HomeSeminaryMeet Our Seminarians > Piotr Sliwa

            I was born in 1975 in Gorlice, Poland.  I grew up in a very traditional Catholic family.  My parents are very faithful Catholics and I received my faith from them.  I have two brothers, Stanislaw and Rafael.  Every Sunday I participated in the Eucharist with my parents and brothers.  When I was ten years old, I became an altar boy.  It was a wonderful experience for me.  I was so happy that I could be very close to God through my ministry.  In addition to my ministry on Sunday, I served as altar boy during the week.  Being an altar boy made me realize how great my ministry was.  At that time, I had my first thoughts about priesthood.           In 1989, I graduated from middle school and entered high school.  I helped my parents at the farm as much as I could.  After graduating high school, I worked my parents' farm but I knew that I had to make a decision regarding my future.  I read the Bible and prayed much, asking for God's guidance.

          Finally, I decided the enter seminary.  In 1995, I entered the novitiate of Marian Fathers Order in Warsaw, Poland.  After I went through novitiate, I was accepted to the Major Seminary of Marian Orders in Lublin and became a student of the Catholic University in Lublin.  The condition of my parents got worse; particularly my father's physical health.  My two brothers left home for different parts of Poland looking for work.  I realized that my parents desperately needed help.  It was not an easy decision for me to make but I decided to go back home to take care of my parents.

          The time I spent in the formation program in the Order of the Marian Fathers was fruitful.  It was a time during which I was able to develop my relationship with God.  The formation program was very intensive; daily prayer, meditation, daily Eucharist, study, work, relax and retreat for all seminarians.  The desire to become a priest was very strong in my heart.  God placed many great priests in my life and my vocation to the priesthood deepened through their example.  I always trusted in God, hoping that if God wants me to become a priest, He will never leave me alone.  I thank God for the gift of vocation to the priesthood in my daily prayers.  The power of prayer has had a tremendous impact on my life and my closeness to God.  I can do nothing without God's help.

          In 2005, I decided to come to the United States of America to continue by studies to the priesthood.  I am presently a student at Christ the King Seminary in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York.  My desire is to read God's will and be prepared to be a good priest for the people of the Diocese of Buffalo.