Polka Mass held at Onawa St. John's

By KENNY KEANE, Globe staff reporter
Posted March 6, 2003

ONAWA - The thought of polka music being played during Mass might sound strange to most Catholics, but not to those of the Czech heritage.

The presence of that particular culture in Onawa recently brought a "polka Mass" to St. John Church. During the parish's 4:30 Mass on the evening of March 1, three professional musicians from Omaha, Neb., provided polka music during the service.

With Dean Hansen playing the accordion and Jim Bochnicek on drums, vocalist Paul Menousek led the congregation in a list of songs and hymns from the polka Mass created by Father Frank Perkovich, who originally celebrated polka Masses at Resurrection Church in Eveleth, Minn.

The Mass began with the entrance hymn, Chapel in the Valley. The offertory hymn, We Offer Bread and Wine, was followed by We Come to You, O Lord during Communion. The Mass concluded with the recessional song, Adio.

Following the service, the Knights of Columbus served a soup supper in the parish hall with the polka band entertaining those who stayed after Mass to eat.

"I thought everyone enjoyed it," Bochnicek said. "There was a nice crowd, and I was pleased with that. Normally we play polka Masses at polka festivals.

"That Saturday was a little different atmosphere than what we normally play a polka Mass for because normally our polka Mass revolves around all old people. We had a lot of younger faces in the audience, and it exposes them to polka music. A lot of them probably don't even know that much about polka music."

One St. John parishioner who is quite familiar with polka music is Leonard Stanislav, who said his parents both came from staunch, Catholic, Czech families. He thought the polka Mass was wonderful and that it may have been an inspiration, especially for those who don't share his ethnic background.

"It gives a lot of other people the understanding that you can have more than one kind of music at a Mass," Stanislav said. "It adds a nice flavor to it. Some people may not appreciate it because they aren't of the Czech heritage.

"Later on I caught some saying, 'That was kind of unique and quite an idea.' It's just like everything else as far as what you're brought up with and your attitude. I was very impressed by it, and I think most everyone else was, too."

Stanislav's second cousin, Mahlon Pekarek, a Czech parishioner at St. Bernard Church in Blencoe, also attended the polka Mass and said he enjoyed the musicians.

"I liked the accordion player, Dean Hansen. Bochnicek on the drums, I've known him. I've danced to Dean Hansen many times already," Pekarek said. "I thought it was real good, and I would recommend that they maybe do it once a year."

With the polka Mass, Stanislav said there are several priests who at first wonder, "What is this? What's going on here?" However, he said most of them accept it really well.

As for Father Harry McAlpine, pastor of St. John's, he said he is familiar with the polka Mass having offered it at another parish, but this was the first time it had been offered at the Onawa church.

"I think it brought a number of people to that Mass who enjoy that type of music," he said. "I think the people thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They gave a nice applause at the end of Mass. It was a nice change just before we go into the Lenten season."