“Today, we celebrate that for 50 years, Father Kaz has done his best to be the face of the Father’s mercy to his people. In each parish he has been, he has gathered people around him who can become the living face of the mercy of God – God to each other, and to the wider community in which we live,” Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB has said.
Speaking as the main celebrant of the community Mass held at St Cecilia’s Church in Floreat to commemorate Fr Kazimierz Stuglik’s 50th anniversary as a priest, and his pending retirement, Archbishop Costelloe was joined by concelebrants, Perth Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton, Fr Kaz himself and Deacon Patrick Moore from the Armadale parish.
“We’ve got every reason to celebrate today, to congratulate Fr Kaz, but also to look forward to the future. As Father Kaz moves to his retirement and a new parish priest is appointed, there are many things to think about, to pray about, and to be grateful for,” Archbishop Costelloe added.
Parishioners and friends past and present packed St Cecilia’s to congratulate and farewell Fr Kaz, their parish priest of the last eight years. Joining the congregation were two very special guests – Fr Kaz’s brother Ignacy and sister-in-law Ewa, who travelled from Poland to attend.
During his homily, Fr Kaz explained he had an interest in the priesthood from a young age. As a boy in Poland, he was an altar server and attended catechesis classes, which were often facilitated by younger priests of the diocese.
Given that Poland was a communist state at the time, Fr Kaz explained it was difficult to find information about the priesthood as the Catholic Church was not viewed favourably.
His mother, however, had “a couple of religious magazines” with stories about priests working in the missions, which piqued his interest even more.
He eventually contacted the local Pallottine and Salvatorian orders and decided to join the Society of the Divine Saviour (Salvatorians), entering the novitiate in 1966. He would later be ordained a deacon and, on one very memorable occasion, would serve at a ceremony celebrated by Cardinal Karol Wojtyła, who would later become Pope John Paul II.
His ordination to the priesthood came as something of a natural progression and not long after he decided to relocate to Australia following a visit to Poland by the Salvatorian Provincial who was seeking volunteers to join the Australian congregation. As one of two volunteers who agreed to make the move, Fr Kaz arrived in Australia in 1979.
“Bishop Myles McKeon, Bishop of Bunbury at the time, was instrumental in my relocation,” Fr Kaz recalled.
“Perth at that time wasn’t really seeking foreign priests, but Bishop McKeon realised there was a need, particularly in the Bunbury diocese, so he spoke to the local Salvatorian priests who spoke to the provincial, who visited Poland looking for volunteers,” he said.
Following his arrival, Fr Kaz ministered from the Salvatorians’ original headquarters in Bellevue, before undertaking roles at St Patrick’sCathedral, Bunbury, at Esperance (assistant priest and later parish priest), Greenmount, St Mary’s Cathedral (assistant priest), and the parishes of Northam, Midland, Armadale and Floreat/Wembley.
Speaking at the post Mass celebration, Fr Kaz’s brother said it was a great honour and a deeply emotional moment for him and his wife to be present, “so far from home, and yet so close in heart.”
“Fifty years is not just a number,” he said, “it is a life devotion to God and to your people.”
“When I look at you my brother, I do not see only a priest; I see a man who had the courage to say yes and who has remained faithful to that yes for half a century.
“I’m sure it has not always been easy, but in those difficult moments you remained faithful and it is this faithfulness that commands the greatest respect for me today.
“Your path has taken you all the way here to the other side of the world, but you are always a part of our family. While not everyone could be here with you today, I want you to know that our entire family in Poland is with you in heart and spirit. Everyone is celebrating this special anniversary with you, with gratitude and pride.
“Thank you for your service and your faith. We wish you peace and many more years walking with God. May God bless you in the years to come,” he added.
A commemorative book, one version in English and one in Polish, was then presented to Fr Kaz before he cut the twin cakes in honour of his anniversary and retirement respectively.