By Mary Alice Murphy

Father Jaroslaw "Jarek" Nowacki, pronounced Yah-ro-slahv "Yah-reck" No-vaht-ski has been a member of the Las Cruces Diocese for the month of June, but said he is very happy to be in New Mexico. He prefers being called Father Jarek.

He was born May 1, 1975, in Kozienice, Poland, and ordained a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Radom, Poland, on June 1, 2002.

During his teen years and young adult years, he took English classes at school. "But they were teaching British English. I always tried to speak with an American accent, which the teacher did not like," Nowacki said.

"Six years ago, I came to America," he said. "My English was poor. Daily I needed my pastor to translate everything. Before I came, I interviewed with a monsignor by phone. It's very hard to understand another language on the phone."

Nowacki said he learned later that the monsignor reported his English was not good, but one of the priests said: "The Polish people are smart. He will learn English."

"I arrived in the United States on July 4, 2010," Nowacki said. "Within three weeks I was celebrating Mass in English. I was mostly reading it."

At the Virginia Beach Adult Learning Center, he continued to learn English, along with military men and their wives, and even the wife of a Polish general. "I spent 2 -+ hours a day there."

His first position in the U.S. was as a parochial vicar in Suffolk and Smithfield, Va., where he spent one year and two months. Next the bishop sent him to Portsmouth, Va., where he was parochial vicar for four churches.

"I spoke English every day," Nowacki said. "I also worked with the software Rosetta Stone. After the second year, the bishop saw I had good contact with people, and he named me the pastor at Radford, Virginia. I was also the chaplain at Radford University and at St. John Newman Academy in Blacksburg, Virginia."

In addition to being a priest, he has served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol, ad a recruiting and retention officer. Although he has offered to be active duty Army, he said: "but not yet."

"I love New Mexico," Nowacki said. "The first time I came was at the invitation of Bishop Cantu for an interview. I started in the Las Cruces Diocese on June 1.

"Today, I have changed my driver's license and my license plate," he said. "I love New Mexico food, although I have to train my tongue for hot food."

When asked the state question: "Red or green?" he replied: "Green. Red is still too hot."

He said he wants to learn Spanish, but "first I have to organize my daily life. I feel like I am newly ordained. I have to learn everything here. But the people are wonderful, I have friendly neighbors, and I love the weather. It's dry, with little humidity."

Nowacki has an older sister, who is 50 years old; a brother who is 47; and he is 41 years old.

"I have a lovely Mom," he said. "She is a single mom. Maybe she will come visit during Christmas."

Nowacki then rushed out with two minutes to spare to celebrate the Holy Eucharist at noon Mass on the day of the interview.

He said he would hold a special Mass at 8 a.m. on Monday, July 4, so that people who want to celebrate Mass on the American holiday can then go and enjoy the parade and other festivities.