On Sunday, December 14, 2025, Friar Szymon GÓRNIAK celebrated his 50th anniversary of religious life. The event took place in Rychwałd, near Żywiec, Poland. Friar Mariusz KOZIOŁ, the Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Anthony and Bl. James of Strepar in Poland (Cracow) presided over the Mass of Thanksgiving.
In his homily, the Minister Provincial said that those who choose Jesus Christ do not err, even if it is demanding, even if it sometimes involves suffering, because “God does not take back His promises, He does not deceive us.” He thanked Friar Szymon for dedicating his entire life to God, for believing in God’s promises, for trusting God, for not doubting, for always saying “yes” to God, and for giving others an example of fidelity, perseverance, and modesty. He also expressed gratitude for Friar Szymon’s twenty-three years of service as a missionary in Bolivia. The Guardian of the friary in Rychwałd, Friar Przemysław JANIK, in turn, thanked Friar Szymon for never trying to overshadow God, for setting an example of constant perseverance in prayer, for teaching his younger brothers humility and respect for others, and for his cultivated manner. Representatives from the parish council thanked Friar Szymon for his fifty years of service to God, especially his work in the missions, for the hours he has spent kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament, and for continuing the work of Friar Grzegorz SROKA, namely, the herbal pharmacy in Rychwałd. They wished him health and joy in his friar community and, above all, in his close relationship with the merciful Lord Jesus and the beloved Our Lady of Rychwałd. Friar Szymon GÓRNIAK (85) was born in Lviv [today in Ukraine]. He entered the Conventual Franciscan Order as an already trained and practicing nurse. In 1975, he took his first religious vows, and four years later, his perpetual vows. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1981.
Friar Jan Maria SZEWEK
