| And so, another weekend passed by, spent in Jindabyne. This time I was there with Ursula and Tony Lang, to celebrate Aboriginal NAIDOC WEEK. We arrived at Vaski Lodge early Friday afternoon ... amidst warm sunshine which enticed me to ponder the landscape … We decided to drive to Thredbo, and surprisingly, found the whole town covered in snow! This is a sight rarely seen by even skiers, and hasn’t happened for some time, or so we were told by locals! The machines clearing the snow were so busy that stopping at the Chapel built by Father Wally Stefanski – a great priest and Jindabyne’s Parish Priest from 1990-1998 - was virtually impossible. The Chapel bears a huge inscription: John Paul II Ecumenical Centre. I take a picture in a flash and we carry on driving.Ulka recalls the celebrations of the Chapel’s erection in June 1996. As always, she was there with her „Lajkonik Folk Ensemble”. She tells us about her first meeting with Father Wally Stefanski in 1990. He rang her one day and asked if she could come with youth from „Lajkonik” to the Official Blessing of the Statue of Sir Paul Edmund Strzelecki in Jindabyne. He explained that other groups had declined, as they considered the event too controversial to attend.
At that time, the Statue was an issue because the pro-independence faction of the Polish-Australian community disregarded it on account of the fact that it was bestowed to Australia from the Communist Polish Government (to mark Australia’s 200-years of existence as a nation. It was made in Poland and brought by ship, then erected on a large podium in Banjo Paterson Park, probably in 1989). However, other Polish factions decided that “politics is politics” and “the Statue is just a Statue”. This group felt that the beautifully-crafted monument represents the Polish contribution to Australia’s heritage, and should be something to be very proud of. They felt the Statue deserved to be treated with respect. It was an important monument in a place where the great name of the famous Polish explorer – discoverer of Mount Kosciuszko – could be commemorated. It was an imposing structure, in such a perfect location against the backdrop of the beautiful Lake Jindabyne, somewhere to hold special events. Father Stefanski guided this thinking and on his initiative, Strzelecki festivals in Jindabyne were organised for many subsequent years, uniting the Polish community.
The Polish version of the article
The church in Jindabyne with a memorial plaque |
During the recent 2011 Aboriginal festivities in Berridale, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to speak to a few people who knew and remembered the legendary Father Wally. Local butcher Gunter told me, in his Austrian accent, various interesting facts about Father Wally. And after Sunday mass, I was fortunate to have the chance to have an extended and most interesting session with two local ladies from the famous Pendergast family, Neen and Bonita. Both ladies had been closely associated with Father Wally. From all the stories, the following image of Father Wally starts to emerge: a holy man of unconsumed energy, very handsome, with a great sense of humour, and, sadly, struggling with pain for many years.
Polish version of this article just here!
A week ago, Bonita showed me a memorial plaque incorporated into the rock garden in front of the Jindabyne Catholic Church. From it I know that Wlodzimierz (Wally) Stefanski was born in November 1950 in Chrzanow Maly in Mazowsze. His childhood and youth must have been influenced by the spirit of Saint Maximilian Kolbe (the headquarters of the Franciscans are located in Niepokalanow, not far from Chrzanow where Wally grew up). Information on Father Wally’s later life/career is not known at this stage. It is known, however, that he arrived in Australia in 1984. Apparently, he came to visit his sister and decided to stay. In the beginning, he worked as a priest in Goulburn and then in Canberra, in St Matthew’s church, in Page. Between 1990 and 1998, he was Parish Priest of Jindabyne, with the Parish also encompassing Churches and Chapels in Perisher Valley, Moonbah, Dalgety and Berridale, occasionally Adaminaby and, from 1996, Thredbo.
Father Wally (left) with worshippers from his parish on a pilgrimage to The Vatican. (Author of the photo unknown). |
Confirmation at Jindabyne, with the bishop of Canberra |
As the story in Jindabyne goes, Father Wally utilised all his talents - as a priest, as a man, as a social worker. Similarly to John Paul II, he was an ardent worshipper of Mary Mother of Jesus. Next to her Statuette – nearby the church – he built a rose garden with rocks brought from Moonbah. He didn’t build it alone. He had this magic gift of delegating the right people to certain jobs. And they helped him willingly. Father Wally’s house or presbytery, (“proboszczowka” in Polish), was open to everyone. Some of its many bunk beds still exist, being kept “in exile” in the parish cottage in Moonbah.
Shortly after becoming the Parish Priest in Jindabyne, Father Wally became interested in the Statue of Sir Paul Edmund Strzelecki standing on the banks of the Lake. The Statue – a gift from “communist” Poland to Australia stood “unloved” next to the Lake, ignored by part of the Polish community, and possibly not even fully appreciated by the local community. Thanks to Father Wally’s courage and visionary thinking, the Statue was finally consecrated and appropriately recognised. To participate in the Blessing celebrations, Father Wally invited the then Rector of the Polish Catholic Mission, Father Wrona, and various Australian dignitaries. Sadly, from the many invited, only one folk Ensemble “Lajkonik” arrived – the rest declined their invitations.
