Fr. Roman Majek was born on October 23, 1953 in Podlasie, Poland, and grew up close to the Marian shrine in Koden nad Bugiem, which the Oblates administer. He entered the Oblates right after finishing elementary school.

From 1973-1979 Fr. Roman studied at the Oblate seminary in Obra. He completed his Master’s degree in Catholic social studies at the Papal School of Theology in Poznan. On June 16, 1979, he was ordained by Bishop Tadeusz Etter and began working among the hearing- and speech-impaired of Lubliniec (1979-1983). Later, Fr. Roman worked at St. Nicholas parish and St. Eugene de Mazenod parish in Kedzierzyn-Kozle (1983-1987).

He arrived in Canada in 1987. From 1987-1990 he was pastoral assistant at St. Casimir’s parish in Toronto, where he also taught Polish school. He later served as pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul parish in Welland, ON (1990-1993) and St. Casimir’s parish in Vancouver, BC (1993-1999). Since 1999, he was pastor of Holy Rosary parish in Edmonton. In 1999 Fr. Roman was awarded a golden cross for his work for the good of the Polish-Canadian community. Since September 2011 till the present moment Fr. Roman serves as pastor of Our Lady Queen of Poland Parish in Edmonton, Alberta.

Sports, reading and fishing are Fr. Majek’s favourite pastimes.

Born on May 30, 1931 in Skrbensk, Poland, as the third of five children of Wiktor and Anna. Fr. Marek Czyzycki attended high school in Rybnik. Following this, he entered the Oblate juniorate in Lubliniec, Poland.

During his studies at the Oblate scholasticate in Obra, Fr. Marek sang in a choir and performed in a symphonic orchestra. He was ordained a priest at the hands of Archbishop Walenty Dymek on June 26, 1955. His last year of studies, as a young priest, took place in Lubliniec.

Fr. Marek’s first obedience was to the Oblate parish in Katowice. His missionary obediences included Gorzow Wielkopolski, Laskowice Pomorskie, Ilawa, Wroclaw, Poznan, Kedzierzyn-Kozle and, in 1993, again Katowice.

From 1980-1985, he completed higher theological studies at the Catholic Theological Academy in Warsaw, specializing in missiology. He earned a Master’s degree in theology, having completed his thesis on the missionary work of the Church based on the new Canon Law. He published many articles in “Misyjne Drogi” and wrote for two years in the “Homiletic Library” on the subject of the Pope’s mission intentions.

From 1979 onwards, Fr. Marek frequently travelled abroad, serving in France, Belgium, Austria and Germany. In 1982 he travelled to Canada to preach Lenten retreats in Polish Oblate parishes across the country. In 1995 he was sent to work in Canada. His obediences included an Oblate parish in Toronto and then in St. Catharines, and in 1997, St. Casimir’s Parish in Vancouver.

Fr. Marek has no interest whatsoever in watching television. Rather, he enjoys reading and writing poetry, much of which has been published over the years. Other hobbies include fishing, mushroom picking, collecting wild flowers and plants to make incense, and making mini rosaries containing miraculous medals, which he readily hands out.