Twelve distinct parish societies were formed at various times in the history of St. Stanislaus Church. Today, only four of these societies are active. Nevertheless, all the societies that originated in the parish are listed here, since they contributed to the spirit of the parish at one time or another, whether their existence was brief or extended. Father Edward Jagodzinski, the present pastor, is the spiritual director of the parish societies today.

The Holy Rosary Society

The first religious society of St. Stanislaus Church was organized by Rev. Luke Pescinski in October, 1884. It was the Holy Rosary Society. No early records have survived giving the names of the first officers and initial membership. But in 1894, the parish annual report reveals that 120 members belonged to this society. Although it may have been composed of men and women from the very beginning, it was first in 1903 that mention is made of men and women membership in this society. The highest number of members, 165, belonged to this society in 1905. On June 27, 1950, it received its national charter. Today, the Holy Rosary Society counts 130 members. Its present officers are: Mrs. Roger Faken, president; Mrs. Felix Swiecichowski, vice-president; Mrs. Arnold Rozmiarek, secretary; Mrs. Anton Bogacz, treasurer.

OFFICERS OF THE HOLY ROSARY SOCIETY, 1958 (Seated, 1. to r.) Mrs. Arnold Rozmiarek, secretary; Mrs. Roger Faken, president; Mrs. Felix Swiecichowski, vice-president; Mrs. Anton Bogacz, treasurer; (Standing) Father Edward Jagodzinski, O.F.M., spiritual director.

The Third Order of St. Francis of Assisi

A fraternity of the Third Order of St. Francis was originally founded at St. Stanislaus Parish sometime between the years 1890 and 1892, during the pastorate of Father Jerome

Schneider. However, no more is heard of this group until Father Francis Manel reorganized it, and received a document for its canonical foundation on December 10, 1897. The reorganizational meeting was called on January 6, 1898, with eighteen members in attendance. Names of the first officers and members of this fraternity are unknown, since no records have been preserved to our time. The Third Order reached its highest peak in membership at Hofa Park in 1931, when forty-two tertiaries were listed. On April 16, 1933, another document of canonical erection was issued, since the first one perished. In March, 1955, an attempt was made to form an English branch of the Third Order fraternity at St. Stanislaus Parish, particularly to attract young parishioners to this Order for Lay Catholics. But this effort met with little success. The present number of tertiaries in the Polish branch is eight.

SENIOR  CHOIR,  1957-1958 (1st row, 1. to r.) Audrey Jach, Arlene Jarosinski, Carol Palubicki, Patricia Ho!ewinski, Mary Palubicki, Sandra Sawicki, Janet Bogacz. (2nd row) Marsha Majewski, Colleen Faken, Rose Baranczyk, Anne Holewinski, Sister M. Valmira, Rev. Edward Jagodzinski, O.F.M., Dorothy Zablocki, Rosemary Baranczyk, Marjorie Ratajczak, Grace Adamski.

St. Cecilia Society and Choir

On August 15, 1897, Father Francis founded the St. Cecilia Society, with an initial membership of twelve. The purpose of this group seemed to have been to provide a steady flow of talented and devout singers for the parish choir. No list of first officers was recorded by Father Francis.

Today, this society is simply known as St. Cecilia Choir. It is composed of the young ladies and women of the parish.

Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary

This society for the young ladies of the parish was variously named in the history of the parish. It was first organized on June 1, 1898, by Father Manel under the title of the "Society of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,' and numbered twenty-two members in its first year.

Father Elbert reorganized this group on December 9, 1904, and called it the "Immaculate Conception Society for Young Ladies." The next year it enjoyed its greatest member­ship in the history of the parish, reaching the total of sixty-three. It was Father Jeka who first called it the "Young Ladies Sodality" in 1906.

In 1927, Father Celestine Wisniow-ski petitioned for the affiliation 01 the sodality with the Prima Primariae of the Roman College, and received the document of canonical erection on February 22, 1927.

