St. Lucian’s Residence Counts 100 Years of Senior Living with Spiritual Perks
Story by Shelley Wolf
Monsignor Lucian Bojnowski, who served as a pastor to the Polish community in New Britain beginning in 1895, was an enterprising priest who dreamed of many ministries to uplift the locals. As pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, he founded a congregation of religious women, two grade schools, an academy, an orphanage and a home for the elderly.
One of his creations that continues to care for God’s people to this day is St. Lucian’s Residence, a residential senior living facility, which celebrated its 100th anniversary this year (1925 to 2025).
“He had an incredible vision,” Robert Skarba, administrator of St. Lucian’s Residence, says of Monsignor Bojnowski. Today, that vision is summarized in St. Lucian’s Residence logo with the tagline “comfort, care and compassion.”
“The ministry of St. Lucian’s is a priority of the Daughters of Mary of the Immaculate Conception,” says Sister Mary Janice Zdunczyk, a member of the congregation and director of St. Lucian’s, who is in charge of providing that compassionate care. “It’s our mission to support St. Lucian’s financially, spiritually and socially.”
Today, six sisters make their home at St. Lucian’s Residence, a nonprofit residential senior living facility that welcomes people age 65 and above. The sisters live on one floor of St. Lucian’s Residence, while 15 lay people live on the floors below.
“I think our founder’s purpose was to found a community with a faith dimension,” Sister Mary Janice explains. “With that added spiritual dimension, the sisters are willing to share their community life with the lay people and vice versa.
“It’s amazing how many residents join the sisters in prayer, holy hours and at various prayer services,” Sister Mary Janice notes.
There is also a chapel, which draws the residents for daily Mass. Masses are celebrated by Father Lawrence Symolon, chaplain for the Daughters of Mary of the Immaculate Conception. While this spiritual legacy is being carried on, some things have changed.
Located on Burritt Street, St. Lucian’s Residence was built in 1925 and gained a new wing in 1986, followed by many upgrades. Residents enjoy private rooms but can mingle in sitting rooms on every floor, in the dining hall and in a large social activity room.
Activities include exercise classes, bingo, movies and holiday parties. Meals, assistance with medication, laundry and other services are also available, if needed.
Resident Kasimier (Kaz) Marchut, a former long-distance runner, takes advantage of the weekly exercise classes. He also loves to read. “I’ve read every book in the library,” he says, of the small library with English and Polish titles. But he says the best thing about living at St. Lucian’s is “having good friends.”
Luc A. Ouellette spent his working life as a Catholic school teacher at St. Ann Jr. High School and Sacred Heart School in New Britain, teaching reading, French and religion. He says he arrived at St. Lucian’s because “I needed some things done for me – laundry and food prep.”
Oullette loves everything about St. Lucian’s: “The schedule for meals, the quiet time in the building, the activities planned for us, the daily Mass and the rosary on Wednesday after Mass and on Sunday afternoons.”
Three years ago, Sister Mary Lucille Banach, one of the Daughters of Mary and a retired nurse, moved from Boston to become a resident. “The best is the socialization. There are people around to talk to – or not talk to,” she says with a laugh.