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Fr. Wiesław Dawidowski, OSA was born in 1964 into a traditional Catholic family of Polish minor ethnicity called “Cashubian” in Gdynia. During his teenage years in 1980-1982 he engaged in an anti-communist youth resistance. He was arrested and spent 6 months in prison. After luckily completing high school, he joined the Augustinian Order in 1984. He studied philosophy at the Major Seminary of the Archdiocese of Warsaw in the years 1984-86. He completed his Novitiate probation in 1987 by professing his first vows in the Order in 1987. Consequently, he pursued theology studies at the Pontifical Academy of Theology in Cracow which he concluded with an MA in Theology of liturgy in 1991. Ordained in 1991 he worked first in Cracow and then in Warsaw as a catechist in youth ministry and as a chaplain to the English Speaking Catholics of Warsaw in years 1992-96. In the years 1996-2000 he studied Fundamental Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he earned his Licentiate (STL) degree and doctorate with a dissertation “The Rule of Faith in the theological method of St. Augustine of Hippo”. He was pastor of the parish of St. Catherine of Alexandria in Cracow in the year 2001-2004.

In 2004 Fr. Wiesław was nominated first chaplain, then in 2010 a Rector to the St. Paul’s English Speaking Parish of Warsaw a ministry which he holds up till now. In the years 2012-2021 he was Provincial Superior of the Polish Province of the Augustinians and in the years 2014-2018 he was elected Vice-President of the Conference of the Major Superiors of the Male Religious Orders in Poland. In 2021-22 he took a sabbatical year and took a postgraduate course on Biblical Formation and Archeology at the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum in Jersualem. He regularly publishes in the Catholic weekly “Tygodnik Powszechny”, Więź, “W drodze”. For 5 years Father Wiesław has been working regularly with TV Channel Religia TV (ITI Group) in a night show “Rozmównica”. So far he published 5 books, almost 60 articles and 40 videoblogs to be found on YouTube.

Fr. Wiesław is engaged in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue. In the years 2009-2013 he was a co-chairman of the Polish Council of Christian and Jews. Father Wiesław is a board member of the Council for Jewish Christian Dialogue and a Council for the Migrants at the Conference of the Polish Episcopate. In the year of 2024 he was nominated National Director of the Ministers for Migrants by the Polish Episcopate.

In recognition of his merits in the social and public service, Presidents of Poland Mr. Bronisław Komorowski awarded him with an Order of the Chevalier Cross of the Restoration of Poland.

He loves music, theatre and poetry. He loves classic rock and jazz, and plays some guitar. His favourite bible quote is: “The love of God is shed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given unto us” (Rom 5:5). His priesthood motto is taken from St. Augustine’s Homily 1h,2,: “What, after all do I want? What do I desire? What am I longing for? That is my desire, that’s may honor, that’s my joy, my pride and glory. I don’t want to be saved without you”.