Since 1914, Saint Joseph Church at 10th and Mechanic Street in Camden has been a sacred place and refuge for pilgrims, especially the Polish Catholic Community of South Jersey, whose roots date further back to 1891.
At that time, Camden’s Polish immigrants, desiring to practice their shared Catholic faith, helped begin a one-story structure on Broadway, which later grew to a combination church-school building at 10th and Liberty by 1895, and now the current church with its Neo-Classical style with Romanesque revival, Baroque influences and minor Gothic revival references.
In February, Bishop Dennis Sullivan decreed Saint Joseph Church as a pilgrimage site for this year, “The Year of Saint Joseph” declared by Pope Francis to honor and revere the foster father of Jesus and husband of Mary.
On every second Saturday this year, historical tours are taking place at the worship site that is on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Sites, in recognition of its architectural significance.
Here, then, are five reasons to go on Second Saturday Pilgrimage to Saint Joseph Church in Camden:
1. Henry and Dorothy Szychulski
The two guides for the hour-long presentation, this knowledgeable and amiable married couple are the experts on everything Saint Joseph Church. Henry is the president of the Saint Joseph History Society, which aims to promote and preserve the church’s traditions, while Dorothy is the facilitator for the church’s Polish Apostolate. Both were born and raised in the parish, and were married there 11 years ago, explaining why Henry calls it “home for us. It’s a jewel of a church.”
2. More than 90 relics of saints on the altar
Relics of saints, including Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint Catherine of Siena, Saint Therese of Lisieux, Saint John Paul II (of course) and Saint Paschal Baylon, 16th Century Spanish Friar and Patron Saint of Cooks are under glass on the altar rails. Their presence brings an extra sense of the sacred here.
3. Raphael’s Disputation of the Blessed Sacrament
On the dome above the altar is a copy of the upper portion of the Renaissance artist Raphael’s “Disputation of the Blessed Sacrament,” which depicts saints and prophets surrounding the Holy Trinity in heaven. Created for Pope Julius, the 16th century fresco is among the holdings of the Vatican Museum.
4. The Szopka
Tucked into a side room in the next-door, former Saint Joseph School, this “Szopka,” animated nativity, is a staple of Polish culture and a marvel of grace and craftsmanship. Designed by 67-year-old Bronislaw Swierszcz in 1990, the rural and mountain-set landscape includes moving, mechanized musicians, shepherds and saints such as Maximilian Kolbe, all set to the sounds of the Saint Joseph’s Christmas Choir. The only one of its kind in the United States, this unique devotion brings Polish history and faith together in a wondrous labor of love. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this gem is not open for public tours again just yet, but Henry hopes to be able to showcase it soon when restrictions are lifted.
5. The other pilgrims
You never know who you will meet while on pilgrimage. With luck, you’ll meet someone like Maria Mancini, an 85-year-old Camden native who came with her own tour group from Atco’s Christ the Redeemer Parish. Sixty years since her last visit to the church for a friend’s wedding, she immediately felt a sense of the familiar in the “heavenly home,” as she called it.”
“I never forgot this church” in between the wedding and now, she said. Walking past its pews and among the stained glass, lit up from the sun, she remembered the “peace and quiet” the church could bring, and felt gratitude for this beautiful space and the comfort it brings. “It hit home, what a beautiful faith we have.”
Tours of Saint Joseph Church, 1010 Liberty Street in Camden, take place every second Saturday from 2-4 p.m., and end with the Novena to Saint Joseph.
To make a reservation, email your name and a daytime phone number to stjhistory@yahoo.com with “Church tour” in the subject line.
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