From Poland, with love

PULASKI — The Rev. Jozef Mucha stood at the altar of his church earlier this month holding a "LOW SHOULDER" road sign.

(He didn't steal it, he found it in the garage of a church in Pulaski.)

He said the sign represents obstacles in our lives. Father Mucha (pronounced MOO-ha) used this bright orange sign to illustrate part of his homily — preparing the way during Advent season.

The administrator for Christ Our Light Church, 23 Niagara St., Father Mucha said he is a typical Polish priest, referring to the way he follows the traditional ways of the Roman Catholic Church. He strongly believes in confession and encourages regular prayer and meditation.

"I see long lines for Holy Communion and short lines to confession," he said. "Some people don't realize you can't go to Communion in a state of mortal sin."

Father Mucha said he is trying to revive Eucharistic devotion and the sacrament of reconciliation at Christ Our Light Church. He is typical in every sense of the way a Polish priest is, but he is far from typical in his life outside the parish.

He owns and drives a Honda cruiser motorcycle, he is a semi-professional photographer and his second calling in life is cooking. But the Rev. Mucha said his most important contribution to the Pulaski parish is his presence.

He is one of three Polish priests who came to the Syracuse Diocese in 2007 on the wing of then-Bishop James Moynihan, as a way to help America with its shortage of clerics.

"Bishop Moynihan came to Poland and he asked for new priests," Father Mucha said. "I just answered his asking and just came."

The village of Pulaski was named after someone who just came as well. Gen. Casimir Pulaski, a member of Polish nobility, was outlawed by the Russians because of his belief for Polish freedom. He came to America, teamed up with George Washington and eventually became head of the American Cavalry when it was established.

So far, Father Mucha has served at three different parishes in the Diocese of Syracuse and he was surprised when the bishop appointed him administrator of Christ Our Light Church. He said the appointment was the moving of the Holy Spirit.

"I've always been an open-hearted guy," Father Mucha said. "When you are open, I believe God leads you the straight way and this is the way in my life. Thy will be done."

Father Mucha, 34, was born in Kolbuszowa, Poland. For the first 15 years of his life, Poland was under the influence of a communist government.

"We had no true freedoms," he said. "Everything was under the control of communists."

People had government-appointed jobs, such as painting the grass green for the arrival of government officials. There was a mandated curfew of 10 p.m. and there were ration cards.

"These cards allowed you a pound of meat, a pound of sugar, a pound of something," he said.

As a child living under communism, Father Mucha was able to maintain the childhood innocence that blocks out the evil of such a serious situation. He said it wasn't a scary time for him, as much as it was for others. He remembers the attempts to end communism.

Pope John Paul II made pilgrimages to Poland on three different occasions during Communism. Father Mucha said messages were always aimed toward young people and always emphasized practicing and strengthening faith. The messages were clear and the example of Polish priests indelible he said.

"There was some persecution, priests died martyrs because they weren't afraid of the government," Father Mucha said. "They preached the truth, Jesus's Gospel and they were persecuted."

The government would hand out oranges to people in Poland around Christmas. Spain had oranges, so did Greece.

"But where do you think they got the oranges from? Cuba. Another communist country," Father Mucha said.

In his homily the first weekend of Advent, Father Mucha pulled out an orange and described his year-long wait for the fruit when he was a kid in Poland. "Do you know how sweet that orange tasted to me?" he asked, adding that prayer and preparation during Advent would lead to a more fulfilling Christmas.

Advent is the four weeks before Christmas used by the faithful in preparation for the feast of the Nativity of Our Lord.

In his free time, Father Mucha also enjoys fishing and the north country provides ample opportunity for this hobby. He catches salmon, but that season has ended.

"Ice fishing? I never tried it but maybe," he said. "In the parish there are some fish guides so they could show me maybe."

He doesn't follow many American sports. He said he isn't too familiar with baseball or football, "American" football he clarified. He said he prefers to watch European football, soccer, and likes to swim and play racquetball.

The transplanted priest wasn't a complete stranger to America before he moved here in 2007. He spent vacations here, visiting his two sisters. One lives in Toronto, the other in New Jersey. He said he plans to get together with his family this Christmas season but there is a great deal of traveling involved, even though Pulaski falls roughly in the middle from where both sisters live.

Father Mucha's mother still lives in Przedborz, Poland, and he said he misses her but it was always her dream for her son to become a priest.

He doesn't have a favorite American movie but he remembers watching Western movies as a child. Mariah Carey is his favorite singer and he said he prefers that type of music.

He can appreciate freedoms more than many Americans because he saw first-hand what it takes for a country to become free.

"It cost us a lot, but it was worth it," Father Mucha said. "This transformation time was really tough, but slowly, step by step, people started to think for themselves and started to live a different life."

A different life is what Father Mucha got when he came to America two years ago. And in the next few months he will have to make a choice: stay or leave.

"My permission will expire here," he said. "I started praying because I believe this will be God's voice to tell me that I should stay here, maybe forever, or go back to Poland, where my original place is."

Whatever his choice, he'll have signs to guide him, but he'll follow the one that's divine.