Fr. Jozef Maciolek
Jozef Maciolek was born on the 26th of March 1955 in Szamocin, Poland second last child in the family of seven. From early age he was an altar boy at the home parish. He attended Primary school in Szamocin and High School in Chodziez. During high school years he developed skills in photography (set up his own dark room for developing photos) and entertainment (was a member of Cabaret group). When his sister Irene fell in love with Mietek (her future husband) he got to know SVD because Mietek’s uncle is an SVD Priest. On the 5th of September 1974 he joined the Society of the Divine Word in Pieniezno, Poland. He attended Novitiate together with Fr. Zdzislaw Mlak. During seminary years he was one of the announcers of the seminary radio entertainment programs. He professed his final vows on the 8th of September 1980 and was ordained priest on 26th April 1981 in Pieniezno, Poland.
On the 24th August 1981 he went to Ireland to study English. There he got to know Fr. Mike Langan, Fr. Philim Jordan, Fr. Pat Hogan, future PNG missionaries. On the 11th November 1982 he arrived in PNG and was sent to Wewak. He learned Pidgin with Sacred Heart Brother at Boys town and was introduced to mission life by Fr. Roger Schroeder at Kaugia. He took over that parish the following year and worked there till 1991 (In 1989 moved to Kuningini and together with other confreres looked after the whole Wosara from there. During provincial visitation Fr. Francesco Sarego invited him to work in Formation. In the year 1991 he went again to Ireland, this time for nine months course for Spiritual Renewal at Blackrock in Dublin.
In July 1992 he came back to PNG and was appointed Novice Master at SVD Formation Centre in Rabiamul and prepared the last batch of SVD novices in PNG for their first vows (among them was Fr. Samuel Kokut). At that time Provincial Council decided to move Novitiate program in time until after religious studies, and in February 1993 he was appointed Rector of Divine Word College to succeed from Fr. Victor D’Sa. Fr. Romeo Yadao, seminarian at DWC those days, introduced him to the first PC computer. In July 1994 he took part in General Chapter at Nemi as elected member of PNG Province. In the year 1995 Provincal Council decided to have Novitiate program in the Philippines. Fr. Elmer Elsbernd asked him to go to Calapan with the first batch of novices from PNG; Martin Goi and Robert Laka. He was incorporated to PHC province for three years and appointed Assistant Novice Master there. In the last batch of novices he worked with in 1999 were Fr. Elias Aiyako, Fr. Andrew Neansugel and Fr. Romel Porillo. In June 1999 he went for home leave and attended Nemi Renewal Course.
In April 2000 he arrived back in PNG, and was appointed to DWC Bomana as a Spiritual Director, right after the new building was finished. In the year 2001 he was appointed acting Rector of DWC and from the year 2002 till the end of 2007 he was appointed Rector of DWC Bomana. In the year 2008 he took sabbatical year, spent some time in Ireland and worked on mission awareness appeals with Fr. Liam Dunn. He also went to Skt. Augustine for three months German language course. He came back to PNG in April 2009 and was appointed Rector of SVD Central House till the end of 2010. When Fr. Mario Rasonabe left for home leave and Rome he worked also as an acting secretary of the province. At the beginning of 2011 he was appointed to the position of Superior Delegatus and moved to SVD House in Port Moresby, where he works till today in cooperation with Brother Raj Kullu, among other activities, welcoming and fare welling those travelling to and from Port Moresby.
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