Today, the Sodality of the Im­maculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is composed of forty-one young ladies. The secondary patron is St. Therese, the Little Flower of Jesus. Officers during the diamond jubilee year are: Marcia Majewski, president; Mary Palubicki, vice- pres­ident; Rita Holewinski, secretary; and Joan Vanderloop, treasurer.

OFFICERS OF THE SODALITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, 1958 (Standing, 1. to r.) Joan Vanderloop, treasurer; Rita Holewinski, secretary; (Seated, 1. to r.) Marcia Majewski, president; Fr. Edward Jagodzinski, O.F.M., spiritual director; Mary Palubicki, vice-president.

St. Stanislaus Kostka Society

This society for boys and young men of the parish was another of those founded by Father Francis Manel. It dates its beginning to May 7, 1898, with an initial membership of thirty-four. In 1905, it numbered fifty-four members, the highest in its history. It ceased to exist in 1946, being gradually absorbed by the Holy Name Society, which had been recently founded in 1944.

St. Joseph Society

An offshoot of many similar parochial, sick and death benefit societies organized in the last quarter of the nineteenth century in the Catholic parishes of the United States, St. Joseph Society came into being at St. Stanislaus Church on November 1, 1898, again during the pastorate of Father Manel. Thirty-two men of the parish belonged to it during that year.

This society reached its greatest peak in 1987 with sixty-four members. It was never and is still not affiliated with any Polish, fraternal, insurance or benefit organization in the country. It is purely local in nature, and pays out a definite sickness and death benefit to its members or their survivors.

Present membership in this society is forty-seven men. Its officers for the year 1958 are: Herman Lasecki, president; Valentine Majewski, vice-president; Louis Tyczkowski, secretary; and Frank Bluma, treasurer.

Apostleship of the Sacred Heart

Called by Father Manel the "Confraternity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus," this society was organized by him on December 25, 1898, with ninety-five parishioners joining the first year. Father Malkowski and Father Jeka referred to it as the "League of the Apostleship of the Sacred Heart" or the "Apostolate of Prayer."

In 1905, it numbered 124 members, but it is not listed in parish records after 1908.

St. Raphael and St. Michael Societies

On Sunday, Oct. 10, 1915, Messrs. Grutza and Kielpinski, president and director respectively of the Polish Association of America, came from Milwaukee to Hofa Park to organize a local group at St. Stanislaus Church. An organizational meeting was held after the parish high Mass, and with the encouragement of Father Fridolin and Joseph Matejko, the parish organist, a number of parishioners joined this Polish fraternal organization.

In 1917, this group at Hofa Park called itself the St. Raphael Benevolent Society, and numbered sixty members. Next year, ten more members were accepted. In 1919, a junior group of this society was formed, with an initial membership of fifteen. The name of the junior group was St. Michael Society. However, no record of either society appears in the parish files after 1919.

Guardian Angel Society

A society for all of the school children of the parish was formed by the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1923. The dues were ten cents a year. From this fund, Masses were celebrated on the feasts of the Guardian Angels (October 2) and Holy Innocents (December 28), as well as on other particular occasions throughout the year. Certain prayers were said daily by the children in the parochial school.

This society ceased to exist in 1928.

St. Albin Society, PRCU

On November 27, 1932, the installation of officers of the St. Albin So­iety took place at St. Stanislaus School Hall. This was a local branch of the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America (PRCU). The secretary of this group at Hofa Park was Anthony Tyczkowski in 1932. This group existed at Hofa Park for some years, but is inactive today.

Holy Name Society

In 1944, Father Crispin Nowakowski induced eighty-nine men of St. Stanislaus Parish to form a local group of the national Holy Name Society. Besides the monthly reception of the sacraments and participation in Holy Name rallies, and other spiritual activities, this society also staged church benefit minstrel shows during the early years of its existence. On November 17, 1947, the St. Stanislaus Holy Name Society received its national charter.

Two hundred and sixty-eight parishioners were enrolled in this society since it was organized at St. Stanislaus Church. Today, its present membership is 185. Its officers for 1958: Felix Swiecichowski, president; Frank Wozniak, vice-president; Anthony Baranczyk, secretary; and Eugene Smith, treasurer.