Parish Pastor
Father Alfred Grzempa, OMI
Father Alfred Grzempa was born on May 31, 1964 in Chojnice, located in the south-west of the Pomorskie province in Poland. The region from which his family hails is one of the most picturesque parts of Poland. His childhood dream was to be a train operator – and he was working towards that goal at the trade school in Chojnice.
In his third year of studies, however, young Alfred heard in his heart the call to religious life and envisioned himself as a missionary working among the people of the developing world. He studied at the Oblate Juniorate from 1982 to 1985, when he immediately entered the novitiate at Swiety Krzyz, and then went on to the Oblate Scholasticate in Obra. In 1992, Bishop Zdzislaw Fortuniak ordained him as a priest.
Father Alfred was now ready for missionary work. His first assignment from his superiors was in Poznan, where he served for eight years: the first two he spent as a missionary preaching parish retreats across Poland, and for the remaining six he worked for the “Misyjne Drogi” magazine.
In October 2000, Father Alfred came to Canada. He served the community and learned English in Surrey, B.C., and later Melville, Saskatchewan. In 2002, Father Alfred became a pastoral associate at St. Eugene de Mazenod Mission in Brampton, until August 2005, when he was named pastor of St. Casimir’s Church in Toronto. Since then, Father Alfred has been a pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in St. Catharines (from 2008 to 2014) and Holy Ghost parish in Winnipeg (from 2014 to 2017).
Father Alfred is the youngest of four children in his family. His two brothers and one sister continue to live in Chojnice, Poland. His parents passed away, not having had the chance to see their son ordained. His favourite hobbies include reading about the lives of the saints, geography, as well as learning about and experiencing other cultures.
On April 26, 2017, Father Alfred Grzempa OMI was appointed Provincial of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in the Assumption Province. After the end of the provincial ministry, Father Alfred, on September 1, 2023, assumes the duties of the Pastor of the parish of St. Casimir in Vancouver.
Missionary Sisters for the Polish Diaspora Abroad
Sister Renata Bochenek, MChR
Sister Renata Bochenek MChR was born on June 9, 1968, in Sędziszów Małopolski. She has three brothers and one sister and is the youngest of five siblings. In 1989, after graduating from Teacher Training College in Łańcut, she joined the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters and began her postulancy in Ziębice. After completing a two-year novitiate in Poznań-Morasko, she professed her first vows and began working as a catechist at the Parish of Our Lady of Częstochowa in Poznań-Naramowice. Simultaneously, she studied Catechism at the Pontifical Faculty of Theology in Poznań.
In 1996, Renata was assigned to work among the Polish diaspora in the USA. For nearly 20 years, she worked in Chicago in the parishes of St. Ferdinand, St. Blaise, and Holy Trinity as a catechist, preschool teacher, and secretary. In 1998, she made her perpetual profession. In 2004, she founded St. Blaise Polish Catholic Saturday School and directed it for four years. During this time, she also studied Early Childhood Education at Triton College.
After completing this program, she pursued a master's degree at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. She earned a BA in Early Childhood Education and an MA in Bilingual/Bicultural Education. In 2013, she founded the Good Shepherd Catholic Preschool in Lombard, a suburb of Chicago, and directed it for two years.
In the year of the 25th anniversary of her religious life, Sister Renata went to Poland for a year of spiritual renewal and spent several months at the House of Prayer in Poznań and for spiritual formation with the Salvatorian Fathers in Trzebinia. Since 2016, she has been working at the parish of St. Casimir in Vancouver as a kindergarten teacher and a catechist at the Polish school.
Sister Renata enjoys mountain hikes and forest walks. In her free time, she enjoys reading, good music, and religious poetry.
Sister Wiesława Jamrozik, MChR
Permanent Diaconate
Archdiocese of Vancouver
Deacon Richard Podgurski
Deacon Richard Podgurski holds a special place in the history of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, recently ordained as a permanent deacon from its inaugural diaconate program. Ordained alongside fifteen of his brothers on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception at Holy Rosary Cathedral, Deacon Richard’s ordination is the joyful culmination of a lifelong, patient calling.
Born in Worochta, Poland, near Lviv, Ukraine, Deacon Richard’s journey to the altar began decades ago. Arriving in Canada at the age of 17, he initially felt God’s call during his high school years and even briefly attended seminary in Michigan. However, the transition to a new country at a young age proved overwhelming. He relocated to Vancouver in 1970 and embarked on a dynamic and varied professional life. Over the years, he has built a diverse resume spanning retail, import/export, financial advising, and land development, eventually establishing himself as a successful mortgage broker and realtor. Yet, the desire to serve the Church in a deeper capacity never left his heart.
When the Archdiocese introduced its new permanent diaconate program, it offered the perfect avenue for the 65-year-old to finally answer that lingering call. As part of the pioneering first class, Deacon Richard navigated a brand-new, evolving curriculum. The four-year journey of study and aspirancy was characterized not only by deep spiritual growth but by the profound bonds forged with his fellow candidates. He describes the fellowship and brotherhood of his cohort as something entirely unique and deeply enriching.
Guided throughout this transformative process by his parish priest and spiritual director, Father Gary Franken, Deacon Richard has emerged with a profound sense of purpose. Father Franken noted that witnessing Richard's excitement and willingness to serve the bishop has been a tremendous privilege.
Today, Deacon Richard steps into his ministry with a renewed, unshakeable confidence in his faith. Describing his formation as an "incredibly joyful journey," he is eager to serve his community and passionately encourages any man feeling even a small inclination toward the diaconate to seriously discern the path.