Surprise

My Mission Support Team in St. Kazimierz home parish in Kraków, has prepared a surprise party for me, on the occasion of my 50th birthday (delayed, as it was actually on April 22nd). Still, it was a lovely afternoon, with a great cake and blowing out candles, nice talk and sharing. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen!

Special Message To Someone Close to My Heart

A Special Message to You, my Relatives and Friends, on the occasion of my Silver Jubilee.

Almighty God in His Divine Providence has planned that I will celebrate 25 years of priesthood - in the Year of Faith. This is a privilege, a great challenge but also a wonderful opportunity to thank God with living faith for His countless blessings, in particular - for the priceless gift of YOU in my life. By the grace of God’s Providence, you have helped me to become what I am today. I am deeply honored. You are - and always will remain - a very important person to me, close to my grateful heart.

That is why, as my jubilee is approaching fast, I come to you with this special message, asking you to join me in the celebrations, not only through prayer, liturgical celebration and sharing the festive food, but most of all through our living faith, as Apostle James, teaches us: “Faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead...for just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” (James 2:16.26)

Since my priestly ordination on May 22, 1988, I have always stood firmly by and worked hard for the holistic (spiritual, corporal and intellectual) development of communities I served, trying to live my faith among people through works. I wish my jubilee celebrations to be a clear example of this lifelong attitude, thus benefitting directly the community I serve in Kiabakari.

I do not wish any personal gifts for myself on the occasion of my jubilee. Yet I dream of a different, special gift from my friends instead. I humbly ask you to think about the development of Kiabakari community i serve. Your gift will make a difference in rekindling our faith, improving our medical facilities and services and broadening access to a quality education for young generations of Kiabakari people.

Thank you for being there for me throughout all these past years! I invite you cordially to my jubilee celebration in my home parish in Kraków. I will be preaching in all Masses on that day. The main jubilee Mass will be at 12.30PM. God bless you much and see you soon at the celebrations!

Fr. Wojciech

Demonstrate Your Faith

Saint Jacob Apostle in his letter which is quoted in today's Second Reading of the Liturgy of the Word of the Twenty  Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time Cycle B, writes the following profound words:

"What good is it, my brothers and sisters,
if someone says he has faith but does not have works? 
Can that faith save him? 
If a brother or sister has nothing to wear
and has no food for the day,
and one of you says to them,
"Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well, "
but you do not give them the necessities of the body,
what good is it?
So also faith of itself,
if it does not have works, is dead.

Indeed someone might say,
"You have faith and I have works."
Demonstrate your faith to me without works,and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works." (Jas 2:14-18)

Recycling Education

I would like to share with you quickly a remarkable story of a lady in my home parish who relentlessly goes around people's houses collecting papers, magazines, newspapers for recycling. The money she gets from the recycling center she collects until it suffices to support one child in my pre- and primary school in Kiabakari through the educational adoption program of Foundation Kiabakari. So far this year she was able to adopt educationally four children already. Amazing effort! Recycling for education. Recycling wasted paper to give it a new meaning - a hope for quality education for underprivileged children in rural Tanzania. Hats off to the wonderful lady! I applaud her effort as I send a thanksgiving letter to her today for the donation of the fourth adopted child in our school.