Huntsville was still a cotton-market town of 16,437 people in 1950 when U.S. Senator John Sparkman brought a band of German rocket scientists to Redstone Arsenal to develop rockets for the U.S. Army. By the end of the decade, Wernher von Braun’s team had developed the rocket that orbited America’s first satellite. They eventually put the first American in space and transported the first astronauts to the Moon.  Redstone Arsenal progressed to become one of the U.S. Army’s most important strategic posts.

With the influx of German scientists in the ’50s, scientists and engineers came from other countries as well, including Poland. The Polish-American Culture Club, founded over 50 years ago, meets twice month from October through May to share anything and everything Polish, including language lessons, food, drink, song, politics, economics, history, culture, and religion. Many members return to Poland during the June through September time-frame either for vacation or to visit family.

The club currently has about 50 active members, another 50 or so part-time members, and a dozen or so instructors, all volunteers. Most instructors are from Poland and are professional members of the local community. The group is comprised of people representing several generations of Polish and other Slavic immigrants and descendants interested in preserving heritage, customs, and traditions.

The club celebrates several Polish customs throughout the year such as Święconka (Blessing of Easter Baskets), Wigilia (Christmas Eve Vigil Supper), Tłusty Czwartek (Fat Thursday, also known as Pączki Day), and Śledziówka (Shrove Tuesday or Herring Day when herring are eaten instead of paczki, a Polish donut with a sweet).

Although COVID has altered schedules, the club generally meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month starting in October and continuing through May. At the group’s most recent gathering on Wednesday, Sept. 29, Bishop Steven Raica visited Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Huntsville to celebrate the 5:30 p.m. Mass for the club. Father Justin Ward, Vicar for Sacred Liturgy, concelebrated. Following Mass, the group treated the bishop to a lovely meal of various dishes cooked by members.

An open invitation is extended to all visiting North Alabama on a Wednesday evening to stop by Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Southeast Huntsville from 7-9 p.m. You will be bid a Serdecznie Witamy! To learn more, visit the club's Facebook page, Poloniahsv.

Click here for Bishop Raica's homily.