On Tuesday, May 27, 2025, some friars from Poland, Germany, Slovakia, Ukraine, Italy, Peru, and Paraguay gathered in Cracow to celebrate their silver jubilee of priesthood. They were ordained twenty-five years ago in the Basilica of St. Francis by the Most Reverend Edward BIAŁOGŁOWSKI, then Auxiliary Bishop of Rzeszów, Poland.
Sixteen confreres celebrated their jubilee, namely: Friars Dariusz BARNA, Paweł CHMURA, Radosław DŁUGI, Roman GAŽÚR, Jan JANUS, Stanisław KAWA, Robert KIEŁTYKA, Oleksandr LYTVYNYUK, Dariusz MAZUREK, Piotr MICAŁ, Jacek MICHNO, Janusz NOWAK, Tomasz PAWLIK, Paweł SROKA, Lucjan SZCZEPAŃSKI, and Sebastian TRACZ.
The Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Anthony of Padua and Bl. James of Strepar in Poland (Cracow), Friar Mariusz KOZIOŁ, presided over the solemn Mass of Thanksgiving. Friar Piotr GRYZIEC delivered the homily. He was the former formator, teacher, and Rector of the jubilarians.
In his homily, Friar Mariusz, referring to statistical data, said that the average life expectancy for men in Poland last year was about seventy-five. Moreover, this lifespan can be divided into three roughly equal parts. “The first twenty-five years,” explained Friar Mariusz, “are a time of growing up, learning, gaining experience, and preparing for life….The next twenty-five years are a time of intense work – for those called to the priesthood – this means the work of catechesis, pastoral care, mission, and evangelization. When entering the final, third phase of life, one has a wealth of experience to draw on later, but also to share. It is also a good time to reflect on what one has achieved in life and what one can still do.”
Toward the end of his homily, he referred to the liturgical readings proclaimed throughout the Church on this day and called attention to two tips that the jubilarians could take from St. Paul: “The first is that the apostle used every situation to offer praise and prayer to the Lord. Even when he was in prison. May prayer never be lacking in your priestly life, especially prayers of praise and adoration….The second is that St. Paul took every opportunity to preach the Gospel and the teachings of Christ….Prayer first, teaching second.”
At the conclusion of his homily, he encouraged the friars: “Dear brothers, looking to the tireless Apostle Paul and remaining open to the action of the Holy Spirit, go forth and proclaim the Gospel to the world, because today’s world needs nothing more for its survival than the Word of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.”
A commemorative prayer card was made for the jubilarians featuring the words of the Canticle of the Creatures, composed by St. Francis of Assisi eight hundred years ago: “Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks and serve Him with great humility.”
The next day, the friars visited the Poor Clares in Cracow to celebrate Mass for them. Afterwards, they traveled to the Shrine-Basilica of the Passion of Christ and Mother of God in Kalwaria Pacławska—the place where they once underwent their novitiate formation and learned how to live as religious.
Friar Jan M. SZEWEK
