WINDSOR to WOODSTOCK, GODERICH to PORT DOVER and COMMUNITIES IN-BETWEEN Spring 2015 • #156 OF NEWSPAPER THE DIOCESE OF LOndON Amherstburg | Aylmer | Belle River | Blenheim | Brights Grove | Brussels | Chatham | Comber | Corunna | Delaware | Delhi | Dresden | Dublin | Emeryville | Erieau | Essex | Exeter | Forest | Glencoe | Goderich | Grand Bend | Harrow | Ingersoll | Kingsville | Kinkora | Langton | LaSalle | Leamington | Listowel | London | Lucan | Maidstone | McGregor | Merlin | Mitchell | Mount Carmel | Oxley | Pain Court | Parkhill | Pelee Island | Petrolia | Port Dover | Port Lambton | Ridgetown | River Canard | Rondeau | Sarnia | Seaforth | Sebringville | Simcoe | St. Joseph | St. Marys | St. Thomas | Stratford | Strathroy | Tecumseh | Thamesville | Tilbury | Tillsonburg | Wallaceburg | Walsh | Waterford | Watford | West Lorne | Wheatley | Windsor | Wingham Woodslee | Woodstock | Zurich AUXILIARY BISHOP JOSEPH DABROWSKI, CSMA N TE CONF JESU I IDO Regardless of age, pre-planning your cemetery arrangements together simply makes sense - financially and emotionally. See back page for details Congratulations to Rev. Joseph Dabrowski CSMA Photo by Don Learn Don by Photo upon his election to the college of bishops and appointment as an auxiliary of the Diocese of London! The prayers of the entire Holy Trinity Parish in Windsor are with you Holy Trinity Polish Parish Est. 1916 1035 Ellis St East, Windsor ON evangelization, if it is to be effective, needs to take into “Father Joe” Bishop Fabbro on account the influences of culture. He has integrated extremely well into the Named Auxiliary Bishop Dabrowski Presbyterate of our diocese. Our priests admire him When I first received the news that Fr. Joe and consider him to be a Bishop of London Dabrowski was named our new Auxiliary fellow labourer in the Lord’s vineyard. Several On January 31, Pope Francis named Holy Father. Bishop, I was delighted. He is a pastor at heart years ago, we asked him to serve on a diocesan Rev. Joseph Dąbrowski auxiliary who is totally dedicated to the service of Christ committee to assist our linguistic and ethnic bishop of the Diocese of London, He was ordained to the priesthood and his Church. communities. one of the largest English-speaking at the Pontifical Sanctuary of Santa dioceses in Canada. He is currently Maria ad Rupes, in Italy on May In his appointments as pastor and associate Many have noted how fitting it is that his pastor of St. Mary’s parish in London 4, 1991. Four days later, he was pastor, we have seen the excellent pastoral skills appointment takes effect during the Year and Superior of the Michaelite assigned to join the Michaelite he possesses. He cares deeply for people and of Consecrated Life. He is a member of the Fathers in North America. Fathers community in London. connects well with them. His parishioners trust Michaelite Fathers, who since 1962 have sent Upon arriving in London, he took him and know that they can turn to him when good, faithful priests to serve Polish-speaking Bishop-elect Dąbrowski, 50, was an English-language program at they are in need. With joy and enthusiasm, he and English-speaking parishes in our diocese, born on July 17, 1964 in Poland, the Fanshawe College. encourages people to encounter Jesus and to as well as their retreat house in Melrose. Bishop second of five children. The son of develop a personal, living relationship with him Dabrowski’s appointment is a wonderful tribute Czesława and Ludwik, he grew up in “Fr. Joe,” as he is affectionately through the sacraments and a life of prayer. to their community for the outstanding service Wysoka Strzyżowska, a small village known by his parishioners, has He appreciates the gifts of his parishioners and they have given us over these years. in Poland. He is fluent in English, served as associate pastor at Our empowers them to use their gifts for the spread Polish, Italian, and has studied Lady of Częstochowa in London of the Gospel. I am sure the parishioners of St. He readily acknowledges that he owes a great Russian, Latin and Spanish. from 1992-1993; St. Michael in Mary’s Parish are happy for him, even though deal to the Michaelite Fathers. His formation Leamington from 1993-1996; they will certainly miss their beloved pastor. as a priest and as a religious consecrated to Dąbrowski’s parents laid the St. Pius X (now Holy Family) in God through the vows of chastity, poverty and foundations for his life of faith. London from 1996-1997; and St. It was on January 31 that Pope Francis made the obedience has occurred within his community. Daily prayer was a priority and his Mary in London from 1997-1998. announcement of our new Auxiliary Bishop. Living in community with his brothers has family was very close: they prayed In 1998 he was named pastor of St. Bishop Dabrowski remarked that it was the been a life-giving experience for him. His care together, ate their meals together Mary’s Church in London. Feast Day of St. John Bosco, one of the saints not only for his Michaelite brothers but