In early June of 2026, Friars Witold ADAMCZYK of Rock Island, Illinois, USA, Grzegorz BARCIK of Legnica, Poland, Łukasz BRACHACZEK of Cracow, Poland, Dariusz GACZYŃSKI of Cracow, Marek KOŁODZIEJCZYK of Assisi, and Piotr SZCZEPAŃSKI of Ratingen, Germany together thanked God for twenty-five years of priesthood. On June 2, they celebrated a Mass at the Conventual Franciscan basilica in Cracow and the next day, they celebrated a Mass at the church of the Poor Clares, also in Cracow.
The Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Anthony and Bl. James of Strepar in Poland (Cracow), Friar Mariusz KOZIOŁ, publicly thanked God for the lives of the jubilarians and expressed his gratitude for their quarter century of priestly fidelity. He entrusted them to Mary’s protection and urged them to learn from her pure, humble service and to live in harmony with the mystery of the Lord’s Cross. In his address during the Mass, the Superior of the Conventual Franciscan Province of Cracow noted that priests often think their primary goal is to accomplish the greatest possible works, whether through apostolic and missionary achievements, major building projects, or by drawing large numbers of people to the Church and to God. “Those are worthy desires. But the primary goal is union with Christ and dedication to God for the salvation of humanity,” he stated. “A young priest is very active, eager to expand the scope of his ministry; he identifies with Christ as a teacher and a traveler. An older priest identifies with the Good Shepherd, responsible for the sheep he knows by name. An elderly priest who is ill or limited by age identifies with the suffering Christ. After all these years, how do you identify with Christ today?” With that question, the Minister Provincial encouraged the friars to personally reflect on their priestly journey.
Friar Jan Maria SZEWEK