Wedding in Thredbo: Father Wally’s successor – Father Peter Miller with newlyweds. Source: Internet |
A year later, the situation was different. As a documentary film about the Strzelecki Festival in 1991 tells us, the following representatives came to Jindabyne: President of the Polish Australian Community Council, Krzysztof Łańcucki, three folkloric dance groups “Wielkopolska”, “Kujawy” and “Syrenka”, and artists - pianist Maciej Pawela, and singer of Polish origin Jolanta Podolski. Pawela and Podolska performed at the Friday night spectacle which was held inside Jindabyne Catholic Church, led by Master of Ceremonies Stefan Mrowiński from Melbourne SBS Radio. Stefan, in his role as MC, passionately kept reminding people how much the historic church in Moonbah (a listed Local Heritage Item) was in need of funds for renovation, and encouraged donations needed for Wally’s new Project.
Profits from the “Strzelecki Festival” lottery were meant to serve this same purpose. From a movie from that period, we learn that the first prize was a red fiat Niki. The benefactor of this vehicle was Mr Zdzisław Rychlik from Bielsko Biala in Poland, who now, after 20 years, recently wrote to me and asked me “who” had won this car and what the final result of the renovation of Moonbah church had been. As I later found out, the car had been won by local businessman Dennis Depopulus who sold it to someone else. Question: to whom? I wonder if the car is still driving along somewhere on Australian roads… ?
With the help of the Polish community in Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Sydney, Father Wally organised more festivals (exactly how many I still need to find out). It will be an exciting task to re-construct their history. However, Father Wally worked not only for the Polish community, but first and foremost, for the Australian members of his parish. He went however far beyond the call of his duty. He put in order the historic cemetery in Moonbah, and then he started the renovations of a number of local Churches.
From the Internet, I learned that Thomas Pendergast (son of an Irish convict) donated 19 acres of land in Moonbah in 1861, for the purpose of building a new cemetery and a Church. As Bonita Pendergast recalls, Father Wally went to a lot of trouble to establish who was buried where, to find and restore lost headstones, to engrave them, and to improve the appearance of the whole cemetery …… he argued that The Dead need to be remembered, and that the graves must look as neat as in Poland. Bonita tells me she knows how well-kept graves are in Poland, as she went with Father Stefanski on a number of pilgrimages to the Holy Land, visiting also Poland (Czestochowa and Niepokalanów) and to his home in Chrzanow.
After the restoration of the cemetery, came the Moonbah Church renovation. Its foundations leaked, walls were cracked, and paint was falling off. For this job, Father Wally employed good craftsmen, including Poles apparently, as one of them was a man known as Leszek from Queanbeyan. Additionally, the Poles restored the Stations of the Cross and helped to build a cute little building adjacent to the Church – “weathershed” or if you like the parish “cottage”.
Afterwards, the renovation of the Perisher Church took place. There, the roof used to leak regularly, until smart Father Wally, determined to fix the leak, changed its entire construction. The Father’s biggest achievement, however, was the erection of the Chapel in Thredbo. Neen and Bonita recall that in the winter season, holy masses used to be held in various hotel rooms – no-one ever knew which one as it was a different one each time – and they were often interrupted by various hotel noises and activities. Father Wally decided to discuss the problem with the Company “Kosciuszko Thredbo” at Thredbo, hoping that he could find funds for a new building. The final decision was that they would build an ecumenical centre, available not only for Catholics, but also for the faithful of the Anglican and Uniting Churches.
After the consultation phase with the Canberra Bishop, the hardest part began - fundraising. Apart from the input from the Catholic Church, contributions were made by other Churches and even National Parks … When the church fundraising account was finally opened, various measures were applied to collect funds, for example, the sale of wine with a special label “Ecumenical Chapel” was undertaken. I recall one lady telling me how Father Wally used to carry cases with wine for sale on his own back. And he was strong! (Some say he was a great skier, others a brilliant swimmer).
Thredbo Ecumenical Chapel - from Ursula Lang's archives |
The Chapel – designed by a Polish architect Andrew Raciszewski – was consecrated and opened in June 1996 – this event was even mentioned in the Sydney Morning Herald news. It is worth mentioning that the “cornerstone” was consecrated by the Polish Pope during one of Father Wally’s pilgrimages to The Vatican. Nota bene, in the Chapel you can see a beautiful photo of Father Stefanski and John Paul II.
Father Wally … always welcoming, very holy, very dedicated to Mary the Mother of Jesus. Great singer, man with a sense of humour (loved cracking jokes!), great organiser. He had a gift for decorations. Particularly memorable were his church decorations for Christmas and Easter. No wonder that people from various denominations used to come to the Catholic Church in Jindabyne just to see his decorations. One of the archives should hold photos taken by Ken Lees, who has recently come back to Jindabyne from Queensland. I hope to get copies of these.
