From Nigeria to Bloomington, sharing the joy of Jesus drives Dominican priest’s mission

Our own Fr. Justus Pokrzewinski, OP is featured in an article on the Archdiocese of Indianapolis news site The Criterion. Read an excerpt below and the entire article at The Criterion.

By Mike Krokos

BLOOMINGTON—There is the black-and-white photograph of the young Dominican priest floating along the Niger River in a canoe in the early 1960s, pointing into the distance, uncertain what awaited him in this vast, mission territory.

There is also the moving story the priest shares about the time he prayed the Stations of the Cross with members of a leper colony.

The photo and the story are all part of the 57 years that Dominican Father Justus Pokrzewinski spent in Nigeria, serving as a missionary bringing the Catholic faith to a people unfamiliar with Jesus.

Now, as he approaches his 90th birthday on Dec. 10, Father Justus is nearing his fourth year of ministering to college students at the St. Paul Catholic Center on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington.

Two different worlds, but one common goal for Father Justus: sharing the joy of Jesus.

He continues to strive for that goal after suffering a minor stroke in November of 2020. He assists at the parish as a priest-in-residence, celebrating Mass on every Friday and on some weekends. He also hears confessions and attends many of the parish’s functions, including a Sunday evening meal hosted at St. Paul Catholic Center each week.

He knows many of the students and is especially supportive of the FOCUS (Fellowship of Christian University Students) missionaries, who minister around the campus. And the students love this priest who is known for singing hymns around the parish office and who always takes time to greet everyone who crosses his path.

“He’s a very holy man who brings a lot of joy to everyone,” says Maria Reecer, an IU sophomore who works part time in the parish office and is a member of the parish. “I think he’s a great testament to what faith does for someone when they pursue it throughout their life.”

‘He’s a big force of prayer for the students’
Elizabeth White, the team director for FOCUS on the IU campus, also cites Father Justus’ joy when discussing his presence at the parish. She also talks about his reverence when he celebrates Mass.

“His love for the Eucharist and the Lord is so apparent,” she notes. “And he always makes it a point to pray for us missionaries, which is an incredible gift.”

Father Justus also possesses the gift of remembering everyone he meets, White says, and an unwavering commitment to praying for those people every day.

“He’s a big force of prayer for the students,” she says. “And just the way he remembers is very intentional about each student he interacts with, and it’s something I very much admire and that has definitely rubbed off.”

Father Justus’ missionary work in Nigeria also inspires White and her FOCUS colleagues. He spoke to the group about his experiences, and they left the meeting eager to continue their outreach.

“I remember us leaving the class feeling very invigorated, thinking, ‘If this man can go into dangerous territory and spread Jesus, then we can go onto a college campus and share about Jesus,’ ” White says.

In both Bloomington and Nigeria, Father Justus views missionary work from a similar perspective.

“The missionary progress depends on God’s grace, on the gift Jesus gave us in the holy Eucharist, as the memorial of his Passion, death and resurrection, on the Holy Spirit, and also on Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles,” he notes. “All the glory of any success goes to God.”