Fr. Gabriel Stawowy: the Salesians’ New Treasurer General

Edited by Fr. Mike Mendl, SDB, www.sdbnews.blogspot.com

(ANS – Turin – March 28, 2025) – A long day of voting on Friday, March 28, at GC29 ended with the election of Fr. Gabriel Stawowy from Poland as the new treasurer general (or CFO) of the Congregation. [Earlier in the day the new general councilors for formation, communications, missions, and youth ministry had been elected. Fr. Gabriel has been a member of our New Rochelle community since August 2023 and has been a treasured friend of all of us here.]

According to Article 139 of the Salesian Constitutions, "The treasurer general administers the assets that do not belong to a specific province or house but to the entire Society. He coordinates and oversees provincial administrations, ensuring that their management aligns with the requirements of religious poverty and serves the Salesian mission. He also ensures compliance with the necessary regulations for proper administration."

Biography of Fr. Gabriel Stawowy

Born on Christmas Day in 1966 in Miedzna in the diocese of Katowice, Poland, Fr. Stawowy is the son of Teofil Stawowy and Malgorzata Niesyto. He entered the Salesian novitiate in Kopiec in 1984 and made his first religious profession on August 22, 1985. He made his perpetual profession on August 10, 1991, in Rumia, and was ordained on June 16, 1995, in Krakow. He is a member of the Krakow Province.

Salesian Ministry and Leadership

Swietochlowice, Poland (1995-2002) – house councilor and vice director.
Nowa Huta, Krakow (2002-2011) – director while also serving as the school's principal (2002-2011).
Salesian Province of Krakow (2006-2022) – provincial councilor (2006-2012); delegate for schools (2006-2012); province treasurer (2012-2022).
Salesian Missions, New Rochelle (2023-2025) – assistant director at the mission office and member of the provincial house community. He was not a participant in GC29 and was surprised by his election. He departed New Rochelle for Turin and the chapter on the day following his election to assume his new role in service to the Congregation.

Fr. Stawowy pursued further studies at the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome and at the Institute of Salesian Studies at Berkeley, Calif. He is fluent in Polish, Italian, and English, and has been learning Spanish.

As the new treasurer general, he brings decades of financial and administrative expertise to ensure the responsible stewardship of Salesian resources in service of the Congregation’s mission worldwide.

Read the original article from ANS.