THE CZECHS OF CLEVELAND
St. Adalbert’s Church.
St. Adalbert’s church was formed in “East Cleveland” in 1882, and was originally called St. Vojtech, which is the Czech form of the same name. It is situated at 2347 East 83rd street, between Quincy and Central avenues. When the new church was completed recently, the old one was converted into a gymnasium, where a systematic athletic program is carried out. The bell of the new church rings the sweeter, because it was specially made in Bohemia. The parochial school is taught by the Sisters of Notre Dame, and has about 300 pupils. The parish paper is “Mesicni Prehled” (Monthly Review).
Church of St. John Nepomucene.
The parish of St. John Nepomucene is an outgrowth of “Our Lady of Lourdes” parish. It was founded in 1902, and has had as its pastor since its formation the Rev. F. J. Hroch. A large new church of good architectural design has just been completed at Fleet avenue and East 50th street and the old church has been altered into school rooms. A handsome rectory on Independence road, and a building with school rooms on the ground floor and residence space for teachers on the second floor complete the present group of buildings. There are 650 children in the school, and the teachers are Sisters of St. Dominic.
Holy Family Church.
The Church of the Holy Family was built some years ago as a small chapel at East 131st street and Chapelside avenue, and was maintained as a chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes. It has now grown into a separate parish, and a fine church building is projected, to care for the needs of one of the most rapidly growing parts of the city.
Protestant Churches.
The Protestant Bohemian churches make a comparatively small showing, and it is probable that their special mission is nearly fulfilled. They are as follows: Cyril Congregational church, at West 43rd street and Cyril avenue, Rev. John Musil, pastor; Emanuel Congregational Church, 2373 East 82nd st.; Mizpah Congregational Church, East 59th street, near Fleet avenue, Rev. Philip Reitinger, pastor; Broadway Methodist Episcopal Church, Broadway and Gallup avenues, Rev. E. E. Pierce, pastor, Rev. V. J. Louzecky, Bohemian pastor.
The original members of these churches were the comparatively small number of Czechs who, on leaving the Roman Catholic Church, did not swing to the free thinking extreme and the equally small number of Protestant immigrants. Their organizations are losing power simply because their second generation are completely absorbed into American life and English speaking churches. The system of the Roman Catholic church promotes solidarity of races, the young people being held to the parish allegiance of their parents. As the older people disappear from the congregations the churches will necessarily come to be entirely English speaking, but the change comes slowly. Among the Protestants, on the contrary, no effort is made to hold the second generation to the Bohemian language, and their young people choose their church affiliations out of the whole range of city opportunities.
All these churches do work which is interesting and vital, and their organization is very dear to the older members of their congregations, to
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