History of Saint Joseph Carmelite Monastery

In 1987, Canon Walter Bayer of Saint Mary's Church in Korona asked the Polish Discalced Carmelite Fathers of Munster, IN to open a monastery to serve the large Polish community in this area.  Through God's Providence, our monastery's founder Father Joseph Zawada OCD came to Korona and facilitated the purchase of this land to build our community.  Canon Bayer continued to be a blessed instrument in our history, from generous donations  of land to the gift a tabernacle that reserves the Holy Eucharist in our chapel to this day.

Established on the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 16, 1988, our monastery was initially named the Carmelite House of Prayer.  Father Joseph celebrated the first Holy Mass for 72 attendees in a mobile home that served as the temporary chapel.  Among the lay pilgrims present that day was the future Brother Patrick Gemmato.  Soon thereafter, the farmhouse on the property was renovated to serve as a living quarters and the second temporary chapel.  In 1993, the Discalced Carmelite province of Poland was divided into two provinces, and our monastery became part of the Warsaw Province while the Carmelite Fathers of Munster joined the Krakow Province.   

Our current chapel was built in 1994 and blessed on February 2, 1995 by Bishop John Snyder of the Diocese of Saint Augustine.  Father Joseph and Brother Patrick continued to work with the local faithful on our monastery grounds, and the Stations of the Cross were dedicated by Bishop Robert Baker of Charleston, S.C., on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, October 13, 2000.  Our Stations serve as one of the few in the country accessible by car.



In 2002, Father Slawomir Posiedlik OCD became the superior of our monastery, and shortly after also began serving as first pastor of the newly-erected Saint Mary Mother of God Parish in Korona.  Father Slawomir faithfully served the parishioners of Saint Mary and the pilgrims of the monastery through 2018. 

In May 2004, our Meditative Rosary Gardens were built and dedicated.

In 2011, Father Artur Chojda OCD became the superior of the monastery, and on July 16, 2013 we celebrated our silver jubilee.

During the Jubilee Year of Mercy declared by Pope Francis that began in December 2015, Bishop Felipe Estevez of the Diocese of Saint Augustine designated our chapel as a Holy Door of Mercy for pilgrims. 
 
On the Sunday of Divine Mercy, April 3, 2016, a statue of Saint Faustina's vision of Jesus and Divine Mercy was dedicated by Father Daniel Chowning, a Definitor of our Order, during an official visit from Rome. 

Our monastery celebrated its 30th anniversary on July 16, 2018.  One year later, Father Joseph celebrated his 55th anniversary of ordination.

In November 2020, a cemetery was constructed for the brothers of our community behind our statue of the Resurrection. An outdoor mass and consecration of Saint Joseph Carmelite Monastery Cemetery was held on April 25, 2021.  Father Joseph passed away on June 27, 2021 and was interred in this consecrated place.

In June 2023, after 20 years of faithful service, the Provincial of Warsaw called Father Artur back to Poland and Father Krzysztof Jank OCD, became the superior of the monastery.