Ryszard Drzazga April 6, 1939 – Biala, Poland March 25, 2016 – Calgary, Alberta

Reverend Jan Drzazga of Calgary, passed away on Friday, March 25, 2016 at the age of 76 years. He was ordained to the Priesthood on June 19, 1962 in Lublin, Poland. He leaves to mourn his brother Zbigniew and sister-in-law, Anna; his nephews, Peter and Christopher and two great-nephews, all in Lublin, Poland; a cousin, Sophie (Chester) Pituch in Calgary; his special friends and adopted family, Teiichi Shibata and Elvira Enriquez Shibata; their daughters, Dr. Mariko Shibata-Stamm (Dr. Michael Stamm), (their daughter, Akira Elena) and Naomi Shibata Chan (Dr. Alex Chan). Fr. Jan was loved and adopted by the entire Enriquez family. His parents, Tomasz and Czeslawa Drzazga predeceased him along with his brother Marian Drzazga who passed away at only 9 months old. Many lives were touched by his gentle and humble ministry as a Hospital Chaplain at Holy Cross Hospital (’87-’96); General and Glenmore Hospitals (’96-’98) and Alberta Children’s Hospital/ Rockyview Hospital (-2001). In addition to his ministry he shared, with enthusiasm, his wisdom as a Professor in Political Science at the University of Calgary; St. Mary’s University College, Calgary; Newman Theological College, Edmonton, and as a visiting professor at the Institute of Philosophy and Theology in Morogoro, Tanzania, Africa.