Fr. Lukasz Misko, O.P. looks forward to serving his new community at U of U Newman Center

Friday, Jun. 19, 2015

SALT LAKE CITY — His name, Lukasz (pronounced Loo-kash), is Polish, and Poland is where he was born and raised. 

However, as of July 1, Dominican Father Lukasz Misko will become the new pastor of Saint Catherine of Siena Newman Center in Salt Lake City. He will be taking the place of Dominican Father Carl Schlichte, who was reassigned by the Western Dominican Province to Saint Mary Magdalen Parish in Berkeley, Calif.  

Fr. Lukasz said that he fell in love with the richness of Christian traditions while exploring the past of his hometown Przemysl, which is a 1,000-year-old city that is home to more than a dozen churches, abbeys, monasteries, and a seat of two archbishops: Roman Catholic and Byzantine Catholic.

“While in public high school, I got involved in multiple Church-run projects, although I must say I’d usually prefer the social aspect of it, enjoying the good company and raising constant anxiety of my more austere pastor, who for some reason hoped one day I would end up as a priest,” said Fr. Lukasz.

Also while in high school he discovered sacred music, working as an organist and singing in a church choir. 

“Somewhat dissatisfied with the lofty subtlety of Renaissance polyphony we’d perform, I came across a simple yet solemn piece of music composed by a Polish Dominican friar, and it changed my life forever,” said Fr. Lukasz.

Attracted by the way the Dominicans sang, he then approached the Dominican lifestyle: contemplation and action, rich community life and pastoral outreach, learning and teaching, he said. 

“Moved by their preaching, very spiritual yet down to earth, and by a contagious joy of their brotherhood, I joined the Order in July 2000. As a friar, I studied philosophy and theology at the Dominican House of Studies in Warsaw and Krakow, and graduated from the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow, Poland, with a master’s degree in petrology,” said Fr. Lukasz.

After his ordination to the priesthood in May 2007, he worked for two years as a high school teacher and youth minister in Poland before applying to a doctoral program to  pursue his dream of becoming an academic. 

However, God had other plans for him, he said; instead of the quiet scholarly atmosphere of the theology department library in Fribourg, Switzerland, he found himself in the hustle and bustle of New York City. After a two-year term at Columbia University, which he described as “an amazing learning experience,” he served in Anchorage, Alaska, then spent the past three years at the University of Washington Newman Center.

With a love for books, playing music, hiking, coffee, and people, Fr. Lukasz is excited to start his new ministry in Utah. 

“It’s been a perfect transition for me so far, even though my assignment is effective July 1. I’ve visited the parish twice already, being introduced to its diverse ministries by my predecessor, Fr. Carl Schlichte, O.P.,” said Fr. Lukasz, who also had the opportunity to meet with Archbishop John C. Wester a couple of days before learning of his transfer to Santa Fe.

“From all these great conversations I got a picture of St. Catherine’s Newman Center being a unique place on the map of the diocese, a home to a vibrant permanent community as well as to more transient young professionals and college students,” he said. “I believe that this very richness, along with our connection with the University of Utah and the Dominican charism of study the friars bring, gives us an amazing opportunity to not only grow in faith and love together, but also to evangelize beyond the visible bounds of our community, bringing the new hope the world needs.”

Looking forward knowing his new community better, Fr. Lukasz said that he would like them to know that his priority is the people.

“I believe in the transforming power of the community, and that community experience always starts with personal encounters,” he said. “I want to be present and attentive. Also, I’m convinced that we can do nothing without being deeply rooted in the presence of our Lord. I’d love St. Catherine to be a school of prayer, both communal and individual, reflecting our Dominican motto: to contemplate, and to share with others the fruit of the contemplation.”

He asked the community to pray for him.

“Being a leader is never easy, and I couldn’t do it without your spiritual support,” said Fr. Lukasz.