As the Michigan winter evenings are long and cold, they often give me time to reflect, "What would I have done if I hadn't entered the seminary or come to the United States?" Honestly speaking, I don't have to wait too long for the answer. I can picture myself wearing the uniform of a Polish Army officer and I would be serving my country as, at least, a Lieutenant.
But I am not an officer today and as I sit in my seminary room I realize how God has directed my paths. Remembering my past, I go back to Skarszewy, my little hometown in the northern part of Poland. I grew up in a very religious Catholic family. Thinking back, my mom, Krystyna, was really the one who brought God to my life and taught me our Catholic faith. The most important day for our family was Sunday when I, with the entire family, attended the celebration of the Eucharist. From my parents I learned my prayers and love of Jesus Christ. There is no exaggeration in saying that in my family I discovered and nourished my vocation. I feel that because of my family I started thinking about the priesthood.

I don't know when I started to consider the priesthood. Maybe it was in the second grade, when I received a few reprimands from the priest for misbehaving during the religion class. Or maybe it was in the sixth grade when I mistakenly filled the wine cruet with water and vice versa. What I know is that much engaged in the liturgical life in my home parish of St. Michael, I sincerely enjoyed serving as an altar boy. I also loved to listen to the stories of the missionaries and priests working abroad coming to our parish. I was very fascinated and wanted to become one of them.

In the mid 1990's, I started to question my future. For me, it was not easy to decide what way of life to choose. Trying to find out what God wanted me to do and what direction He prepared for me, I spent a lot of time praying for the light of the Holy Spirit, talking to my friends, priests, attending a few retreats for high school students, and looking for a sign that would tell me what to choose as my future. I really wanted to become a priest and, at the same time, to join the Polish Army.

The thoughts of being a priest and soldier stayed in my heart to the very end of high school. After my final exams, I applied and was accepted to both the Major Seminary in Pelplin and the Jozef Bem Military Academy in Torun. However, as I had to make a decision which one of these two to choose, I did not hesitate to withdraw my application for the military school and enter the seminary.

The day I entered the seminary, I began my very special journey with Christ. I stated to develop my personal relationship with God as well as the communal aspect of my faith. I discovered the importance of Sacred Scripture, the Eucharist and spiritual readings for my spirituality. Meetings with my spiritual director helped me to deepen my inner life and to overcome some of my weaknesses. It was the beginning of rediscovering the presence of God in my life and the plan He has for me.

During my philosophical studies in Pelplin, I tried to connect things that I learned in classes with my faith. I can say that through the philosophy years my faith became richer as I was able to notice some aspects of human life that I had not been aware of before. I became more aware of social issues and human dilemmas.

It would be a partial history of my vocation if I didn't mention the Blessed Virgin Mary's role in my everyday life. She truly became, after I lost my mother while in the eighth grade, my mom. She still has a special place in my heart that I am sure will continue to be present there.

Now I am in the United States at SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, Michigan, which I see as another of God's blessings. As I have some time to reflect, I recall priests and bishops coming from the U.S. to our seminary and asking us to consider working in their country. There would have been no reason for me to come here if I hadn't heard a voice telling me to come to America, the same kind of voice that told me to enter the seminary, the same kind of voice that told me about Rhode Island. That is how, on August 20, 2000, a day I will remember forever, I arrived in New York and began my personal and spiritual journey on this continent.