Rev. Marian Zalecki (1935 - 2006)
Pauline Father

[Zalecki picture]

From: Polish American Journal, December 2006

Fr. Marian Zalecki, OSPPE

Fr. Marian Zalecki, a Pauline priest at Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine in Doylestown, PA, died on Monday, September 18th, 2006, at 7:25 a.m. at the shrine monastery, after a year-long illness. He was 71 years old.

Born in the village of Wola Wrzeszczerwska, in the Province of Radom, Poland on December 18, 1935, Fr. Marian attended seminary in Krakow and was ordained a priest in the Pauline Order in Czestochowa, Poland. He came to America in 1966, the year the American National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa was built. In his 44 years as a priest, Fr. Marian spent the past 40 years preaching at the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, PA.

Fr. Marian was a dedicated priest and a champion of the pro-life cause. He served pilgrims to the shrine and was particularly dedicated to the youth. His deep love for the Blessed Mother was paramount in his daily life and works. He often served mass for area home schoolers and organized the annual home school graduation ceremonies at the shrine. Father Marian was loved greatly by all who knew him, and he will be missed.

Fr. Marian was one of seven children of Helena and John Zalecki (both deceased). He has two deceased siblings - a brother, Anthony Zalecki, and a sister, Anna (Sr. Scholastica, a nun of The Sisters of Vestiarki in Poland). He has four living siblings - a sister, Natalia (Sr. Humiliana, a nun of the Sisters of Honoratki, in Poland), a sister, Helena Yockey from Media, PA, a brother Joseph Zalecki from Czestochowa, Poland, and a brother, Frank Zalecki from Philadelphia, PA. He is also survived by 7 nieces and 3 nephews.

From: Obituary (2006)