By Fr Olek Stirrat
A few years ago I was in the Polish mountains visiting the cell of the Albertine monk, St. Albert Chmielowski. He was a nobleman, a painter and a veteran of the 1863 uprising in Poland striving for Independence when Poland was partitioned. In fact during the uprising his horse died and Albert’s leg was badly injured, so much so, that it had to be amputated. He founded the Albertine brothers and sisters, inspired by a deep love for the poor. St. Albert’s cell was simple, with a bed, a desk, a crucifix and his wooden clogs. There was also a plaque with an oft-quoted phrase of his, “we must become bread broken for others.” This phrase has inspired and stayed with me throughout my priesthood. It is the most concise and poetic description of the Eucharist that I have come across. The brokenness of bread should be the source of a priestly vocation, for a priest is someone who must become like bread broken for others. This is something that I have tried to emulate in my life by celebrating the Eucharist and then giving my life as a gift of love to others. The Eucharist has also been a source of peace for me in difficult moments and it has always been a reminder of the importance of humility. Jesus gives himself to us in the Eucharist, we are called to receive this gift from him and share it with others. Without the Eucharist my vocation would be meaningless. The Eucharist is the source of my existence and all the rest of my life is expendable.