Marek Ochlak

From 1992 to 1994,^[3] Ochlak worked as a vicar in the parish of St. Eugene in Kędzierzyn-Koźle. Then he took a French language course in Paris and in August 1995 went to Madagascar. In 1995–1996 he completed a course in Malagasy language and culture in Antananarivo-Soavimbahoace. From 1996 to 2001 he served in Marolambo (from 1999 as superior), from 2001 to 2009 in Toamasina (from 2006 as superior and parish priest), from 2009 to 2015 in Antananarivo-Soavimbahoace (as superior of the Missionary Oblates in Madagascar and Réunion Island),^[1] and from 2016 to 2021 on the Befasa mission.^[5] He contributed to improving the situation of local communities, among other things, through: He built wells, waterworks, schools, chapels, the Wanda Błeńska Hospital, and renovated the Church of St. Teresa of the Child Jesus in the central mission. In 2021, he returned to Poland,^[1] where he assumed the position of director of the Missionary Oblates' Mission Procura in Poznań.^[5] In 2023, he was elected superior of the Polish Province of the Missionary Oblates.^[1]

On 17 April 2025, Ochlak was appointed by Pope Francis as bishop of Fenoarivo Atsinanana, marking the last episcopal appointment made by the latter, four days before he died.^[6][1] On 6 July, he was consecrated a bishop by Cardinal Tomasz Grysa at the Oblate Church of St. Joseph in Gdańsk, adopting the words "Adveniat Regnum Tuum" (Thy Kingdom Come) as his episcopal motto.^[7] The ingress took place on 10 August 2025, at Sahavola Stadium.^[8]

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