Catholicism has been present in the United States since before its formation, due to French and Spanish colonization. In the British Colonies that would serve as the first 13 states, however, their presence was less prominent and welcomed.
American Revolution
New Bridge Still Honors Polish Past
The Kosciuszko Bridge linking Brooklyn and Queens is named for Polish Catholic and American Revolutionary War hero Tadeusz Kosciuszko. Father Marek Sobczak, C.M., pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka, Greenpoint, is glad the bridge will continue to commemorate the sacrifices Kosciuszko and other Poles made to build America.