View to the Chapel in Thredbo – “trendy” weddings are organised here. Photo Internet |
Father Wally was a wonderful man who was friends with people from different denominations and various races. He was a crazy driver, and loved his car with its registration plate consisting of his initials WS and his year of birth. He used to drive fast, as if he was constantly in a rush, as if he felt that he would run out of time. He was very hard-working. Some say that he pushed himself too hard. For years he struggled with horrific headaches. Reportedly, he used to take about a hundred painkillers a week – he did travel to Sydney to consult some specialists about that. In 1998, he was transferred by the Bishop to Canberra, where he was appointed as administrator of St Christopher’s Cathedral.
In July 2001, Father Wally was granted academic leave, “sabbatical”, to complete studies in Rome. He set off with the intention of visiting his mum in Niepokalanow, in Poland, but he never arrived. He planned to undergo an operation in Poland (sinusitis, brain cancer?). In Singapore, he was taken ill and had to be taken off the plane for a few days. He refused to stay in hospital and decided to continue his journey. It was in Amsterdam that the tragedy happened. It was 22 July 2001. This great swimmer, athletic young man drowned in one of the canals in Amsterdam. I doubt if we will ever find out why and under what exact circumstances he died. He did not manage to meet with his mum, yet he was buried in Poland. He did not reach Rome.
In the Snowy Mountains, he has become a bit of a legend, as many stories about his achievements and his character are passed around, and shared by people who knew him, or had heard about him. Maybe someone will make a movie about him? In the meantime, one would hope that the local authorities could do something special for him. Perhaps they could name a part of a path around Jindabyne Lake after this inspiring priest.
Ernestyna Skurjat-Kozek
Translated by Sabina Swierczek & Urszula Lang
The Polish version of the article
Fr Wally Stefanski and his achievements are a very important part of Polish heritage in the Mt Kosciuszko region. |
Updated on 2/8/2011. Here is transcription of the text on the Thredbo Ecumenical Centre.The building of both the Thredbo Ecumenical Chapel and the Memorial Community Centre were largely driven by Thredbo’s community. The Andrew Raciszewski designed Thredbo Chapel was completed in June 1996 and had support from the three main religions of the region – Church of England, Roman Catholic and Uniting – but much of the energy was attributed to the Catholic priets at the tima, Father Wally Stefanski, who led a pilgrimage to Rome to have the cornerstone brick for the chapel blssed by the Pope John Paul II, a fellow Polish clergyman.
One opening weekend Father Wally was conducting Thredbo’s traditional Blessing of the Snow ceremony and the NSW Environment Minister, Chris Hartcher, was present. At this time there were some problems with the NPWS in the approval process for the Chapel. While addressing the gathering, Father Wally announced, unbeknown to any that “the Chapel would be called St Christopher’s, after the patron saint of travellers, which just happens to be the name of our Minister of Envoronment Chris Hartcher who is here this morning – welcome Chris.” In three days, approval was granted and the Chapel was built within 12 months and completed in June 1996.
Kosciuszko Thredbo made a $200,000 contribution to the establishment of the Chapel and Father Wally raised the rest of the funds. Gerry Gleeson, Adrian Lane and Graeme Herring, the directors of Kosciuszko Thredbo and Greater Union supported it at a board level, as did Graeme Abrahams (Uniting Church) and Harvey Sloan (Anglican). The Australia Polish Community was also heavily involved in fund raising for this project.
The Chapel was the focal point for the memorial service following the Thredbo tragedy in 1997. At that service in August 1997, the Thredbo community was joined by the then Governor-General Sir William Deane, Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer and the Leader of the Opposition, Kim Beazley. Mr Beazley later spoke of “the beautiful ecumenical service held at the church in Thredbo. It was conducted by Father Wally Stefanski, who did it with great dignity and incorporated all the faiths within it. I would single him out for praise, not only in that regard but also in relations to the efforts that he antd others of the clergy were making to comfort the families to unsure the success of the rescue.”
Directly across from the Thredbo Chapel is the Thredbo Memorial Community Centre. The community centre was the ambition of Thredbo’s residents from the village’s earliest days and eventhough the community was very small at that time, the local community raised money to start a fund to build a hall. It was in unfortunate circumstances when the landslide happened and people wanted something to unify them when the project finally got underway.
The project was supported by both the NSW and Federal Governments. On the same day in Federal parliament that Kim Beazley was speaking about the memorial service, Prime Minister John Howard announced the Federal Government would contribute $100,000 to allow work to commence on the planned community hall. “The Thredbo Recovery Coordination Committee has recommended the community hall be built to help the village cope with the grieving and as a project to unify the village in a cause to keep alive the strong community spirit and to focus energies.”
The Thredbo Memorial Community Centre creates a focus for the village and its visitors and contains a preschool and a library, with all the books donated by Club Lodges and staff.
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