My name is Bobby J. Sulecki and I would like to introduce you to my new blog, “Heart of Polonia.” “Serce Polonii.” I borrowed the name from the Dziennik Dla Wszystkich - Polish Everybody’s Daily, a newspaper published in Buffalo from 1911 to 1957.
This introduction will be the longest piece in my blog, as I plan to publish all my posts in installments.
For those of you who do not know me, I am from Erie, Pennsylvania. I was born with Cerebral Palsy and use a walker and a wheelchair. Since I am not able to do many normal physical things, I spend much of my time doing research which is very therapeutic for me. I am a freelance writer, dedicated to preserving history, especially Polish American History.
Having Cerebral Palsy and not being able to do every day normal things that an average person does, has given me another focus in life. I have been researching Polish Americans, where they grew up, their families, neighborhoods and churches since I was in grade school. I feel that this is my calling to tell their stories.
FAMILY BACKGROUND
I am Polish on both sides of my family.
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My great-grandmother Józefa Mielnik, my first connection. |
I have asked questions for as long as I can remember, especially of my grandparents. I describe myself as an “old soul.” I feel myself identifying with people’s stories especially those of the immigrants who became our Polish Americans. I can never get enough of researching about them. When I see a name on a grave or in an old article, or old yearbook, I have to look them up and see who they were. That does not mean to say I do Genealogy necessarily, I have a hard enough time doing my own family’s history, but I find their lives so interesting.
When I visit an old Polish Cemetery, I feel like I am home. It may be a strange thing to say, but that is what it is. If I see a baby or a young child’s grave, I can picture their parents in that spot grieving for them, and I need to find their story. It is very moving to me.
I can relate to the old Polish Churches, with their devotions, customs, and hymns. Going to Church had more meaning back then. I did not grow up with all these things, but I feel like I did. I cannot explain it. These special Church customs were mostly gone at least in Erie and at my church of St. Hedwig when I was growing up. We at least had one Polish hymn at Mass, but no Polish masses, no Gorzkie Żale, (Polish Lenten Lamentations.) However I used to listen to old cassette tapes of some of the Polish Masses my grandmother recorded up in the choir in the 1970s and 1980s, and that is how I learned.
I did not go to Gorzkie Żale, until later in life, at St. Casimir and St. Stanislaus. (We no longer have these devotions here either.) I was so moved that I felt I had been going all my life.
I have also been fascinated by the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC), and who they are. They broke off with the Roman Catholic church in the late 19th century because they wanted to control their own Parish, property, finances, and appoint their own Bishop and Priests. I know that often in the writing of Polish American history they are mostly ignored. I will be writing more about this in future blogs. I love both sides of that history, they both have stories.
I did not attend a Catholic Grade School or High School, but all the faith was instilled in me. I never had nuns, but I have come to know a few. Their stories will be later.
I created two websites in 2015 devoted to the history of Erie’s Polish American Community. https://www.eriepoloniahistory.com/ and https://www.sthedwighistoryerie.com/.
This blog will be about my research and collections I have made over the years regarding Buffalo New York’s great Polonia history, and many other Polish related things I have researched and found.
Why would someone from Erie, Pennsylvania be so interested in Buffalo’s Polonia, one may ask? If I told any native Buffalonian that to me Buffalo was the city of my dreams, I’m sure they would laugh! But it’s true!
It all started when, my family and I went to the Broadway Market and Ruda’s Records around 1998 and ended up passing by all the Polish Churches. There was a Polish Church on every other block. To me it was like being in Rome. In my opinion, Buffalo Churches and not just the Polish ones are more beautiful than the ones in Europe.
I found a Church that is now a Mosque, and that was the Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral PNCC.
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The former Mother of the Rosary PNC Cathedral as it looked at the time I first saw it. The Islamic symbol of the Crescent and Star replaced the crosses on top of the steeple. (Photo Copyright 2007 Karl R. Josker.) |
We visited St. Stanislaus Church and then we got lost and ended up seeing an abandoned church. It really bothered me. It drove me crazy, what was the history of that Parish?
I found out it was "Transfiguration Church," which was closed in 1993. (I will tell you the story in a future blog.)
The Abandoned Transfiguration Church Google Earth 2007
The best Polish American History Websites were from Buffalo, and I loved researching all of it starting when I first was hooked up to the internet. I also received two videos about Buffalo Polish Churches that were produced by the Permanent Chair of Polish Culture at Canisius College. I would watch them over and over about the architecture of the Polish Churches in Buffalo, and I was enthralled with it and how beautiful it was and how sad the end of Transfiguration Church was.
I was so moved that I wrote a poem about Transfiguration Church when I was in 8th Grade and sent it to Bishop Edward Grosz when he was Pastor of St. Stanislaus in Buffalo.
