Piecing the Puzzle Together

From the time Christ instituted the sacramental priesthood on Holy Thursday night and up to this present day, it has remained God's gift to His holy Church. For all times and in all places, priests will bring us the sacraments in order to show how Christ is with us and we can participate in His love until He comes again. Whenever I think about this profound truth of the Faith, I am filled with a sense of wonder and gratitude for the many gifts God has given us. Especially now, as I approach ordination to the sacred priesthood in June, I cannot help but to be mindful of the goodness God has shown me by calling me to serve Him and His people as a priest.

Looking back, I realize that even though God calls each of us to discipleship in a unique way, we are not called alone, but as one people of faith. With this in mind, I realize the important role so many people have played in my own life and in the discernment of my vocation. Many of these people are represented in the Diocese of Savannah and in the Serra Club.

The story of how I came to recognize and live out my call to the priesthood is a true testimony in appreciation for the support I have received throughout my discernment and years of formation. When I was growing up in the small town of Biaka Tatrzaska in the mountains of southern Poland, I never imagined that I would end up in Savannah Georgia, a continent and an ocean away from the only land I knew and loved. Moreover, there was a time when I never would have imagined myself as a priest. My young life was filled with vocational experiences of a "trial and error" sort.

The high school I attended in Zakopane, Poland was geared for students preparing for service in restaurants and hotels. Although graduating as a certified chef and nutritionist, I knew my soul still hungered for more in life. I recall how my life was like a puzzle and I kept finding new pieces to put in place.

After high school, I thought I heard God calling, but I was not quite sure yet. I attempted a career in retail sales and fulfilled my need to serve others by joining the local fire department. Still, nothing could put out the fire to serve God which was burning deep within my heart. It was not long before I was able to recognize that my true vocation was to serve God unreservedly as a priest. This was another missing piece to the puzzle of my life.

When I finally entered the seminary in Krakow, I had little doubt that I was doing God's will. The puzzle-picture began to take shape, but it was not yet finished. I remember hearing how the United States needed priests to help serve the Catholic people there. Honestly, I never thought much of it until a Polish-born priest from the Diocese of Savannah came to my seminary on a recruitment mission. Could this have been another piece to the puzzle?

I thought about it, and realized that I was being called away from all that I knew to bring Christ to others. This call was clear, and I was scared. But I was not alone. I took great consolation in knowing that I would make the move to Georgia with a friend and classmate. Dariusz Zurek and I were welcomed to the Diocese of Savannah and assigned to St. James Parish. The only problem was, we did not speak a word of English. A nod and a smile would only take us so far in the ministry, and so we were sent to study English at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

The time spent in Savannah was well-spent. We got to learn about life in America, we made many good friends in Savannah, and came to feel at home in a place I imagined as a child, to be very different from Poland. I realized that as Catholics, we are truly at home, wherever the Church is. This was another piece of the puzzle, and I was becoming surer about my vocation every day.

When Dariusz and I were sent to begin our seminary studies at Mount St. Mary's in Emmitsburg, MD, we wondered at the new challenges this would present to us. We took courage, however from the strength and support we received from our new home and friends in Savannah.

Everything was going so well. Our English was improving; we were growing stronger in faith and progressing toward the priesthood. We were doing God's will and thought nothing could go wrong.

However in 2006, something went terribly wrong. Dariusz was killed in a tragic car accident as we began our Thanksgiving holiday. I felt so alone. I prayed very hard for my friend, that in death he might find the peace that I could not, being left behind.

All of a sudden, the pieces in my life's puzzle seemed more scrambled than ever. What was I supposed to do? Should I go back to Poland? Why was Dariusz killed? I had more questions than answers, at a time when most seminarians begin to see the picture more clearly.

I can honestly say, a great deal of the strength to continue listening to my vocation came from our bishop, priests and friends such as the Serra Club in the Diocese of Savannah. I realized that I was not alone, either spiritually or naturally. God was still calling and it was up to me to answer.

With ordination to the priesthood fast approaching, I remain ever mindful of the great love and mercy of God. He desires to draw all of us to Himself in His Son Jesus Christ, and conveys every grace necessary to answer His call by the gift of the Holy Spirit.

No matter what pieces of the puzzle still may be missing in any of our lives, we can take confidence in the will of God being fulfilled, as long as we keep focused on the big picture and never lose faith in the Church we are asked to serve.

(Reprinted from Serra Club Newsletter)