Father Roman Gorowski CM, (1945 – 2013) R.I.P.

In the evening, Friday, October 25, 2013 Fr. ROMAN GOROWSKI, C.M. died at DePaul Provincial Residence, Manchester, CT, in the age of 68, 41 years in priesthood and 47 year in vocation.

• Wake services will be held on Wednesday, October 30, 2013 from 5 – 8 PM at  St. Michael’s Church, Derby, CT.
• His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, October 31, 2013 at  11 AM at St. Michael’s Church, Derby, CT. 
• Burial will take place in his hometown of Tarnow, Poland, on Thursday, November 7, 2013. Funeral Mass with Lauds will be celebrated in the Vincentian church of Holy Family in Tarnów at 11AM local time (5 AM EST)  followed by interment  in the Vincentian Fathers tomb.
  
• A Special Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, November 2, 2013 at 11 AM at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY.
• Memorial Mass also will celebrated in English on Thursday, October 31, 2013 at 7PM at St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Church, New Haven, CT

He was was born in Tarnow, Poland on July 2, 1945. He entered Congregation of the Mission in the Province of Poland November 3, 1966. He took his vows December 20, 1970 and  was ordained priest June 17, 1972 in Krakow, Poland by Bishop Albin Małysiak CM.

St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Bydgoszcz was his first assignment. There  he succeeded Father Joseph Mietelski as director of the “schola” singers and gave religion classes. In 1974 moved to St. Michael, the Archangel Parish in Grodkow, Poland (diocese of Opole).

In 1976 he arrived to the United States and was assigned to Provincial House in West Hartford, CT at the beginning. First he studied English at Temple University, Philadelphia and from 1977 to 1982 was a parish vicar at St. Stanislaus B&M Parish, New Haven, CT.
1982 – 1986 Father was Director of the St. Michael’s Parish School in Derby, CT.  There he organized afternoon classes for Polish-Americans to learn Polish (40 in three groups), and introduced traditional Polish Christmas play  known as “Jaselka”.

After two years spent on assignment back to Poland, first as vicar in St. Lawrence Parish in Gozdnica, 1986-1987, (10 miles from Polish-German border, diocese of  Zielona Gora – Gorzow) and in 1987-1989 was assigned to Provincial House at Stradom, Krakow as Assistant. Then, in 1989  he returned to New England Province to become parish vicar (1989), Superior of the Vincentian Community House (1991) and Pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, Brooklyn, NY (1992).  When Father took over as Pastor there were still some repairs not completed during Father Staniszewski’s Pastorship. Once they were out of the way, Father Gorowski undertook an extensive restoration of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in preparation for the many celebrations to be held in connection with the Parish’s 100th Anniversary. Fr. Roman Gorowski painstakingly reviewed all suggested plans and encouraged parish members to voice their opinion. Work was completed in the Summer of 1994. He restored the parish choir and significantly increased number of altar servers.

In 2005 he succeeded Fr. John Sledziona CM as Provincial of New England Province. In 2007, due to health problems he was replaced in the office by Fr. Rafal Kopystynski CM and first assigned to St. Stanislaus Kostka parish in Brooklyn (2007-2008) and than  assigned to St. Michael’s Parish, Derby, CT as pastor and superior.

His deteriorating health didn’t allow him to continue his ministry since the beginning of 2013.. Recent months he stayed at DePaul Provincial House, Manchester, CT, where he died he died in the evening of October 25.

Eternal rest give him o Lord.

Tekst w języku polskim jest dostępny w witrynie FAMVIN.ORG/PL