Father Paulinus Jan Kolmaga was born in 1954 in Świerczyna, in the Radom diocese. After graduating from high school in 1973, he was called up for military service. He joined the Order of St. Paul the First Hermit in 1975. He was ordained a priest at Jasna Góra in Częstochowa in 1982. After ordination, he served in Poland in parishes and Marian sanctuaries run by the Pauline Order. In 1991, by decision of the order's superiors, he was sent to work in the United States. He worked in the American Częstochowa, taking on numerous challenges as a superior, prior and director of the sanctuary. He also worked in parishes in Yonkers and Buffalo. He currently serves in Manhattan in the oldest Polish parish. Father Jan's passions are sports, good books, cooking and TV game shows.