Chronological order

October 31, 1988 – a historical event took place in the life and development of St. Maximilian Kolbe parish in Mississauga. A parish that itself was still taking its first steps has borne its spiritual daughter. It took a step to develop a filial relationship with the neighbouring town of Brampton. Until that time Masses in Polish were celebrated once a month at St. Ann’s church. After this date, the faithful would gather once a week in a rented protestant church, Grace United Church, at 156 Main St. N., at 12:30 pm. None of this would actually take place if it was not for the efforts and a big heart of Father Stanisław Bąk OMI, who as the first pastor of St. Maximillian Kolbe, strove to reach out and minister to many of his countrymen and women who settled in this neighbourhood.

First three parish groups were established, namely the lectors, altar servers and Renew group. In the spring of 1989 a children’s choir “Gloria” was established, led by Zdzisław Wieliczko. Children would usually perform on Church feast days.

April 18, 1993 – Beatification of Sr. Faustyna Kowalska. On the occasion of this event, at 12:30 Eucharistic celebration a Divine Mercy painting was blessed by Fr. Teofil Szendzielarz OMI. From this time on this painting was present with the community for every Eucharist and devotion that was celebrated by Polish immigrants at the Grace United Church. It was painted by Ms. Ewa Irena Pluta-Smith, and given to the community by her parents – Czesław and Genewefa Pluta.

April 25, 1993 – Farewell of Fr. Stanislaw Bąk OMI took place. We also welcomed our new pastor, Fr. Tadeusz Nowak OMI. In the fall the same year, Fr. Stanisław Kowal OMI has organized a youth group in Brampton.

October 4, 1993 – A letter arrived from Fr. Stanisław Bąk OMI. Written in Rome, it assured us of his prayers in the intention of a new parish being established in Brampton.

November 3, 1993 – Fr. Tadeusz Nowak OMI, pastor of St. Maximillian Kolbe church in Mississauga established a Church Committee for Brampton. During this time, weekly gatherings “przy pączku” (at the donut) were organized following the Holy Eucharist in the hall under the Grace United church.

November 7, 1993 – The fifth anniversary of the Sunday Mass in Polish in Brampton. On this occasion a solemn Mass was celebrated. Afterwards all were invited to a concert of Ms. Teresa Klimuszko and duet “Kinga and Ola,” choir “Gloria” and piano duo of Marcin and Adam Osinski.

December 5, 1993 – Polish Society in Brampton and Church Committee have prepared a meeting with the Saint Nicholas for all Polish children in Brampton. It took place in the hall under the Grace United church.

December 14, 1993 – The first meeting of the Church Committee took place. At the helm of it stood Rafał Urbańczk, with Maria Gronau as a secretary. Mr. Andrzej Rzeszkowski volunteered to publish and distribute protocols prepared by the secretary. From among those present at this meeting, Fr. Tadeusz called a revisory committee consisting of: Łucja Jurys, Henryk Żukowski, Czesław Pluta and Piotr Klimek.

January 29, 1994 – Church Committee has organized a carnival dance party.

March 8, 1994 – A meeting of Church Committee representatives with Fr. Provincial Christopher Pulchny OMI, took place at the request of the Committee. Its goal was the desire of the Brampton community to be granted a designation of “Mission” of St. Maximiliar Kolbe church in Mississauga. Present at this meeting were Fr. Tadeusz Nowak OMI, deacon Piotr Klimek, Czesław Pluta, Rafał Urbańczyk, and Maria Gronau. Fr. Provincial has accepted their proposal and promised to present it to his Grace, Fr. Archbishop. Later on that month an account for Church Committee was established at the Credit Union. It was entitled – “Brampton Social Committee”.

April 22, 1994 – Youth group from Brampton, under the leadership of Fr. Stanisław Kowal OMI, has organized its first disco dance.

November 14, 1994 – First Roses of the Rosary Society are established in Brampton. At this point they still belong to the Rosary Society at St. Maximilian Kolbe parish.

December 4, 1994 – Meeting with Saint Nicholas for children, prepared by Church Committee in Brampton. On Epiphany Sunday, following the Holy Eucharist, “Jasełka” play was presented by Polish Theatre Society of Brampton.

April 16, 1995 – Easter Sunday – for the first time ever in Brampton Resurrection Mass was celebrated at 7:00 a.m. April 23, 1995 – Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday). Following a solemn Mass, a meeting was conveyed in the hall under the church, during which results of a poetic contest were announced for youth and adults. Our youngsters were competing in a drawing contest. The theme for both contests was the “Divine Mercy.” The community as a whole received as a gift prayer cards “Jesus I Trust In You,” with a special Papal blessing.

