father tomiak, who had been ministering to the poor as a member of the congregation of the missionary fathers of saint vincent de paul when he was drafted into the military and sent to the front to nurse soldiers during the franco-prussian war, and had been ordained in 1893 at the age of 50 after resuming his studies in rome post-war, had emigrated to america shortly thereafter. following seven years of service in shamokin and mt. carmel he was appointed to his position at st. josaphat's on january 20, 1901. during his 11-year tenure, he launched a parish parochial school (soon after arriving) and invited the bernardine sisters in as faculty, and founded two orphanages (one in west conshohocken and the other in his native wolsztyn). as the parochial school's student population grew, the bernardines were replaced by the sisters of the immaculate conception from new britain, connecticut (c. 1905-1910) and then the sisters of nazareth (c. 1910-1911).