Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Wodzisław Śląski-Kokoszyce

The Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Kokoszyce, a district of Wodzisław Śląski, was built in 1948-1950 by the residents themselves. The work was done as voluntary community labour, without paying the workers.

How the residents built the church

Kokoszyce had earlier belonged to the parish in Pszów. In January 1948 Bishop Stanisław Adamski sent Father Józef Bołda there, who was to run a diocesan retreat house and found a parish. Parishioners dug the foundations with shovels, carried sand to the building site in tubs along the track from the sand pit, and bricks were brought from the brickworks in Pszów. The master builder was Maciejak of Pszów, and the funds came solely from the residents' contributions. The foundation stone was blessed in 1949 by Bishop Adamski, who on 9 July 1950 also blessed the finished church.

Interior and organ

The interior decoration was designed by Józef Potępa of Kraków, and the altar depicts the Heart of Mary. The font and the Stations of the Cross were funded by parishioners. Years later some of the faithful had reservations about the statue of the Mother of God with one foot advanced, and the parish priest explained that this was the step needed to trample the serpent. The present organ by Gerhard Schmid was brought from Sweden and installed in 2015-2016; it has 23 stops and three manuals.

Practical information

• District: Kokoszyce, Wodzisław Śląski.
• The church is active; check Mass times with the parish.
• In the town you will also find the Dietrichstein Palace.