New England Province » Marek Sobczak

Easter Message from the Provincial of New England Province.

Toma — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 06:15:58 +0000

In the editorial of the current Provincial’s Newsletter we can read that the Resurrection is the crowning truth of the Christian Faith, with all basic doctrines founded on this truth and serving as the central theme of apostolic preaching. Easter guarantees our own resurrection and signifies a participation in the death and Resurrection of Christ through the Holy Spirit. Please, read the full reflection.

[Newsletter No. 3/24] Dear Confreres! When Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York was asked in an interview who the most influential person in his life is, he answered, without hesitation, “Jesus Christ, of course.” A bit perplexed, the reporter clarified, “I meant someone who is alive.” To which the Cardinal answered, with all the surety of not merely belief but first-hand experience, “You know? Jesus IS alive!” (Fr. Bill Nicholas).

Easter is the greatest and the most important feast in the Church. It marks the birthday of our eternal hope. The Resurrection of Christ is the basis of our Christian Faith, for it proves that Jesus is God. That is why St. Paul writes: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain; and your Faith is in vain. And if Christ has not been raised, then your Faith is a delusion, and you are still lost in your sins… But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (I Cor 15:14, 17, 20).

In the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC #638): “The Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our Faith in Christ, a Faith believed and lived as the central truth by the first Christian community; handed on as fundamental by Tradition; established by the documents of the New Testament; and preached as an essential part of the Paschal mystery along with the cross…”

All the basic doctrines of Christianity are founded on the truth of the Resurrection. “Jesus is Lord; He is risen!” (Rom 10:9) was the central theme of the kerygma (or “preaching”), of the apostles.

Easter is the guarantee of our own resurrection. Jesus assured Martha at the tomb of Lazarus: “I am the Resurrection and the Life; whoever believes in Me will live even though he dies” (Jn 11:25-26). Christ will raise us up on the last day, but it is also true, in a sense, that we have already risen with Christ. By virtue of the Holy Spirit, our Christian life is already a participation in the death and Resurrection of Christ (CCC #1002, #1003).

The real proof of Christ’s Resurrection is not the empty tomb but the lives of believers filled with His Spirit, then and today! The initial disbelief of Jesus’ own disciples in his Resurrection, despite his repeated apparitions, is a strong proof of his Resurrection. It explains why the apostles started preaching the Risen Christ only after receiving the anointing of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

Easter, the feast of the Resurrection, gives us the joyful message that we are a “Resurrection people.” We are expected to live a joyful and peaceful life, constantly experiencing the real Presence of the Risen Lord in all the events of our lives. “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad” (Ps 118:24).

For true Christians, especially priests, every day must be an Easter Day, lived joyfully in the close company of the Risen Lord. We are called to be transparent Christians, showing others, through our lives of love, mercy, compassion, and self-sacrificing service, that the Risen Jesus is living in our hearts. We need to live new, disciplined lives in the Risen Jesus.

“Faith is not an album of past memories; Jesus is not outdated. He is alive here and now” (Pope Francis) Father Basil Pennington, a Catholic monk, tells of an encounter he once had with a teacher of Zen. Pennington was at a retreat. Each person met privately with this Zen teacher as part of the retreat. Pennington says that at his meeting, the Zen teacher sat there before him, smiling from ear to ear and rocking gleefully back and forth. Finally, the teacher said: “I like Christianity. But I would not like Christianity without the Resurrection. I want to see your Resurrection!” Pennington notes, “With his directness, the teacher was saying what everyone else implicitly says to Christians: “You are a Christian. You are risen with Christ. Show me (what this means for you in your life), and I will believe.” (sermon archive, Marilyn Omernick)

That is how people know if the Resurrection is true or not: does it affect how we live?

Let us always be bearers of the Good News of Resurrection power. Happy Easter!

Rev. Marek Sobczak CM

This story was first published in the Provincial's Newsletter March 2024
edition which you can find in our Library along with all previous Newsletters.

