On Saturday, November 29, 2025, Friar Wojciech MACH professed his solemn vows at the Shrine of St. James the Apostle in Lębork, Poland. The Minister Provincial, Friar Wojciech KULIG, presided over the Mass and gave the homily. Those attending the celebration included many friars from the Province of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe in Poland (Gdańsk); family and friends of the newly professed; various consecrated persons; parishioners from the places where Friar Wojciech MACH previously served; friars from the Major Seminaries in Łódź Łagiewniki and Cracow; and a number of postulants.
In his homily, the Minister Provincial pointed out that this solemn profession ceremony fell on the Feast of All Saints of the Seraphic Order, a day that commemorates the spiritual legacy that the newly professed friar is inheriting. “Today’s liturgy brings us together around two great mysteries: the joy of the feast of All Saints of the Seraphic Order and gratitude for the gift of the solemn vows that our confrere will soon profess,” he said at the beginning of his homily. Addressing the newly professed friar, he added: “Your name is inscribed in the history of the Franciscan Family, in the history of all those who have made the Gospel their only treasure.” Referring to the words of St. Francis, “The Lord gave me brothers,” he stressed that even today the Church and the community can say, “The Lord has given us you, brother. He has given the Church your vocation. He has given the community your enthusiasm, your youth, your faith, your fragility, and your desire for holiness.” He spoke about the meaning of the vows that consecrated persons accept for life. Speaking of the vow of poverty, he stated: “It’s not about possessing nothing. It’s about not being possessed by anything. Poverty is contrary to the logic of the world, where value is measured by success and influence.” Regarding the vow of obedience, he said: “It’s about placing God’s will above your own. It’s accepting that God may guide you in a different way than you would have chosen.” He defined chastity as “learning to love without trying to possess, giving your heart to God.”
In this context, he noted: “Solemn profession is not the end of formation. Solemn profession is the beginning of a new life.” He also referred to the mission that awaits the newly professed: “Your mission will be to be an icon of simplicity and peace. The world does not need a perfect Franciscan. The world needs a true Franciscan.” During the liturgy, Brother Wojciech prostrated himself on the floor of the church while the Litany of All Saints was sung, thus signifying his total dedication to God. Then, he professed his solemn vows before the Minister Provincial, promising to forever live in obedience, without anything of his own, and in chastity. The celebration concluded with a prayer of thanksgiving, best wishes for the newly professed and a fraternal embrace of peace from the other friars, which expressed the unity and support of the community. The words of the Minister Provincial, spoken at the end of his homily, became a message for the newly professed and for the entire community: “Go and love. Go and remind the world that God is love. Go and proclaim peace. Go and build the Church. Moreover, do not be afraid. Jesus is with you, the Franciscan saints are with you and the community is with you.”
May the gift of our brother’s solemn profession bring new joy to the entire Province and strengthen the Franciscan spirit within the Church.
Maja STUDZIŃSKA
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