On Saturday, May 31, 2025, the Franciscan Family gained six new priests and a deacon. The newly ordained priests are Friars Łukasz GRADEK, Szymon GRESZTA, Mateusz HNAT, and Serhiy HOROVYY of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual; Friar Łukasz GRYZŁO of the Friars Minor, and Friar Jan MICHAŁKIEWICZ of the Friars Minor Capuchin. The newly ordained deacon is Friar Jakub ROBAZEL of the Friars Minor Capuchin. The ordinations took place at the Basilica of St. Francis in Cracow, Poland.

The Rector of the Franciscan Seminary in Cracow, Friar Tomasz CZAJKA, OFM Conv., expressed his profound joy at this event: “We gather around the altar of Christ to praise God for His infinite goodness and care for us, expressed in the sacrament of Holy Orders, because He continues to call those who bring Him into the world. The joy of this gift is all the greater because we can experience it together, united as friars and sisters in Christ, and as friars from different branches of the Franciscan Family.”
The ordinations were presided over by the Most Reverend Piotr KLESZCZ, OFM Conv., Auxiliary Bishop of Łódź, Poland. In his homily, he gave the newly ordained many valuable pieces of advice, drawn from the Scriptures, the thoughts of the saints, his acquaintances and his own reflections and observations. He urged them to make their charity sincere; to flee from what is evil with horror and to cling to what is good; to be kind and never lose their zeal; to rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation and persevering in prayer. He exhorted them to bless those who mistreat them; to be humble and to despise no one, to show Jesus in every encounter and become for others a “living monstrance.” He urged them to love what they do; to always put the Lord God first in their lives; and to not seek their own glory but God’s. He encouraged them to follow the example of Mary, to persevere in praising God; to be rooted in Christ; to abide in Him and draw strength and wisdom from Him, becoming more like Him. He advised them to let Mary be their model; to trust in the Lord God, fearing nothing and never doubting the meaning of their ministry. He urged them to entrust all their weaknesses to God; like Mary, to follow the Lord Jesus blindly; to always be open to others; according to the Rule of St. Francis, to observe the Gospel and finally, to let the words “Peace and All Good” be always be in their hearts and on their lips.
Those attending the ordinations included the Rectors of the Franciscan Seminaries and various Ministers Provincial, namely: Friar Mariusz KOZIOŁ, OFM Conv. from the Province of St. Anthony and Bl. James of Strepar in Poland (Cracow); Friar Krzysztof BOBAK, OFM, from the Province of Our Lady of the Angels in Cracow; Friar Rafał PYSIAK, OFM Cap., from the Province of Cracow, and Friar Stanisław NUCKOWSKI, OFM Conv., Custos of the Custody of the Holy Cross in Ukraine.
Speaking on behalf of all the Superiors, Friar Krzysztof BOBAK thanked the parents of the newly ordained for laying the beautiful foundation on which their sons’ priesthood was built, which the Church needs so much today. He asked the faithful to pray for them, so that the spirit within them will never be extinguished. To the friars, in turn, he wished that each of them “be all things to all people.”
At the end of the Mass, the newly ordained thanked God, Mary, Bishop KLESZCZ, the Superiors, friars, parents, relatives and all those who prepared and honored their celebration.

Friar Jan M. SZEWEK