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Name: Lukasz Nowak
Date of birth: July 23, 1986
Hobbies & Interests: Running, cycling, hiking, literature, eschatology, history.
Favorite saints: St. John Bosco, St. John Mary Vianney, St. Faustina Kowalska, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Juan Diego, Saint Francesa Cabrini, Sts.Cyril and Methodius, Blessed Mother Teresa, Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko, Blessed Miguel Pro
I was born on July 23, 1986 in Proszowice in the southern part of Poland. I have 3 siblings: 2 brothers and 1 sister. I am the eldest child in my family. For more than 20 years I lived in the village of Dziemierzyce, about 20 miles from Krakow and 55 from Wadowice the city where Pope John Paul II was born.
As a young man I thought about being a teacher, politician or soldier. But while I was in high school I started feeling an inexplicable void in my life. I believe this was God creating disquiet in my heart. In 2005, after the death of Pope John Paul II I started visiting my home parish more frequently, going to the Holy Mass almost every day. I began to notice the effect of turning to God and the Church – it made me content and happy.
When I graduated from high school I began to seriously consider the priesthood. I still had other plans in my mind, and for a long time, I struggled to know and embrace my vocation. My parish priests helped me to embrace God’s will and I entered the Seminary in Kielce, my home diocese, after high school. There I eventually completed my courses in Philosophy and met a spiritual director from SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, Michigan. He explained their program to allow Polish seminarians to serve the Catholic Church of the United States. I considered this possibility, which was another difficult decision for me. With thoughtful consideration and prayer I decided to embrace this opportunity and came to the U.S. on August 17, 2009.
I made several visits to the Oakland diocese while I was a seminarian in Orchard Lake. I am grateful for the encouragement of Fr. Stanislaw Zak, the Polish pastor at St. Margaret Mary parish in Oakland, who helped influence my decision to come to Oakland. In August 2010 I was allowed to transfer to St. Patrick’s Seminary. Why Oakland? There is a lot of ethnic diversity in the Oakland diocese, something I like very much. My decision to leave Poland was motivated by a desire to serve the Church in the United States and as a response to the shortage of priests in this wonderful country. With the support of many faithful people both here and at home, I continue to follow my vocation to serve God as a good and holy priest.