He wrote me back and was very impressed with the poem and my interest in these churches and Polish American history. (I will post this poem in a future blog.)
Another big influence on me came from the Fr. Justin Rosary Hour, which was broadcast from Buffalo for 90 years. The program started at Corpus Christi Church later moving to Athol Springs, NY. I owe so much to “The Rosary Hour”, and Fr. Justin Figas himself.
I heard old cassette tapes of Peter Garnowski’s “Polish Hour” a radio program in Erie. Part of the program included “The Father Justin Rosary Hour.”
When my grandfather told me that it was still broadcast on Sundays at 9:30 (here in Erie) I was overjoyed. I started listening. Sometimes after the show I would call my grandfather to ask what it was about. In fact, much of the Polish I know today comes from those days.
For many years, The Father Justin Rosary Hour was bringing up the cause of Fr. Justin for Sainthood. When my grandmother was in the hospital for gallbladder problems, we prayed to him. I still believe to this day that this helped her.
There was also a DVD documentary of Father Justin's life. When most kids my age were probably into things like Harry Potter, I was watching the Father Justin DVD.
Also, speaking of Buffalo, I do not get there as often as I would like, but I follow not only the Polish and Churches in Buffalo, but watch the TV stations from Buffalo for the news on YouTube, because I love broadcasting and journalism.
Then there is Polka Music and Polish Folk Music.
I grew up on it. My maternal grandparents had a great record collection, mostly consisting of Chicago’s own, Mały Władziu, Lil’ Wally.
It is not like this music was forced on me in any way. Some people may wonder if I was ever “forced” into all the Polish related things I do. No one ever told me I had to do all this, I wanted to. I gravitated towards it.
I hope you will indulge me of how my love of Polka music started.
The first several months of my early life was difficult because I was not comfortable and cried a lot, and no one knew what was really wrong with me. I was not diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy until I was over 15 months old. My mother put on Lil’ Wally Christmas music and I would bounce along in my little bouncer. She said it was the first time I was really happy. That was my first connection to the music!
Of course my grandparents Chester and Regina Loncki, were great fans of Lil’ Wally and would play his records all the time. My grandfather, who I also called “Paco” played accordion with a band in the 40’s and 50’s. He would play the “Polish Wedding March” for my mother’s cousins getting married as they left their house to walk to the church. He would also bring out his accordion and play for us when we were little, mostly at Christmas. My grandfather also had a suitcase full of Polish sheet music and music he had copied the notes for in a tablet. Now they are my treasures!
Oh, to have a Polish Great-Grandparent or Grandparents! I was lucky!
Also my treasures are the hundreds of Polka Albums I inherited from my grandparents and uncle, and many I have collected on my own since then.
My Uncle Gary Loncki had the “Polka Jamboree Show” on WERG Gannon College radio from 1975-1985. My mom was also on the show for a couple of years.
Grandma would tape a lot of his shows and kept them. When I was old enough to listen to them, I was hooked!
When my mother was pregnant with my sister Bethany there where many complications and she had many long stays in the hospital. Since my father had to work third shift, I stayed with my grandparents. To keep my mind off of things, because I loved polkas, Grandma would play for me cassette tapes of my uncle’s Polka Show. (She was ahead of her time in cassette taping. They called her the “Mad Taper!”) My uncle used to end his shows with Happy Louie singing the “Polish National Anthem” and “God Bless America.” She asked me if I wanted to learn it and I was only too happy to try. There we were on the glider on the porch with the tape player connected by a long extension cord coming from the house. She would play the songs and say, “Now it’s your turn.”
Another fond memory of my grandmother is when she was in the kitchen and Polkas were on, she would dance with her spatula in hand on the little kitchen rug.
When I was good, my mother would go upstairs in my grandparents house and choose a Polka album for me from the huge collection they had!
My parents also bought me “Radio DJ” for Christmas one year. It was a toy radio transmitter where I would do my own Polka Show on my made up WPOL radio station 1610. It would only carry through my neighborhood, but I was happy. I always dreamed of having my own show!
Another Polka memory is when I had to go to physical therapy for my Cerebral Palsy. I did not like it and was not motivated, until they let me bring my Polka tapes to listen to. Then they were able to work with me! Lol!
Just as I am an old Polish soul for the history of Polonia, I am also an old Polish Music Soul, including of course Polkas.
I mentioned my grandparents were huge fans of Lil’Wally. When he would come to Erie in the late 60’s and 70’s, he would sometime send them his hats and flyers and programs from where he lived in Miami Beach to set up at the dance. I don’t know if he also sent them his records to set up. Also, he sent a box of Florida oranges for all their help.
