St. Barbara welcomes you as Associate Pastor

I would like to introduce myself. I am Fr. Andrzej Beltowski and I have been a priest for twenty years.  I was ordained in Poland in Kielce and worked in Poland for seven years, and then decided to go on missionary work in Jamaica, where I labored for three years. While there, I built their church and their rectory and a small clinic and established a new parish.

I then moved to the United States to work as a chaplain at Alexian Brothers Hospital in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.  After three years I decided to be incardinated into the Archdiocese of Chicago. My first assignment was at Our Lady of Loretto in Hometown, not far from here.  My second assignment was St. Theresa in Palatine where I have been the last two years. 

And now, I come to serve you at St. Barbara.  I hope to get to know you all and that we will be happy working together in our service to our Lord and each other.

Fr. Andrzej Beltowski

(reprinted from July 4, 2010 bulletin)

Dear People of St. Barbara,

I have good news to share that St. Barbara has been assigned a new associate pastor.  Fr. Andrzej (Andrew) Beltowski will be coming to St. Barbara July 1.  Fr. Andrzej was born and ordained in Poland.  He comes to St. Barbara as an extern priest, who is seeking to be incarnated, i.e. to become a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago.  Before this happens, the Archdiocese requires that that he has several parish assignments in order to experience ministry as a priest in Chicago.  We should be honored that the Archdiocese views St. Barbara as a good parish for Fr. Andrzej to further his experience as a parish priest.

While a priest for less years than myself, Fr. Andrzej has had some rich experiences.  Fr. Andrzej has been a missionary, founding a parish in Jamaica, a hospital Champlain at Alexian Brothers Medical Center, and a parish priest at Our Lady of Loretto in Hometown and St. Theresa in Palantine.

Fr. Andrzej has personally experienced the cross of sickness in his own life, having suffered a stroke several years ago. He knows the effort therapy requires and the power of the grace of the Holy Spirit helping him recover. Though his native language is Polish, he speaks English very well.  He comes with the recommendation of Fr. Jerry Boland, who oversees placement of extern priests from other countries.  It was because of Fr. Boland that Fr. Francis Li was assigned to St. Barbara.  With the shortage of priests, it’s a real blessing for St. Barbara to have a second priest, and we should be very grateful and supportive. I look forward to sharing priestly ministry with him.

Yours in Christ,
Fr. Dennis Ziomek

(Reprinted from June 27, 2010 Bulletin)