Polish priest Fr Pawel (Paul) Czoch was welcomed to the diocese of St John’s-Basseterre, Antigua and Barbuda at an October 4 Mass at St Gerard’s church. During the installation ceremony, Fr Czoch was given the keys to the church and presbytery. Concelebrating the Mass was Fr George Williams, permanent delegate for the bishop responsible for the diocese, Bishop Gabriel Malzaire of the diocese of Roseau, Dominica. A bishop has not been appointed to the St John’s diocese to replace Archbishop Donald Reece, who was appointed to head the archdiocese of Kingston, Jamaica.

In his remarks to the congregation, which included members of the Diocesan Youth and Catechetical Ministry, Fr Williams referred to Fr Czoch’s training in cross-cultural issues. He asked the parish council and parishioners to support the changes and initiatives which Fr Paul may seek to institute.

“Each priest has a different style and brings a different set of gifts and talents to his work to build God’s Kingdom. I trust that Fr Paul will be given your full support and that the Catholic Church in Anguilla will grow from strength to strength,” Fr Williams said.

Fr Czoch was called to the priesthood in 1994. He is fluent in several languages including Spanish and French, and has studied and served in such places as Montreal, Canada, and Togo, West Africa.

While he is not entirely new to Anguilla, having visited briefly in 1996, Fr Czoch expressed his pleasure at being assigned for a three-year term.

“I feel truly blessed to have been given this opportunity to serve the Catholic community in Anguilla, and I also look forward to working closely with not only parishioners, but also to collaborate with other religious leaders on the island, as the opportunities present themselves.”

He said among his immediate plans is working with the parish council to prepare for the meeting of diocesan clergy of the Province of Castries. The meeting will be held for the first time in Anguilla, which has a population of around 8,000 people.