A Brief History of Our Parish

     By the 1880's a sizeable community of Polish immigrants existed on the south side of East Chicago, Indiana and a Polish Roman Catholic parish was established. The organizers of our parish were orginally part of that congregation. In that parish was an organization called the St. Michael's Mens Society whose main purpose was to provide financial assistance to its members in times of need. A disagreement developed when the pastor of the Polish Roman parish insisted that the acquired funds of this organization be transferred to the parish treasury. Eventually, this resulted in bitterness and disappointment in the church. It was at this time that the disappointed families decided to leave the Roman Catholic Church and organize a Polish Catholic parish under the independent banner. These families became the organizers of our parish.

     On May 11, 1903 St. Michael the Archangel Polish Catholic parish was established and a few years later it became part of the Polish National Catholic Church. The original parish committee was elected and purchased five lots on Wegg Avenue in East Chicago, Indiana. On September 18 Bishop Anthony Kozlowski of Chicago, Illinois came to bless the new church which seated 170 people. Reverend Joseph Plaga was the first pastor of St. Michael's Parish and provided a good example of faith and courage for the first parishioners during this difficult period.

     In 1904 the St. Michael's Mens Society was reorganized and before long consisted of over ninety members. Land was purchased on 169th street in nearby Hammond, Indiana to be used as a cemetery for our parish and members of two nearby Polish Catholic parishes. On June 19, 1910 Bishop Francis Hodur, Organizer of the Polish National Catholic Church, came to East Chicago to visit St. Michael the Archangel. In 1914, Reverend Plaga was transferred to All Saints parish in Chicago, Illinois.