Fr. TADEUSZ ROZMUS
Pastor of Castel Gandolfo, Don Biker
I was born a motorcyclist, my dad was a motorcyclist, and as a kid I was very passionate about it. When I was a kid, I had a motorcycle built for me out of spare parts, with fake license plates. We used to run from the police with our friends, so I grew up in the world of motorcycles. For me, motorcycles are my life.
That is Tadeusz Rozmus, a Polish priest who is celebrating 40 years of priesthood this year. He is a Salesian and, since 2021, has served as pastor of the parish in Castel Gandolfo, where the pope goes on vacation. He has also been a provincial in Krakow, a missionary in Egypt and Uganda, and the European representative on the Salesian General Council.
But aside from carrying out his ministry in the traditional way, Fr Tadeusz ministers to those who share his passion for motorcycles.
Fr. TADEUSZ ROZMUS
Pastor of Castel Gandolfo, Don Biker
As a priest, my motorcycle helps me connect with different communities. Many people don’t notice whether I’m a priest or not; they just see that I’m a motorcyclist. That way, I become friends with everyone, even those who aren’t “official” believers, and I think that’s very important.
They call him “Don Biker,” and his passion is well known, as he often goes out with groups of biker friends.
A few days ago, he gathered about a hundred motorcycle enthusiasts for a Mass and to greet Pope Leo, despite several of them not being Catholic. Afterwards, the bikers had lunch together at the parish.
Fr. TADEUSZ ROZMUS
Pastor of Castel Gandolfo, Don Biker
Pope Francis said that we need to leave the churches and go where the people are. Well, this is one way to do it.
A couple of times a year, Don Biker makes the journey from his parish near Rome to his hometown of Krakow, about 1,600 kilometers. He does it on a motorcycle, of course, and some of his biker friends join him.
Suring the Jubilee of Hope, he went with them to the Vatican, where they were able to greet Pope Leo for the first time.
For Don Biker, the motorcycle is a way of life. It’s an opportunity to connect with others, to stop and pray, and to bear witness to his faith.
