Franciscan Friar Lives His Vocation Joyously

Friar Marek Stybor 

Friar Marek Stybor is the current leader of the San Damiano Youth Group at St. Stanislaus Basilica in Chicopee, Massachusetts. It is in his nature to bring joy and love to everything that he does.  As a youth leader, Friar Marek excites his parish’s young people about their faith and leads them on many interesting activities.

For many years Friar Marek had wanted to serve the vulnerable and actually moved to Kenya from his native Poland for this reason. In Kenya, he studied at Tangaza College where he completed a Baccalaureate degree in theology. In 1999 the Franciscan friar was ordained a priest and continued his missionary work in Kenya as well as Tanzania. Some of Friar Marek’s efforts included him leading retreats and working with vocation prospects to the Franciscans as well as postulants.

The San Damiano Youth Group at St. Stanislaus Basilica in Chicopee, Massachusetts

As the years went on Friar Marek continued his education (something that Franciscans have paid close attention to for centuries). After graduating with a baccalaureate in 1999 he went on to complete a certificate in Franciscan Formation and Spiritual Direction at the Franciscan Study Centre in Canterbury, England and a Master’s degree in Franciscan Studies at Olean, New York’s Franciscan Institute.

Today Friar Marek keeps busy organizing and leading activities that are not only fun for the young people of St. Stanislaus but also help them focus on their faith.

(Source of all related images: San Damiano Youth Group.)