Rev. Jozef Dudzik met with Fifth grade students on a recent visit to DeSales Catholic School. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

ENP STAFF REPORTS
news@eastniagarapost.com

---

The Most Reverend Richard J. Malone, Bishop of Buffalo, has appointed Rev. Jozef Dudzik to the additional responsibility of Canonical Administrator of DeSales Catholic School for a term of three years, effective March 2.

Father Jozef has served as pastor of St. Brendan on the Lake Parish in Newfane since 2012.  He was born and raised in the South of Poland, near Krakow, and studied in Tarnow, Poland. After his ordination to the priesthood in 2000, Father Jozef spent three years teaching in an elementary school in Poland before moving to Germany to continue his studies.  He came to Western New York in 2006 at the invitation of the Most Reverend Edward U. Kmiec, the Bishop of Buffalo at the time. Father Jozef's intent was to live in the U.S. for about a year, while working to improve his English, but his plans quickly changed as his fondness for America grew.

Father Jozef affirmed that one of his first goals "is to nurture the Catholic identity of our students and their families."  He expressed great enthusiasm for his new role as a spiritual leader to both the staff and students at DeSales, adding "I want to guide them and teach them to begin everyday with prayer, asking for God’s help."

According to the school bylaws, the role of the Canonical Administrator at DeSales is to ensure the Catholic identity of the school.  Father Jozef will serve as an ex-officio member of the DeSales Board of Trustees. In that capacity he will provide support, encouragement, reflection, and collaborative discussion on the ministry of the school.

The school's previous Canonical Administrator, Rev. Joseph E. Vatter, was appointed Pastor of Saint Paul Parish in Kenmore earlier this year.

---

For instant access to East Niagara Post's YouTube videos, social media feeds and more, 

download the new ENP Mobile app for Android.