TRANSLATION

Here is a summary and translation of Deacon Alosza's talk this weekend

In Kazachstan today there are nearly five thousand Catholics of various nationalities and the majority of these live and work in the captial Karaganda.

I was born in Karaganda in 1983. I feel Polish because my great grandparents and grandma came from Poland in 1936 when the russians by order of Stalin forced over half a million Poles into hard labour and to work in the mines.

Like my father, I also grew up in Karaganda in a polish neighbourhood, trying to be good Catholics and retain our customs and language, but Stalin's regime made it almost impossible and imposed heavy fines if we were found or heard speaking Polish or praying in Polish. But where there is a will, there is a way and we managed to uphold our religion, albeit in secret.

Kazachstan is 5,200 km from Poland. It is a large country (two and a half square km) yet only 15 million people live there. Britian woould fit five times into the country.

Kazachstan gained its independence in December 1991. The russians left the country in a bad state. during the time the Soviets where there they carried out many atom and atomic tests, so they needed people to work the ravaged land. It was very hard work, the weather being the villain. 50 degrees in summer and minus 38 in winter. Many Poles died to due lack of clothing and food inadequacy . But our faith in God never once faltered.

Five years before leaving for Poland and to study theology I took private lessons in the Polish language. It had to be conducted in private as Polish is not accpeted in Kazachstan. Islam is the main religion and Kazachstani and Russian are used on a daily basis.

In the year 2000 at the tender age of 17 I was welcomed into the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception religious order. The same year as leaving Kazachstan I learned that I was to be accepted into the seminary of the university of Lubeski under its new name John Paul II.

Here not only did I study, but also took extra lessons in the work of a priest in the hospice. Something that is sadly lacking in Kazachstan - to date there are no hospices.

On 12th June this year I will be ordained in my home town of Karaganda and Gods willing, my mother who is gravely ill can attend. Thereafter I shall commence my work among the people.

There is a great shortage of priests in the country. There are 9 priests for the whole country, so my work will take me far and wide.

The people are in a state of total dispair. Alcoholism is rife as is drug addiction. People lack the basics of life. The young see no way out of this hell and try to forget and in doing so turn to drugs and violence etc.

For me it could be dangerous work, as each person who returns to the Church or is baptised into it can carry heavy penalties.

Please remember that Kazachstan is a muslim country and has no time for Christianity and especially Catholics.

I feel that God has placed me here today because he has great works for me an will guide and protect me. So I turn to you my good people of St Marie and St Joseph. Pray for me and my fellow priests that no harm will fall upon us.

Pray for me that I will have the strength both physically ans spiritually not to fault, but to carry on. Pray that I will always have food to give to the people who ask me. Pray that I will be a priest that you the people of St Marie and St Joseph can be proud of.

God bles you and keep you safe.

Deacon Alosza Micinski