish priest, since 1894, was Fr. Julian Papoń. Later on, in 1897, he was replaced by Fr. Michał Peża. Pastors who succeeded him were: Fr. Antoni Drewnicki, since 1900; Fr. Marcin Piechota, since 1903; Fr. Hieronim W. Błażyński, since 1908; and Fr. Józef Cieśla, since 1909.

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