By Will Shaw with Thanks to Fr. James Allen, OMI

On Saturday October 26, 2024, family, friends and Oblates came to the Church of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, IL to see the Most Rev. Michael McGovern, Bishop of the Diocese of Belleville, ordain Brother Mateusz Garstecki, OMI to the Diaconate.

In addition to local Oblates, more came in from around the country, including Very Rev. Raymond Cook, OMI, US Provincial, Fr. Antonio Ponce, OMI, Vicar-provincial of the US Province, Fr. Emmanuel Mulenga, OMI, Vicar-provincial of the US Province, Fr. Juan Gaspar, OMI, Formation Director, and Fr. Frank Santucci, OMI, Kusenberger Chair of Oblate Studies at Oblate School of Theology.

Bro. Mateusz’ family was also in attendance, including his parents, Mark and Barbara, brothers, and sister-in-law. Oblate Associates came to the event along with members of the parishes of St. Stephen’s in Caseyville, IL, and Holy Rosary in Fairmont City. Bro. Mateusz is spending his pastoral year working at those two parishes along with Oblate Fathers Harold Fisher (Pastor) and James Fee.

After the ordination everyone was invited to a special lunch at the Visitors Center of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows.

A Bit of Background on Deacon Mateusz Garstecki, OMI

Bro. Mateusz is 26 years old and is currently serving his pastoral year at St. Stephen’s and Holy Rosary parishes in Caseyville, IL and Fairmont City, IL, respectively. He has been serving at these parishes with Pastor, Fr. Harold Fisher, OMI, and Fr. James Fee, OMI, since August and will be working there till next May.

Bro. Mateusz grew up in a practicing Catholic family outside of Chicago. When he was in the fifth grade the family moved to San Antonio, Texas where the Missionary Oblates have numerous ministries. Bro. Mateusz remembers special trips during his childhood, ” About every other year my family traveled to Poland to visit relatives, so I connected strongly with my Polish and Catholic heritage when I was young.”

Bro. Mateusz began thoughtful consideration of a religious calling in high school. He was inspired by an aunt who spent years in Paraguay as a sister in the Society of the Divine Word. He is still in touch with her, and she has been encouraging his vocation.

Deacon Mateusz credits Fr. Charles Banks, OMI with introducing him to the Oblates, “The first time I met with Fr. Charlie he mentioned the Oblates were missionaries.  I felt that God was speaking to me through this because of my aunt’s work as a missionary sister in Paraguay.  The fact that the Oblates are missionaries really struck a chord deep inside of me.  I felt that God might be calling me to dedicate my life in service to the poor as a priest.  Later, I attended an Oblate “Come and See” program.  I was happy to explore this path that God was setting me on, and I applied to enter formation.” His Oblate formation began in 2016 and took him to the pre-novitiate in Buffalo, NY, the novitiate in Godfrey, IL, the scholasticate in San Antonio and the International Scholasticate in Rome.

Now in the pastoral year of his formation, he is collaborating with Fathers Harold Fisher and Jim Fee at St. Stephen’s, and Holy Rosary, he also works with an Internship Committee of local parishioners who will define his duties as a Deacon now that he has been ordained. He preached October 27, the Sunday after ordination and will celebrate his first Baptism shortly.

So far, he has been connecting with the various parish groups including the St. Vincent de Paul Society where he is seeing the needs in the parish and how St. Vincent de Paul responds to them. He has also been watching the Oblate Fathers as they counsel parishioners in sacramental needs like marriage and baptism, as well as with personal and spiritual issues. He has been participating in the different celebrations to see what he will be doing as a Deacon.

Bro. Mateusz says the Call to Charity is one of the specific works of a Deacon and he looks forward to serving in that capacity as well as counseling parishioners. He has been impressed with the close-knit faith communities at St. Stephen’s and Holy Rosary and how the people come together to help and support each other when needed. He recently saw the St. Ann’s Women’s Club put on a luncheon for a family of mourners and visitors at a funeral.

The faith communities at St. Stephen’s and Holy Rosary are multi-cultural with large Latino and Anglo communities. Bro. Mateusz, who speaks four languages, English, Spanish, Polish and Italian, is pleased with the diversity, he feels his time in Rome working and studying with people from diverse cultures with different languages will help him move from culture to culture more easily in his eventual life as a priest.

Deacon Mateusz is enjoying seeing how Fathers Harold and Jim bring the Gospel from academics to actual practice in making it relevant to their parishioners. He looks forward to using his extensive academic background to make the teachings of Jesus real and meaningful to the people in everyday situations.

He has a particular interest in pastoral ministry and would like to work in parishes, retreat ministry or a prison chaplaincy. (He hastens to add he will go wherever he is called by his Superiors.)