The most important activity of the Franciscans in the United States and Canada has been their pastoral work in the parishes. Many parishes were established by the Franciscans; others were accepted because other religious communities or dioceses did not have enough priests to continue serving these parishes.
Since the primary purpose of this study is not the analysis of Croatian parishes and missions in the United States and Canada, we are giving a summary of the Franciscan ministry in the parishes where they currenty serve or served.
Many individuals have written about the Croatian parishes in the United States and Canada; however, one of the best and most extensive studies was written by Fr. Ljubo Krasić in two Croatian Almanac issues (1997 and 1998), entitled “Croatian Parishes in the United States and Canada. History-Statistics- Conditions.”[1]
INDEX OF PARISHES
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
ST. JEROME PARISH, CHICAGO ILLINOIS
SACRED HEART OF JESUS PARISH, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Croatian Catholic Mission Blessed Alojzije Stepinac Chicago, IL
ST. JEROME PARISH, DETROIT – ST. LUCY PARISH, TROY, MICHIGAN
SACRED HEART OF JESUS PARISH, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
SS. CYRIL & METHODIUS PARISH, NEW YORK, NEW YORK
ST. JOSEPH’S PARISH, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI
ST. AUGUSTINE PARISH, WEST ALLIS, WISCONSIN
CANADA
HOLY FAMILY PARISH, KITCHENER, ONTARIO
ST. LEOPOLD MANDIĆ PARISH, LONDON, ONTARIO
ST. NIKOLA TAVELIĆ PARISH, MONTREAL, QUEBEC
OUR LADY OF PEACE CROATIAN FRANCISCAN CENTER, NORVAL, ONTARIO
OUR LADY OF THE HIGHWAYS PARISH, SAULT STE. MARIE, ONTARIO
ST. MARK’S PARISH, SUDBURY, ONTARIO
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI PARISH, WINDSOR, ONTARIO
CROATIAN PARISHES IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA IN WHICH FRANCISCANS OF THE CUSTODY ONCE WORKED
HOLY TRINITY PARISH, AMBRIDGE, PENNSYLVANIA
ST. ANTHONY’S PARISH, MONESSEN, PENNSYLVANIA
ST. ANTHONY PARISH, SHARON, PENNSYLVANIA
ST. JOSEPH’S PARISH, BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA
ST. MARY’S ASSUMPTION PARISH, STEELTON, PENNSYLVANIA
ST. MARY’S VISITATION PARISH, RANKIN, PENNSYLVANIA
ASSUMPTION PARISH, THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO
[1] About Croatian parishes in the United States and Canada refer to the commemorative book Golden Jubilee of the Croatian Franciscan Custody of the Holy Family (Fr. Častimir Majić and Fr. Lawrence Frankovich, editors, Chicago, 1976), pp. 16-48; Katolička crkva i Hrvati izvan Domovine (Zagreb, 1980), pp. 174-191; J. Prpić, Hrvati u Americi (Zagreb 1997), pp. 141-152 and passim; Fr. Ljubo Krasić, Hrvatske župe u Americi i Kanadi, Croatian Almanac 1997 and Croatian Almanac 1998.