My grandparents, Regie and Chet Loncki with Lil' Wally.
Me and Lil' Wally July 2001 North Tonawanda, NY.
When I was 10 years old, I decided to write to Lil’ Wally and ask him if he remembered my grandparents. He was so surprised, of course he did, and wrote right back. I told him all about me and that I loved his music, etc. He gave my name to Gene Mikrut, a Chicago musician and columnist for The Polka News. Gene would send Polka tapes he made for me to listen to. He also gave me the address of Mr. Walt Solek who was in his 90’s at the time. I wrote to him and we corresponded for a few years. More to come in a future blog! What a blessing to have connected to these people!
The "Clown Prince of Polkas" Walt Solek.
I have such a love for the old artists, most of whom people do not even remember. I listened to an old album entitled “Joe Lazarz, Polka Hall of Fame.” His music was from the 40’s. My grandfather would tell me, “Now that’s music!” Joe had two young vocalists Henry and Julia Wegiel with him that I always wanted to know about. After much research, I was able to locate Julia now in her 90’s living in Massachusetts. I wrote to her and we corresponded and talked on the phone. She was amazed that someone would remember her! She shared many memories with me that I will give in detail in a future blog post!
I received a CD entitled “Polish Village Music” for my 13th birthday. This led me to do research of many artists from the 1920s and 1930s.
I have also been obsessed with Walter Dana and Dana Records since reading about his death in the Polish American Journal in 2000. My grandparents only had three Dana LP’S in their collection, so I started collecting them.
I have been collecting Polish American ephemera since I was in grade school (such as Photo Albums, Yearbooks, Scrapbooks, Autograph Books and items related to various Churches.)
A few years ago in August, I attended an Estate Sale in Cheektowaga. I had never gone to one before, but this one caught my attention. The Estate belonged to Karen Peck who was only 61 years old. The write-up explained that she worked in Broadcasting in Buffalo and Philadelphia and was Press Secretary of Congressman Robert Borski of Philadelphia. She moved back to Buffalo to care for her mother who had just passed not even a year ago, and then Karen had passed.
I did not realize that anything about her was Polish until I saw the pictures. There were Polish Prayer Books, and memorabilia from the Holy Mother of the Rosary Polish National Catholic Cathedral etc. There were sweet baby pictures of Karen and a scrapbook made for her by her Aunt.
I waited outside in my wheelchair, as I could not get into the house, but my mother and sister went inside. This visit changed my life. I was so moved by this woman who was so vibrant, successful in her career, so caring and loving to her mother. I was able to purchase that Scrapbook, photo albums, and religious items, but not all. After the sale, I wanted to know if I could still contact the family and purchase more of her things. Sadly, I was told that what did not sell was disposed of.
I needed to know more. During my research, I found that Karen was indeed Polish on both sides of her family, and that they belonged to The Polish National Catholic Church.
I have spent months trying to track down items that may have been sold at the sale, talking to her friends, relatives, and colleagues.
I felt passionate to tell her story and as one of her colleagues said of Karen, “She was passionate about storytelling, and passionate about getting good stories told.”
I will have the rest of the narrative in an upcoming series of blogs. I do not think Karen should be forgotten and her life untold. Needless to say, Karen has inspired me to write and tell other’s stories, so they are remembered. I am convinced that I was called to Cheektowaga because it affected me so. I believe Karen to be my guardian angel.
So stay tuned and please be patient with me, since I have Cerebral Palsy, everything takes me longer to get my stories together, etc.
Dziękuję! (Thank You!)
A special thank you to my wonderful mother, Mary Jo, for always encouraging me from day one and for telling me to keep going during the many times I wanted to give up. She is my secretary, photographer, photo-scanner, and all around assistant.
Thank you to my father, Bob, for his continued support and chauffeuring me around to Buffalo, Pittsburgh and other places and for putting up with me and my mom as we ran around the cemeteries looking for Polish connections.
Thank you to my sister who besides designing the logo for this blog, took me to Karen Peck’s estate sale in the first place and also to Chicopee, Mass. to see their Polish Museum, and many other places.
And thank you to my Polish family on all sides, the Loncki’s, Sulecki’s, Mielnik’s and Desser’s.
And as always our Lord and Blessed Mother.
Bóg zapłać! (God Bless You!)
In my Polish glory in the history room of St. Adalbert Basilica, Buffalo NY.
“Heart of Polonia” is dedicated in loving memory of Karen Ann Peck, 1957-2019.
© 2025 Robert J. Sulecki
Use of the text and images on this Blogspot, are to be shared with credit to the writer Bobby J. Sulecki.
To contact me with any questions or comments my email is:
suleckibobby@gmail.com
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