Ignatius GAPCZYNSKI

14 JUL 1882 - 20 JUL 1964

• BIRTH: 14 JUL 1882, Smogolec, Poland
• DEATH: 20 JUL 1964, South Bend, IN

INDEX

[N3714] Very Rev Msgr Ignatius J Gapczynski
Pastor of St Adalbert's Catholic Church and a priest for more than 50 years; died Monday 20 Jul 1964 in St Joseph's Hospital where he had been hospitalized for the last 2 months. He was 82. Msgr Gapczynski who came to So Bend from Poland with his parents when he was 9, had been the pastor of St Adalbert's Church for the last 18 years. He came here from Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, LaPorte where he had served for almost 20 years. He came to LaPOrte on 18 Feb 1920 but left 21 Jul 1926 to assume charge of St Mary's Church in East Hammond, returning 26 Jun 1931. Born in Smogolec Poland, on 14 Jul 1882, he completed his studies at St Hedwige's School here before entering the Polish Seminary in Orchard Lake. He was ordained to the priesthood on 21 Jun 1912 in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne, celebragting his first solemn mass 30 Jun 1912 in St Casimir's Church, So Bend. His first assignment was as assistant of St Casimir's Church in Hammond later serving at St John's Church in that capacity for six yers. On 1 May 1918 he became pastor of Sacred Hert Church, Tolleston IN. His next assignment was at Sacred Heart Church, LaPorte. He was invested with the purple robes of monsignor with the title of papal chamberlain on 6 Nov 1950. On 24 Jun 1962 he was honored at a special golden jubilee banquet at St Adalbert's Church, where his golden anniversary of priesthood and 80th birthday were commemorated. More than 600 persons attended the even. Earlier that month in 1962 Msgr Gapczynski saw the round broken west of St Adalbert' s parish hall a $300,000 convent for the Felician Sisters, teachers in the parish school. A power house had been built on the parish grounds during the spring of 1957. During his stay as pastor in variousparishes, he not only decreased parish debts, but also brought about the building and remodeling of several structures. Surviving are three sisters, Sister M Renata of Mercy Hospital, Altoona PA and Sister Emily of St VAlentine Parish, Cicero Ill, both of the Holy Family of Nazareth
Order & Ms Lottie Gapczynski of SBd; a brothers Stanley of SBd & a cousin, Ms Lucy Plewa, present housekeeper at St Adalbert's. Another brother, John Gapczynski, manager of the Northern IN Whole sale Grocers, died Oct 26, 1956.