May 19, 1995 – The solemnity of Corpus Christi. For the first time in history of Polish community in Brampton, the faithful had the chance to participate in Corpus Christi procession to four outdoor altars, built by the faithful around the Grace United church.

October 15, 1995 – First ever issue of parish bulletin was published, prepared by Maria Gronau and Andrzej Rychlik. This edition of the bulletin was published three times.

November 1, 1995 – Funeral Mass was celebrated for Fr. Stanisław Bąk OMI, the first pastor of St. Maximilian Kolbe church in Mississauga and initiator of Polish-language Eucharistic celebrations in Brampton.

December 10, 1995 – Meeting with Saint Nicholas for children, prepared by Church Committee in Brampton.

December 24, 1995 – First ever celebration of Midnight Mass in Polish, at 00:30 in Brampton.

March 24, 1996 – First historical visitation of our Polish community in Brampton, by his Excellence Bishop Terrence Prendergast. His signature remains with us in our chronicle – album.

June 20, 1996 – Fr. Tadeusz Nowak OMI becomes Provincial for Assumption Province. St. Maximilian Kolbe parish welcomes its new pastor, Fr. Adam Filas OMI.

December 29, 1996 – Reception of two new candidates to serve at Lord’s Altar. Now our altar servers number nine boys.

January 17, 1996 – Brampton community has received of a chasuble and a stole, chalice and a paten, a gift from Macaluzo family from USA.

November 21, 1997 – A group of girls and boys, formed under the watchful eye of Fr. Janusz Jajeśniak OMI, has received altar server crosses from Fr. Adam Filas OMI, a sign of being inducted into the ranks of youngsters serving at the altar. This ceremony took place at a 12:30 pm. solemn Mass.

May 21, 1998 – A very uplifting and solemn event took place, as the cornerstone for our church was blessed in Rome by His Holiness John Paul II, at a private audience. The stone comes from the very grave of St. Peter. During the ceremony, His Holiness spoke these poignant words “make the building of this church the millennial project of Polonia in Canada.”

July 31, 1998 – A decree of Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic established Polish mission of St. Eugene de Mazenod in Brampton.

August 16, 1998 – During the solemn Mass at Martyrs’ Shrine in Midland, the Brampton community was officially proclaimed a mission of the Roman Catholic diocese in Toronto.

September 8, 1998 – Brampton community received from Fr. Adam Filas OMI, a painting of smiling Mary, Our Lady of Ludźmierz, who is venerated today as Our Lady of Good Counsel.

September 20, 1998 – Fr. Adam has moved the location for the Sunday Mass from Grace United Church to Catholic secondary school of St. Augustine at 27 Drinkwater Rd. in Brampton. Until this time, there were two Masses celebrated on Sunday, one in English, at 8:30 am and one in Polish at 10:00 am. Due to ever increasing number of the faithful, additional Masses were established at 11:30 am and 1:00 pm. All Sunday Masses were now celebrated at the school. Groups of the faithful were organized to set up the hall before the celebrations and to clean up following the Masses.

December 27, 1998 – Sunday bulletin at St. Maximilian Kolbe featured a sketch of a plan for the future church building and surrounding structure of a Polish centre, a votum of thanksgiving to Our Lady for Jesus and the two millennia of Christianity. In the spring of 1999, groups of volunteers were drafted to canvass homes of fellow Poles for funds necessary to build our new church.

May 3, 1999 – Feast of Our Lady Queen of Poland. Fr. Adam led a solemn Mass at St. Maximilian Koble which officially kicked off the building fund for the construction of the church of St. Eugene de Mazenod. The parishioners of the Mission of St. Eugene took an active part in the canvassing effort and as part of the Building Fund Committee.

June 6, 1999 – The solemnity of Corpus Christi.  The faithful had the chance to participate in Corpus Christi procession to four outdoor altars erected around the school building. A banner depicting the painting of the Divine Mercy “Jesus I Trust In You”, the first of its kind for the mission, was carried in the procession.

November 7, 1999 – Fr. Adam Filas OMI officially becomes an administrator for St. Eugene mission in Brampton.

December 24, 1999 – Two Midnight Masses are celebrated: one at 10:00 pm for youth and children, and one at midnight, made festive by the participation of the Polish highlanders.

December 31, 1999 – Following the celebration of a Eucharist at 7:00 pm, the parish began a Family New Year’s Bash. At 11:30 pm, a Mass was celebrated in thanksgiving for the year gone and in supplication for the necessary graces in the year that was beginning.

March 4, 2000 – A carnival bash took place organized by the Banquet Committee.

April 9, 2000 – A huge Easter bazaar was held.

