The newest podcast to come out of the Diocese of Camden has an important message to share.
There’s no such thing as pierogies. Pierogi is the plural form of the Polish word “pieróg.”
“So why does nobody ever say ‘pieróg?’ The reason seems to be that nobody has ever eaten just one,” jokes Michael Matulewicz, host of “Pierogi to Prayer,” a monthly podcast showcasing Polish culture, history, customs, faith – and, of course – the well-known dumpling.
“Pierogi to Prayer” is the official podcast of the Saint Joseph Polish Catholic Apostolate of the Diocese of Camden. It airs the first Monday of every month on Spotify, Apple and YouTube. The first episode was Nov. 4.
“Part of the podcast is designed to bring people into the Polish culture who may not know about it,” Matulewicz says. “There are many aspects of Polish saints and culture that have a wide appeal … and a ton of saints who are relevant outside the Polish community. Pope Saint John Paul II is a great example. There is also Our Lady of Czestochowa and Saint Maximilian Kolbe.”
Plus, with Pope Saint John Paul II canonizing more saints than all of his predecessors combined – more than 480 – there are many Polish saints who are unknown to the wider community. Many are not medieval saints, but more present-day men and women.
“These are people who have been with us in the past century. There are people alive today who knew these saints,” Matulewicz says.
It’s these holy men and women who spurred the idea for the podcast. As a member of the Saint Joseph Polish Catholic Apostolate, Matulewicz thought about featuring a Polish saint of the month in the parish bulletin. He approached his pastor, Father Adam Cichoski, rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Camden. The nearby Saint Joseph Church, which has served Polish Americans in the Diocese for more than 130 years, is a worship site of the Cathedral.
“We decided this was an opportunity to expand our reach beyond the church by using a modern media platform,” Matulewicz says. We asked ourselves, “Why don’t we produce a podcast? There is a unique blend of culture, religion and custom in Poland that is just fascinating.”
And Matulewicz would know.
Though born and raised in New Jersey (his home parish was Saint Jude Parish, now Our Lady of Hope, Blackwood), he spent much of his time with his grandparents, who lived in the coal region of Pennsylvania – Mount Carmel, to be exact. There were six Catholic churches in town, two of them Polish. He had ancestors in both.
“I grew up with a unique sense of where I came from,” Matulewicz says. With great-grandparents still alive when he was young, “Polish was spoken in the house and traditions were kept alive. That is what inferred my understanding of the faith.”
With Camden, too, steeped in a rich Polish history, Matulewicz says it was natural to take the helm of the podcast.
Faithful have called Saint Joseph Church on Liberty Street their spiritual home since 1892. Founded by Polish immigrants, the Baroque-style church contains iconic stained glass and 90-plus relics. Mass is celebrated every Sunday there, and tours are offered throughout the year.
With the podcast aiming to promote the church and its events, Polish heritage and pierogi, Matulewicz hopes he has a recipe for success.
“I’ve recognized my entire life the value of Polish culture. Now I’m trying to bring it to the rest of the Diocese and beyond,” he says.
Matulewicz was a guest on the Oct. 21 episode of Talking Catholic; check it out at talking.catholicstarherald.org.
For more information on Saint Joseph Church, visit stjosephscamdennj.com.
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