Monsignor Olowin Appointed Campus Minister

Monsignor Jan C. Olowin has been appointed by Bishop Donald Trautman of the Erie Roman Catholic Diocese to a six-year term as Campus Minister at Clarion University and pastor of St. Michael Parish in Emlenton PA. Msgr. Olowin replaces Fr. James G. Faluszczak, who served as the university’s campus minister from 2001 until last August, when he was named to a six-year term as Pastor of St. Anthony of Padua in Sheffield PA, and Chaplain to Warren State Hospital.

Born and raised in Erie, Olowin attended Gannon University. His seminary education took place at St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore, Md., where he earned a B.A. in philosophy and an S.T.M. in theology. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 18, 1968. After ordination he attended Pittsburgh Theological Seminary where he earned the degree of doctor of ministry. Subsequent post-graduate work took place at Instituto Mexicano, Mexico City, and at the American College of the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium.

Previous assignments include teacher at Cathedral Prep High School in Erie, founding director of the Erie Diocesan Mission Office, founder of the "Mission of Friendship" between the Dioceses of Yucatan and Erie, and Erie Diocesan Secretary for Worship and Outreach. He also ministered as pastor at St. Adalbert Church in Farrell, St. Joseph Church in Oil City, and St. George Church in Erie. Prior to being named campus minister at Clarion University, he ministered in the Department of Justice Bureau of Prisons as Supervisory Chaplain at FCI McKean.

Olowin’s professional affiliations include past president, Institute of Latin American Studies of NW PA; chairman of the board of the U.S. Catholic Conference International Liaison, Washington, D.C.; board member of CODEL, Ecumenical Development Consortium, New York, N.Y.; trustee, Mercyhurst College, Erie; and Federal Staff Instructor, Cultural Diversity Management, Denver, Colo.

He was named chaplain to His Holiness by Pope John Paul II, and received the Directors Award for "Outstanding Pastoral Care to Staff and Inmates" from the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.

In addition to extensive academic training and familiarity with the dynamics of higher education, Olowin considers his greatest strengths to be his recent experience working with 21 faith traditions within the Federal Prison System and his earlier work with indigenous cultures in the Yucatan and the missions he established there.