April 15, 2000 – Introduction of a devotion to Our Lady of Ludźmierz, Mother of Good Counsel, to be held on each Saturday prior to the celebration of the Holy Eucharist at 7:00 pm.

April 20-22, 2000 – For the first time in the history of St. Eugene mission the liturgy of the Holy Triduum was celebrated. An integral and solemn part of it was the vigil at the Lord’s Tomb, begun following the Eucharist of the Lord’s Supper and concluding at the vigil of the Easter Sunday (celebrated on the Holy Saturday).

May 12, 2000 – Novena to St. Eugene and few days of reflection prior to St. Eugene’s feast day.

May 21, 2000 – First historical feast day of St. Eugene’s Mission took place in honour of St. Eugene. Presiding over the Eucharist was Fr. Provincial Christopher Pulchny OMI, while the homily was delivered by Fr. Janusz Błażejak, OMI, the superior of the Toronto district.

June 7, 2000 – Approval for the initial project of the church was obtained from the Oblate Building Committee and Building Committee for the Archdiocese of Toronto.

June 17, 2000 – Mr. Wojciech Nowak was ordained a deacon at the hands of Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic. He was then assigned by the Archdiocese to minister in our parish community.

June 17, 2000 – A banquet was held to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Priestly Ordination of Fr. Adam Filas OMI, the pastor of the St. Eugene mission.

June 18, 2000 – Induction of a group of girls and boys into the ministry of altar servers. On the same day, Rev. Mr. Wojciech Nowak was officially welcomed in our mission.

August 2, 2000 – A meeting between Fr. Adam Filas OMI and the Mother Superior General of Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Christ the King for Polish Immigrants Teresa Ambroża in Poznań. Mother Superior agreed to send two sisters to work in the newly formed parish of St. Eugene de Mazenod in Brampton. The two lucky sisters to be chosen were: Sr. Ewa Biniek, MChr, and Sr. Ewa Sośnicka, MChr.

August 29, 2000 – First ever wedding took place at St. Eugene’s mission. The lucky pair were Arkadiusz i Katarzyna Jędrzejczak.

September 10, 2000 – First ever Marian feast took place on the occasion of the commemoration of the Birthday of Mary Immaculate. With a feeling of profound gratitude to God for the gift of Mary, before thousands of worshippers gathered around the field altar, the figure of Our Lady of Ludźmierz was erected. The Holy Father John Paul II blessed in June 1997, praying that it may be “for the benefit of all Polish immigrants in Canada”. Holy Father has also blessed golden crowns for Our Lady of Ludźmierz, which in the year 2002 the Primate of Poland, Cardinal Józef Glemp has placed upon the head of Mary and Infant Jesus. The figure which stands in our chapel is a faithful copy of the one that stands in the Shrine of Our Lady of Mother of Good Counsel in Ludźmierz. On this day, at a solemn high Mass, Fr. Adam Filas OMI has placed upon the head of Our Lady of Ludźmierz substitute crowns. Before the final blessing, Fr. Adam has also blessed a small statue of Our Lady, which then began the pilgrimage to the homes of the families in our mission. This visitation lasted until the visit to Canada of our beloved Holy Father, John Paul II on the occasion of the World Youth Day.
This same day, St. Eugene’s community has welcomed Sr. Ewa Bieniek M.Chr. from the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Christ the King for Polish Immigrants, who was beginning her ministry in Brampton.
On the same occasion, the 9th Rose was inducted to the Rosary Society. Her patroness is Our Lady of Ludźmierz.

October 5, 2000 – Mr. Stanisław Jasiński bought a house at 748 Steeles Ave. W. to house a temporary convent for Missionary Sisters of Christ the King for Polish Immigrants, who form an integral part of the pastoral team at St. Eugene’s mission.

November 18, 2000 – A festive “Gala” banquet took place, marking the official beginning of widespread action of collecting funds for the construction of the new church in Brampton. The banquet was a resounding success, bringing over $30 thousand dollars. Among those present were representatives of the Church, government officials, Polish businesses and scores of Polish men and women who wholeheartedly support this millennial project.

December 1, 2000 – Archdiocese purchased a house on 1206 Steeles Ave. West. It serves as a rectory, parish office and a chapel.

January 21, 2001 – We took a huge step forward. In the parish bulletin it was noted that we have over $1 million dollars in our account toward the construction of the new church building.

January 31, 2001 – Another huge step forward – conclusion of the transaction necessary to purchase the land for the church building:
– 6 acres for the actual church building, purchased by the Archdiocese
– 3 acres for the Polish Cultural Centre, purchased by our Credit Union
– 3 acres for our Senior’s Home, purchased by Mr. Stanisław Jasiński