Celebrating 50 years, Father Aniszczyk advises ‘listen to the Lord’

Father Leon Aniszczyk
Celebrating 50 years

For Father Leon Aniszczyk, a retired priest of the Diocese of Metuchen, his call to service for the Church started at a young age. “I started as an altar server right after I received First Holy Communion,” he said, acknowledging also, “I had the example of good priests.”

Father Aniszczyk was born and raised in Bartniki, Poland, to a family who was very committed to the Church and who encouraged his growth in faith. When the Lord called him to consider the priesthood, he entered the Major Seminary of the Society of the Divine Word Fathers in Pieniezno, and the Major Seminary of the Diocese of Lomza, where he studied philosophy and theology.

In 1965 his studies were interrupted when he was drafted into the Polish military in which he served from 1965 to 1967.

Father Aniszczyk was ordained to the priesthood May 27, 1973, in the Diocese of Lomza by Bishop Alexander Moscicki. His first assignment was in St. John the Baptist Church, Wizna, Poland. He later traveled to Belgium to study Portuguese in order to prepare for missionary work in Brazil. The work was cut short due to political unrest, so after eight years of serving in Poland he decided to move to the United States to be close to his two brothers who were living here.

In 1982 he settled in Philadelphia, where he served in St. John Cantius Parish and then, St. Ladislaus Parish. Following those assignments, he was accepted into the newly formed Diocese of Metuchen where he served the faithful for 36 years.

His assignments included the parishes of Sacred Heart of Jesus, Manville; Sacred Heart, South Amboy; Mary, Mother of God, Hillsborough; St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Bridgewater, and St. Mary of Ostrabrama, South River. In February 1992 Father Aniszczyk was assigned as temporary administrator of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, Sayreville, and was named pastor in September of that same year. He also served at Immaculate Conception Parish, Spotswood, and St. Mary of Czestochowa Parish, Bound Brook.

Since his retirement in 2018 he has been residing in Toms River. Although he currently has no parish assignments because of his travels, he does help friends when he travels to Florida and Poland.

Father Aniszczyk enjoys reading and cooks only out of necessity but continues to keep active and stay healthy. He is looking forward to staying close to his family.

He believes being a good example and demonstrating faith will convince people more than words. “I celebrate the Eucharist occasionally in public. I celebrate in a good way that people will see that I believe in the Eucharist,” he said. He noted that, as a pastor, he made time for special Eucharistic devotions and enjoyed hosting 40 Hours Devotions in his parishes.

Father Aniszczyk encourages those considering the vocation of the priesthood to, “Listen to the Lord and be open to his invitation to a vocation; to sacrifice your life and offer it for God and for the Church.”