Priest from Poland joins diocese to lead Masses for Polish community

Father Marcin “Martin” Gladysz has joined the priest staff at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish.

Father Gladysz arrived in Knoxville over the holidays and began serving at Sacred Heart on Jan. 7.

Bishop Richard F. Stika announced that Father Gladysz will begin celebrating monthly Mass in Polish at the cathedral, with the first Polish Mass celebrated on Feb. 3 at 3 p.m.

Masses in Polish are scheduled for the first Sunday of each month at 3 p.m. although some dates may be adjusted due to previous commitments at the cathedral, such as confirmations.

Father Gladysz comes to the diocese from the Archdiocese of Chicago, where he served as an associate pastor. He is a native of Krakow, Poland, and also previously served as a priest and pastor and worked for Catholic schools in Papua New Guinea.

Assisting Father Gladysz at the Polish Masses will be Diocese of Knoxville seminarian Wojciech Sobczuk, also a native of Poland.

The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus celebrated its first Polish Mass on Sunday, March 4, 2018, when Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, the former archbishop of Krakow, visited the Diocese of Knoxville for the dedication of its new cathedral.

Following the Feb. 3 Mass, the next Mass in Polish at the cathedral will be Sunday, March 3, at 3 p.m.

Father Gladysz, who has been celebrating daily Mass at the cathedral, may also at times be helping other parishes in the diocese as a substitute priest.

Father Gładysz was born on Oct. 16, 1976, in Krakow. He grew up there and obtained his elementary and secondary education as well as completed Gastronomic Technical School. His parents, Mark and Leokadia, still live in Krakow, as does his older sister, Edyta, with her family.