Celebrating fraternity in our Greenpoint communities on Maundy Thursday, the Priests’ Day

Toma — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 21:00:16 +0000

[Newsletter No. 3/24] It was a blessed and joyous occasion to come together with our fellow priests from Greenpoint parishes on Maundy Thursday. The joint midday prayer at the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius was a beautiful reminder of our unity and brotherhood in our calling.

The festive lunch celebrating Priests’ Day was a heartwarming gesture. The Superior of the House, Father Eugene Kotlinski, shared his kind words, Easter wishes, and blessings with us. Then greetings, wishes, and the Blessing from Superior General Father Tomaž Mavrič were conveyed by Father Rafal Kopystynski, Assistant General, who came from Rome to participate in the liturgies of Holy Week and to help the priests fulfill their liturgical and sacramental duties at St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish.

This story was first published in the Provincial's Newsletter March 2024
edition which you can find in our Library along with all previous Newsletters.

Election of the next Provincial superior confirmed

Toma — Sun, 17 Apr 2022 22:19:07 +0000

In recent weeks the community of New England Province has got through the process of electing the next provincial superior. After more than one round of voting by all Provincial Confreres, the winner was elected. At the beginning of the Holy Week the result has just been approved by the Superior General and his Council. And yesterday, April 16, 2022 the confirmation was officially announced.

The next Provincial (Visitor) of the New England Province will be Father Marek Sobczak, C.M, presently vicar in St. Michael’s parish in Derby, Connecticut. In June 2021, being a pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka parish, Greenpoint, Brooklyn, N.Y. he celebrated 40th priesthood anniversary and 35th years of ministry in the United States of America.

More to read about next Provincial of New England HERE

The Statues of the Congregation of the Mission revised by the last General Assembly in 2016 state, that “the Superior General, with the consent of his Council, names the Visitor for no less than three years, after having consulted at least those members of the Province that have active voice. In the same way, the Visitor can be confirmed one or more times, according to the provincial norms in force in the province, but for no more than nine consecutive years”(S68 § 1.) “The confirmation of the Superior General with the consent of his Council is required.”(S68 § 4.).

According to this regulation Fr. Tomaž Mavrič, C.M., the Superior general, has sent the official confirmation of the election of next Provincial to Fr. Rafal Kopystynski, C.M., Chair of the Election Board. In his letter of April 16, 2022 we read:

“Dear Fr. Rafał,
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us always!

On April 13 we reviewed in the Ordinary Council Meeting the letter sent by the Board of Electors of the New England Province. We have confirmed the election of Fr. Marek Sobczak as the next visitor of the New England Province. I have personally spoken with him and he has accepted. The Installation will proceed as usual on September 27, 2022.

Please inform the Province of this confirmation and of my heartfelt thanks to Fr. Marek Sadowski for his leadership of the Province of New England for these last six years.

Fraternally in St. Vincent,

Tomaž Mavrič, C.M.
Superior General

Father Sobczak will inaugurate his term of office on September 27, 2022. It is tradition in our Province that Provincial take their office on the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul.

Fr. Marek will be the ninth head of the New England Province since it was erected in April 1975.

PROVINCIAL SUPERIORS

OF THE NEW ENGLAND PROVINCE

1975 – 1975 Rev. Henry Sawicki, C.M.

1975 – 1981 Rev. Julian Szumilo, C.M.

1981 – 1987 Rev. Waclaw Hlond, C.M.

1987 – 1996 Rev. Chester Mrowka, C.M.

1996 – 2005 Rev. John Sledziona, C.M.

2005 – 2007 Rev. Roman Gorowski, C.M.

2007 – 2016 Rev. Rafal Kopystynski, C.M.

2016 – 2022 Rev. Marek Sadowski, C.M.

September 27, 2022 – Rev. Marek Sobczak, C.M.