also and attended Sunday Mass together. to whom he has a special devotion. He knows for his brother priests in our diocese shows Although life at home in Poland was In 2013, he was appointed as the that popular piety plays an important role in how profoundly his life and ministry have been simple, the fact that the family was Superior of the North American the spiritual lives of his people, especially the shaped by his experience of community. together always made for joyous Vice-Province of the Congregation immigrants who have come to our parishes times, whether this involved playing of St. Michael the Archangel (the from other countries and traditions. It is an The special charism of the Michaelite Fathers with siblings, working hard on the Michaelites). expression of their faith and can help them is serving young people. In his appointments, family farm, or the devotion to interiorize their Bishop Dabrowski has reached out to the family prayer. faith and root it in children and the youth in his parishes. He takes their daily lives. time to visit families and the local Catholic Dąbrowski’s uncle, a Congratulations Whenever I have schools and invites them to be involved in their hardworking, faithful and visited St. Mary’s, I parish community. His love of the consecrated committed priest, is credited Bishop Dabrowski have been struck by life and the priesthood inspires the good with influencing the bishop- the many devotions work he has done in promoting and fostering elect’s call to the priesthood. In – to Divine Mercy, vocations among young people. addition, a Michaelite missionary From the Parish of North American Martyrs, the Blessed Virgin priest sparked Dąbrowski’s initial St. Michael’s, Dresden Mary, St. Joseph The Michaelite Fathers appointed him the first interest in serving the poor and & St. Paul’s, Thamesville and the saints – Superior of the newly established Vice-Province marginalized overseas, far from that contribute to of their congregation in North America. The his Polish home. this vibrant parish. appointment was a fitting recognition of his It is one of our parishes that has perpetual fine leadership abilities. He generously accepted After graduating from a high school Beyond his deep commitment to his Eucharistic Adoration. Bishop Dabrowski these new responsibilities, which added to administrated by the Michaelite parish and his religious community, appreciates that with good leadership these the heavy ones he already had as pastor of St. Fathers, he decided to enter the Bishop-elect Dąbrowski is well devotions can draw the faithful deeper into Mary’s. As Superior, he had a clear vision of the Michaelite religious order. After known across the diocese and has the Eucharist, the central mystery of our faith, direction his community needed to take as it completing his one year of Novitiate served on the Ministry to Priests and imbue them with a missionary spirit that looks to the future. The leadership experience and one year of Internship in committee, the Council of Priests, enables them to bear witness to the Lord in their that he has gained with the Michaelite Fathers Poland, he was selected to study the Cemetery Advisory Board, everyday lives. is a good foundation for his ministry as our in Italy, at the St. Peter Institute of and the Linguistic Communities Auxiliary Bishop. Philosophy and Theology in Viterbo. committee. In recent years, we have acknowledged that the He graduated from the Pontifical New Evangelization must be the focus of all Bishop Dabrowski’s warm and joyful Athenaeum of St. Anselm in Rome. Bishop-elect Dąbrowski enjoys of our diocesan activities. Bishop Dabrowski’s personality, his personal holiness and love of learning languages, travel, and international experience will be a blessing for consecrated life and the priesthood have been As a seminarian, he cherished the playing the guitar. His favorite sports us in carrying out this mission. He is from an inspiration to the clergy and lay people of our privilege of serving several Masses are volleyball, skiing, tennis, and Poland, did his theological studies in Italy and diocese. We are grateful to him for accepting with Pope (now Saint) John Paul soccer (he is a big fan of AS Roma). is fluent in Polish, Italian and English. He has this appointment as our Auxiliary Bishop and II. A few years later, he was deeply adapted well to the different cultures in which offer him our heartfelt congratulations and inspired as a result of meeting and he has lived and has a good understanding that support, promising him our prayers as he takes concelebrating Masses with the late on his new responsibilities. The Newspaper of the Diocese of London, Publisher: Diocese of London ISSN: 0831-9715 Editors: Mark Adkinson and established in 1980, is published quarterly in Publications Mail Agreement #: 41699033 March, June, September and December, Emma Moynihan with approximately 37,000 copies distributed Subscriptions 1070 Waterloo Street throughout nine counties in southwestern Ontario: $12/year.