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Getting To Know Our New Pastor: Part 2 (Fun Facts)

With our church reopening and events returning to the “new normal,” it may be some time before you have an opportunity to get to know our new Pastor, Father Artur (call him “Father Arthur”) Marat.  To expedite this process, over the next few weeks, we will share information about OLW’s new shepherd on our website and through other communications channels.  Here’s the second installment…

Fun Facts:

Tell us about your family.  How many siblings do you have?  

I grew up in Bialystok, Poland in a loving family. I have one younger brother who is married with four children and who is a professional pianist and Professor of Music at the Grazyna and Kiejstut Bacewicz University of Music in Lodz.

Your middle name is Arthur, why do you go by this name and not your first name?

I go by my middle name “Arthur” rather than my first name “Wojciech” because it is easier to pronounce in English.

Do you have any family in the area?  Do you get to see them often?

Several of my cousins live in Skokie and Glenview, and I get to see them regularly.

Tell us about your childhood.

My childhood in Poland was wonderful and took place a long time ago.

What was your  favorite subject in school?

My favorite subject was always history, especially the Middle Ages; it was a fascinating time in history.

Did you play soccer or other sports as a youth?

Of course! Every boy in my neighborhood played soccer in his backyard. My brother and I would go rock climbing in Silesia, hiking in the Polish mountains, and I would ride my bike on the trails around Bialystok.

Do you have any hobbies?

When I was young, I loved to read books. Now, however, my busy schedule does not leave me much time to pursue hobbies.

What languages to you speak?

I speak English, Polish, and Russian.

Cubs or Sox?

I will root for both teams, and I wear both blue and white socks!  Wink.

What is your favorite food?

My favorite food is fish and seafood.

What is your favorite book?

My favorite books are The Confessions by St. Augustine and The Story of a Soul by St. Therese.

What kind of music do you enjoy?

I love smooth Brazilian jazz, particularly music by Antonio Carlos Jobim, and classical music.

Do you enjoy watching TV or movies?  What do you enjoy watching?  Any favorites?

I love watching classic American movies about the Italian mafia like The Godfather by Francis Coppola. When I watched this film for the first time, I thought it was going to be a religious movie, but I quickly discovered that there were two meanings to the word “godfather”!

Have you been able to explore Arlington Heights (before the pandemic)? 

I had the pleasure of exploring Arlington Heights for one month before the pandemic. I familiarized myself with how to get to the hospital and the drive to my cousins’ house—two very important locations.

Have you ever had any pets?  Would you like to have one at OLW?

During my childhood my parents had parakeets, which we enjoyed very much. Eventually, however, they started fighting, and one parakeet attacked another and killed it. So, from them on, I resolved not to have any more pets.

Do you enjoy travel?  Where have you been?  What is your favorite destination?  Where would you like to go that you haven’t been to yet?

I love to travel. I have an invitation from my cousins to visit Australia, and that is my next destination whenever the quarantine officially ends. I would also really like to visit and see Japan. My favorite country to visit is Italy. I have been to France, England, China, the Philippines, Germany, and other countries.

Use the links below to view other installments in this series…

Getting To Know Our New Pastor: Part 1 (Married Couples and Families)

Getting To Know Our New Pastor: Part 3 (Spiritual Side)