NY PAC to Honor Pastor of Long Island’s St. Hyacinth

Msgr. Kopinski has been pastor of St. Hyacinth’s for the past twenty years and will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of his priesthood just two years from now.

In choosing him for the honor, the Downstate Congress will also be paying tribute to his entire Parish “for the powerful spirit of Polish American patriotism that prevails there and sets an example for all of us.”

That spirit was particularly evident during the 1980’s when Lech Walesa and the striking workers of Poland’s first free trade union Solidarnosc (Solidarity) were in the midst of their fight against the Communists who ruled the country at that time. St. Hyacinth’s supported the efforts to bring freedom and democracy to Poland by displaying a huge and highly visible Solidarnosc banner across the parish grounds.

It was seen by thousands of motorists every day they drove along the adjacent Route 107. The banner stayed there for many years and removed only after Solidarity had won its battle with the Communist regime.

It was also the members of St. Hyacinth’s who played an important role in influencing the City of Glen Cove to dedicate a section of its public property in support of Solidarity and designating it as “Lech Walesa Square.”

“I was proud to attend the ceremonies dedicating the square and to witness just how much the determination and political awareness of these patriotic Polish Americans was able to accomplish,” said Milewski.

Msgr,.Kopinski is a native Long Islander born and raised in Greenlawn. After completing his studies at Notre Dame University and then for the priesthood, he devoted himself to Long Island as a teacher in high school and then at the seminary itself.

Assigned to parish duties afterwards, he spent eight years at Our Lady of Ostrabrama in Cutchogue before coming to St. Hyacinth’s in 1992.

The Polish American Congress Awards Banquet will be held at Brooklyn’s Polonaise Terrace on Sunday, October 14th at 4:00 p.m.

Contact: Frank Milewski
(516) 352-7125
pacdny@verizon.net