Worth taking the gamble
Vocations
Father Olek Stirrat is content to put his life in God’s hands and just like when he plays poker, believes serving as a priest is a case of being ‘all in’, as Lindy McNamara reports.
Ordained in 2022 and now aged 30, Fr Olek is one of the youngest priests in the Adelaide Archdiocese and his Gen Y outlook and energy are welcomed by those he ministers in the Croydon Park parish.
Recently appointed as the Diocesan Vocations director, he is also charged with assisting others who feel they are being called to the priesthood, supporting them as they discern whether this is truly their vocation. Fr Olek draws on his own experience to demonstrate that everyone’s journey is different – and admits that as a teenager he “never imagined” he would one day become a man of the cloth.
Although raised in a supportive and devout Catholic family of Polish origin, it was ultimately “an accumulation of probabilities” that steered him towards his vocation.
“People say to me, how did you know you wanted to be a priest, was it a particular moment? But no, it wasn’t. Instead, it was a conversation here, a prayer there, an inspiring story that all came together so that the logical next step for me was the priesthood,” he told The Southern Cross.
However, two significant times in his life as an 18-year-old did make him start to believe that maybe he was being called to serve.
“The first was when I was studying engineering at university and we were doing optimisation,” he recalled.
“I thought, wow, I am going to be making a lot of money (as an engineer) but I’m also going to be making other people a lot of money by optimising processes – but that’s not enough.
“The second was when I went to Rome for the canonisation of Pope John Paul II, a hero of mine. He’s been an inspiration throughout for me with his courage and way of life. So, when I returned, that’s when I applied for the seminary.”
Together with Fr Anthony Beltrame (Hectorville parish), Fr Olek embarked on his studies at Corpus Christi College in Melbourne in 2015. After several delays due to pandemic restrictions, the pair was ordained to the diaconate in December 2020, with Fr Olek then serving as a deacon in the Mount Gambier parish.
Following his ordination two years later he continued in the parish as an assistant priest, first under the guidance of Fr Dean Marin and then Fr Peter Zwaans.
“I loved it there…I enjoyed working in the school and the community, and there’s a real sense of family, home and tradition in the country,” he said.
Driving nearly 1000km each week to meet with parishioners in Millicent and Penola failed to dampen his love for country life, with his community-mindedness even extending to testing his skills at a local footy club.
“It didn’t last long…a shooting star that quickly fizzled,” he laughed.
“At one of the trainings I went up for a mark and hurt my pinky finger. Eventually I found out it was broken – it was pathetic.”
Football mishaps aside, after a wonderful time in the South East, Fr Olek returned to Adelaide last year to take up the position as assistant priest in the Croydon Park parish.
While meeting the needs of the multiculturally diverse parish community, the role of Vocations director has also opened the door to learning new social media skills. He is connecting with parishioners – young and old – through platforms such as Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fr.olek/ and Facebook and produces a podcast where he shares helpful information from other priests about their vocation.
One of his recent interviews was with Emeritus Bishop Greg O’Kelly SJ, who Fr Olek describes as a “grandfather figure” to him, and one of the many priests who provides wise counsel when needed.
“The fundamental grounding for priests is the same although the ministry is different in context now.
“So sometimes when I’m running down one path with some idea, one of the older priests might say, have you thought of this? And I’ll stop and think, that’s a really good idea.
“Their wisdom is a gift.”
As for his own style of ministering, Fr Olek said he finds great joy in bringing people together and enabling them to share their skills.
“I do enjoy seeing people flourish, seeing people use their gifts for good, together,” he said.
“One of my goals is how I can be a mediator to bring people together with their gifts.
“Often it is just a need for an invitation. For example, in Croydon Park, I try being attentive to people’s gifts and picture how that connects to our broader vision. Being able to draw people together is really satisfying for me.”
He adds it is a privilege to be with people and share important ‘faith moments’ with them, whether it be at Mass, a baptism, wedding or funeral.
Now entering his sixth year as a priest, he is relaxed and at peace with his vocation and is no longer “sweating the small stuff”.
“I believe that the path I have trod is God’s will because it is not the life that I imagined and that gives me solace,” he reflected.
“Ten years ago, if you said I would be here in this I would have been terrified – I wouldn’t have imagined it. Looking back is a liberating thing, it’s a freeing thing, it’s a call I have responded to.
“I like to play poker with my mates and if it’s a winning hand, it is all in…in the same way it is this idea of God being a jealous god – and he wants all or nothing.
“So, my advice for someone thinking of the priesthood is simple: go for it, go all in.”
