RIP: 8/09/2024 - Mikołów

Fr. Joachim Strzelecki  was born on 6 April 1936 in Chorzów, Upper Silesia. His childhood period coincided with the difficult time of the Second World War. From 1944 to 1950, Joachim attended primary school in his hometown. In 1950 he continued his studies at the Salvatorian Minor Seminary in Mikolow. Unfortunately, after two years he was forced to interrupt his studies there due to the closure of the school by the communist authorities of the Polish People’s Republic. After completing the canonical period of novitiate, he took his first religious vows as a Salvatorian in Bagno on 8 September 1953. He studied philosophy and theology at the newly established Salvatorian Seminary in Bagno from 1953 to 1960. He was ordained priest on 29 June 1960 in Bagno. Fr. Joachim carried out his pastoral activity in different areas of Poland as a catechist, musician, youth minister, chaplain and parish priest. Despite various health problems, he always maintained his deep commitment as a Salvatorian, with a strong desire to serve to the best of his ability the people entrusted to his care. Within the religious community he served in different places as local superior and treasurer. For the last stage of his apostolic activity, after years of a demanding ministry as parish priest, builder and chaplain in Węgorzewo, Fr. Joachim was sent to Trzebinia from August 2002. In January 2024, due to his deteriorating health, Fr. Joachim was transferred to the Salwator Park nursing home in Mikolow, where he concluded his earthly pilgrimage at the age of 88 on a special day, 8 September 2024, the 106th anniversary of the death of Blessed Francis Jordan and the 71st anniversary of Fr. Joachim’s religious profession.