On May 30, 2020, the eve of Pentecost, seven student friars of the major seminary in Łódź Łagiewniki were ordained to the deaconate and the priesthood. The newly ordained are members of the Province of the Immaculate Mother of God in Poland (Warsaw) and the Province of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe in Poland (Gdańsk).
The Mass of Ordination was celebrated at the neighboring Sanktuarium św. Antoniego Padewskiego Church [Shrine of St. Anthony of Padua]. The presider was the Most Reverend Marian Błażej KRUSZYŁOWICZ, OFM Conv., Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Szczecin-Kamień, Poland. In his homily, the bishop stressed that the newly ordained must, above all, be men who proclaim the Gospel and transmit the faith to the ends of the world. He referred to our charism, which is characterized by openness to missions and demonstrated by the presence of so many friars around the world.
Of the friars being ordained, three were ordained to the priesthood, Friars Jakub KAMIŃSKI and Łukasz ROMBEL from the Province of Warsaw and Friar Adrian ZALEWSKI from the Province of Gdańsk. The remaining four were ordained to the diaconate, Friars Tomasz GÓRKA and Grzegorz ŚWIERKOSZ from the Province of Warsaw and Friars Michał WIĘCH and Paweł ZIEŃKOW from the Province of Gdańsk.
Those attending the celebration included friars from both of the Provinces to which the newly ordained belong, as well as the Vicar General, Friar Jan MACIEJOWSKI, the Minister Provincial from the Province of Warsaw, Friar Wiesław PYZIO (and the Minister Provincial from the Province of Gdańsk, Friar Wojciech KULIG.
Due to restrictions imposed by the pandemic, only immediate family members of the candidates were able to participate in the liturgy. The entire ceremony was broadcast live on the Internet.
We wish the newly ordained an abundance of God’s grace and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. May they fulfill their call with zeal and faithfulness, wherever the Lord leads them.
Friar Grzegorz ŚWIERKOSZ
