Father Alojzy Czesław Gorol was born on November 1st 1962 in Mikołów, as the second of three sons of Wincenty and Łucja, the family of labourers. For many years their home was the place where people from Śmiłowice gathered for catechesis and Sunday Eucharist. He attended the elementary school in Mikołów. In 1982 he graduated from the High School of Fine Arts. Hardworking and artistically talented Alojzy was much involved in the liturgical life and youth pastoral ministry in his home Parish.

On September 7th 1982 he entered the Novitiate of the Society of the Divine Saviour in Bagno. One year later he made his first religious profession and began his studies in the Salvatorian Major Seminary in Bagno. On September 8th 1987 he took his final vows and on June 25th 1988 he was ordained to the Deaconate in Bagno. On May 13th 1989 in Trzebinia, he was ordained to the Priesthood by Cardinal Franciszek Macharski.

In 1989-1993 he was a vicar in the Parish of the Blessed Virgin Mary the Queen of Poland in Bielsko-Biała. On the last day of June 1993 his Provincial Superior appointed his as superior and entrusted him with duties of treasurer of the religious community house in Kraków at Łobzowska Street. He also received permission for studying the sacred art in the Pontifical Theological Academy in Kraków. From August 1994 until June 2004 he was the Pastor of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Trzebinia. At that time he was also vice superior and consultor of the local religious community and attendant to the Lay Institute of the Missionaries of Christ. Besides that, since the end of June 2000, he was a chaplain of prison in Trzebinia. Those ten years of Fr. Alojzy’s work in Trzebinia deserve a special acknowledgment because of numerous and various initiatives he undertook and accomplished for the sake of spreading the cult of Our Lady of Fatima and adorning the church. When he was the Pastor in Trzebinia, on May 13th 1997 the church was declared a Marian Sanctuary. Four months later Franciszek Cardinal Macharski, Metropolitan of Kraków, crowned the statue of Our Lady of Fatima in the chapel of that Sanctuary. The pilgrims could count on Father Alojzy’s kindness and availability. He took a great care for organizing the night Fatima Vigils, which he considered as very important when it came to spreading the cult of Our Lady. On July 1st 2004 Fr. Alojzy was appointed as director of the Salvatorian Popular Missions and Parish Retreats, coordinating the work of the Salvatorian retreat givers. At the same time he was the vice superior of the community in Kraków at Siostry Faustyny Street. In July 2006 he returned to his home town Mikołów, where he was the superior and treasurer of the community house. After two years he was appointed as Pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Węgorzewo as well as superior and treasurer of the local religious community. He was also a chaplain in a hospital. In that Masurian community he undertook many pastoral initiatives as well as those promoting the Marian cult.

After many endeavours he began construction of the new Parish church.
While reading about his life one may observe many “Divine coincidences.” He was ordained to the Priesthood on the day of Our Lady of Fatima. After some years he returned to the place, where he was ordained, to involve totally in spreading of the Marian cult. The Cardinal Metropolitan of Kraków, who ordained him, after several years crowned the statue of Our Lady of Fatima. And finally, Our Lady of Fatima, for whom he wished to build a church, led him to the House of Our Father.

Fr. Alojzy was seen and will be remembered as open, kind and talented man, continuously and sincerely involved in the life of the Church and the Society.

Prepared by: Fr. Sławomir Noga SDS